Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-12-10

Inc VIAL point tOucneu upon - 'uo
manner 10 which the Union may be
constructed. The radical Whiting poll.
cy that is 80 popular among the extreme
lists is entirely ignored. Reducing the
rebellious states to territorial condition
and requiring the new states tnat are
eventually erected tberefrom, to come
with new constitutions, moulded to suit
the radical taste, is abandoned entirely.
This is 4 severe blow to the Jacobins.
They will have no honey on their
tongues for the Chief Executive. What
the President says with reepect TO tho
return OF States is, that if there can be
found ten qualified voters in each hun
dred qualified voters in each Of the Sc
ceded States (South Carolina not except
ed) who are willing to come back into
the Union with their old state constitu-
tions, they may do 80, and their
action shall be recognized a. Valid
These constitutions, be it remembered,
recognize the right Of holding slaves
Mr.. Lincoln has hitherto issued proc
l.mation abolishiDe slavery in those
States. Now he tells them in effect, that
If it shall be shown that the provisions
Of his said proclamation Of Emancipa>
ton were unconstitutional, then their
State constitutions may be brought in
with the .ame old slavery clause unim-
paired but If it be shown 10 the Su-
preme Cour, that the eaid proclamation
vas made 10 accordance With the pro-
viz ions of the Constitution Of the Unit
ed States, then, Of course the State con-
stitutions of the seeded Staes must be
amended 20 far ~ they relate to slavery
must be made free-state constitutions.
By this it must be admitted on all
hands th at there is yet doubt Ia the
mind of the Chief Executive Is to the
coustitu tiouality of the Emancipation
Proclamation. The radicals will exc
crate the President for this admission.
They consign the constitution with
heart and voice, to perdition, and declare
that in case that document comes be-
tween them and the execution Of their
!, favorite schemes, it ought to be ground
to powder beneath the heels Of the peo-
pie that it should be regarded with
the most supreme contempt, as docu-
ment unworthy of the respect or coun-
tenance Of this people. But the Presi-
dent declares otherw ise, and this step Of
his, if it may be regarded as the policy
Of the Administration and its party, can.
not be taken as anything else than a
square backdown. The democratic par
! ty claim that the Emancipation procla-
] nation was unconstitutional. The Piesi
dent does not deny that such 10 the case,
but refers the returning States (if they
choose to return) 10 the decision Of the
Courts. II fair and impartial judicia-
ry, upon the most earnest and candid
co oasideration of the matter, shall find
that the Proclamation of Emancipation
was ri;ctly in keeping with the Consti-
ution of the United States, then the
democracy will say amen: but, If
on the contrary, it shal be found
that the proclamation was not
not made in accordance with the said
constitution, as they truly believe it was
not, then they ella i'm that the seeded
States shall have the right to come back
with their slaves and their slave consti-
tutions, and go does the President, IN
less We read his last procl. >mation to but
little advantage. We can put no other
construction upon it.
The other matters and things con-
tanned in the late proclamation are Of .
secondary Importance compared With
this. The bone oi contention i. how
are the seeded States .srs to return il
| case the people thereof dssiie to bring
them back at al and upon this ques-
ton We think the President has fully
expressed himself. g
NRwsPAPER CuAxcE..-Onr friends
Jerome 4 Duncan of the Iowa City Rspx6li-