The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1863-12-15

pars with no practicsI communication be
tween thsw, Tennessee and A'ksnsas have
been spb6Eptially cleared Of iusurgents con- |
'uol and influence, and the citizsns 10 enca,
aud owners Of slaves and advocate Of Slavery
at the beginning of'the rebellion. now declare
openly fos emancipation in their respective
States. II OF those States not Included ip, the
emancipation proclamation. Maryland and
Missouri, neither Of which, years ago, would
tolerate any restraint upon the extensiou Of
Slavery into the new !. Territories, oply dis.
pute now as TO the best mode Of removing 1t
within their own li,hits. !, t..a.,..r
Ofthose who were slaves a. the beginning OF
the rebellion, full 100000 are now in tho
Uait cd States military service; about one-half
of which number actually bear arms In the
ranks, thus giving the double advantage OF
taking so much labor from the insurgept cause,
and supplying the places which otherwise
must be filed with so many white men. So
Ear az testsd, it ia difficult to say that they ere
not aa GOOD soldiers as any. No servle iu.
surrectiou or tendency to violence or cruelty
has marked the measures Of emancipation and
arming the blacks. These measures have
been much discussed iu foreign countlies, aud
contemporary with such discussion, tho tcac
OF public sentiment there is much improved.
At hone, the same measures have been fully
discussed, supported, critic sed and denounced,
and the annual elections following are highly
encouraging to those whose special duty It il
to bear the country through this great trial.
Thus wa have the reckoning; the crisis which
threatened to divide the friends Of the Union
is past. 90 '''l.-' "i" :,
Looking now TO the present and future, and
with reference to resumption OF the National
eutbority within the States wherein that au-
thority has been suspended, have thought
fit to issue proclamation, copy OF which is
herewith traasu itted On examination Of
this proclamation. it will appear, as is believ-
ed, amply justified by the Constitution.-
True the form Of an oath is given, but no
man is coefced TO take it; a man is only
promised pardon 10 case he voluntarily takes
the oath, which the Constitution authorizes
the Executive t, grant on thu terms, as itihas
been fully e,.,ollshsd by julicial aud other
authorities. It is also proposed that If in any
| OF the States ne mel a Eerl go:e' nent shall
be in the mode prescribed set up, such gov.
ernment shall be reconized and guaranteed by
the Uuited States, and That under it tho
State shall on the constitutional conditions,
be protected agsinst invasion and domestic vi
olence. The constitutional Obligation Of the
! United States 10 guarantee to every State In
the Uuon Republican form Of government,
and TO protect the State in the cases stated,
lis explicit and full; but why tender the bene-
fits Of this provision only to State govero
nent set up in this particular way! This
section of tue Constitution cop,epplates q
case whereia the c!e nsnt within State,
I favorable to Republican Government in the
Union, may be too feeble for an opposite and
hostile element, external to aud even W thin
the State; and such are the cases with which
we are now dealing. An attempt to guaranty
and protect revised State Government, con.
s.ruoted, in whole or 10 prepondersling part
! from the very element against hostility aud
violence il is to be protected, 10 simply absurd
There must be a test by which 10 seperate op.
posing elements 80 as to build only from the
sound, and that test is sufficiently liberal
ono which accepts ss sound whoever will
make sworn recaptalion of his former un.
souadness. But if it be proper to require, az
q test of admission TO the political body, an
oath Of allegiance to the Constitution Of the
United States and to the Union under il, i!
also ia to laws and proclamation in regard to
Slavery. Those laws and proclamation were
enacted and put forth for the purpose OF ad
ding in the suppression Of rebellion, and to
give them their fullest effect, there had to be
i a pledge for their maintenance. In my judg-
ment, they have aided aud will further aid the
cause for which they were enlisted To give
up this principle, would also be cruel and
/ 1 k.ao IF faith
may add at this point, that while l re
main ip my present position, l shall not at
tempt TO retract or modify the Emancipation
Proclamation, nor shall l return to slavery
any person who is free by the terms OF the
proclamation or by any act of Congress =
For these and other reasons, it is thought besl
that the support Of these provisions shall bt
included in the oath, and it is believed th'
Executive may lawfully claim it in return for
the pardon aud restoration of forfeited rights
which he hae the clear constitutional power to
withhold altogether or grant upon the terms
which he shall deem wisest for the public In
terest. ail... u lftat. asls
1t should I've observed, also, that this part
!. of the oath is subj ,ct 10 the mo lifyiug and
ahroaaliag power of legislature and supreme
judicial decision. The proposed acqaiescen,a
:. of the National Exec tive iu any honorable
tempo AIRY Safe arrangement for the freed
people, is male with The view Of possibly
modifying the confusion and destitutiol which
must at best attend all classes by a total rev
olution Ct labor throughout whole States. II
s, hoped that the already deeply sffi cted peo
pie 10 those States may be somewhat more
ready to give up the cause OF thcr afficton
and to this extent tais vital matter Is left tt
themselves, while no power Of the National
Execative to prevent an abuse is abridged bJ
the proposition. sa,1
The sugge zion in the Proclamation as 10
maintaining the political fsuuevo.k Of the
States iu what is called "r, construction" !,
made 10 the hope that it may do good with
out the danger Of harm. 1t will save labo
, and avoid great confusion. But Why any
proclamation now. upon, this subjecta Thi'
question Is beset with the conflicting views
that the step might be delayed TOO long or be
taken too soon. 10 some Stats The elemeot
for resumption seem rs dy for action, but 70
main inactive apparently for want of rally
ing point and plan Of action. Why shal
A adopt the plan Of b rather than . that 0
Z AZ Aud il A aud b should agree, how CAT
they know the General Govern,i snt here vii