The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-02-06
A. Candid Review eff the prccia-
NATION.

We copy the following candid review Of
the effect of the President s Proclamation,
from the Newburyport (Mass.) Herald, q
Republican paper which advocated Mr..
Lincoln's election and supports his Admin
istration:
The effect of the Proclamation of Eman-
cipation must have been very small on the
slaves. They were well aware that it was
to be issued, and from the date of its
promise to its appearance they had ample
time to prepare for insurrection, if SO they
had been inclined and opportunity had
presented. 1t came out during the holi-
| days, when they had the greatest liberty
| when they would most assemble, and more
than at any other period of the year talk
| with each other. But the holidays came
and went, and no sign of instruction ap-
peared in the whole South; and we put it
down as certain, if not then, that never
will the negroes rise against their masters
at our call. A few contrabands in Nor
folk, Beaufort aud New Orleans, were jul
bilant over their newly received freedom.
They were negroes influenced by the
whites around them; and if jeff Davis
had held the same place and given them a
holiday, there would have been as much
rejoicing.
| We were told by those demanding the
proclamation that no sooner would it be
issued than the slaves would respond to it
from all quarters, and in the most distant
States that the troops from the far South
would be obliged to leave Virginia and
Tennessee to protect their homes-the
lives of their wives and children that the
whole Confederacy would be thrown into
confusion, and single regiment of federal
soldiers might march from Washington to
Richmond. Can any body see to-day
where the rebels have been weakened by
it? Can anybody tell how the federal ar
my has been strengthened by it On the
contrary, are not the rebels more deter
mined and stronger than before and are
not the loyalists more divided and weaker?
Is not this the main cause of the stray
Cling of our army-that men are opposed
to the policy, and care not to fight on the
question of emancipation If it be not
SO, we are mistaken. The larger part of
| the army would confne the war strictly to
defence of the Union and the Constitu-
ton; and when they straggle now, the
nine hundred thousand who were to rally
at the call of Horace Greeley do not ap-
pear nor are the roads thronged in New
England by fresh volunteers, as Governor
| Andrew predicted. To make the best of
| it, the proclamation falls dead letter.
In regard to emancipation we mistoOk
on two points First, We mistOOk-that
is everybody who believed so-in thinking
that the slaves sympathized with US, and
looked to us for help. The contrary is
true universally, and their education for
generations has made it SO. They hate
us; distr.st us; have no hope in us;
while they cling confidently to their mas
tiers, work for them patiently, and will die
bravely for them, if their masters are pres
ent where their eye can direct and their
voices command. We may make ten
thousand arguments to the contrary, but
here is the plain and stubborn fact, sub
stantiated by every days experience.
Thousands OF slaves light come within
our lines to-day and be free, who refuse
to do so, quietly working On their owners
plantations There are probably not more
fugitives this year than common, where
they 40 not come III an immaculate COuCdcC
with Northern white men,
Then we are mistaken again in deeming
this favorable time for instruction. We
said, when the men have gone to war the
slaves will rise; but be it noticed that
slaves seldom rise in time of war, for then
the country is armed. Every man and
every woman in the South can at once lay
their hands on rifles and revolvers; and
then, too, they are more closely guarded.
If there was an insurrection in peaceful
times the slaves could flee, many escaping,
and of those taken few would be killed.
Now let there be insurrection and the mas
sacree will commence, and the blacks will
be Unfortunately butchered in the whole
region of country alarmed. There has
never been day since the Dutchmen
landed the first cargo OF slaves, when an
Instruction would be so promptly and so
thoroughly subdued as now. The negroes
know better about this than their white
friends at the North, and they will keep
still; and if there is no insurrection, the
proclamation of emancipation will have no
more effect TO shorten the war, than did
Mr.. Lincoln's first proclamation ordering
Tho roho1o m 1icDnrco in fh;r<y 1ovc