M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1864-01-07
Emancipation Petition.

The Wsstsrn Episcopqlian, pub.
lIshed at Gambler, Ohio, saws, in its
last issue we have received tbouoh
"very late IN the day. Petition to
"Congress, emanating from the Loyal
"NATloNAL LEAGUE, wurded "a follows.
Tho undersigned, men Of tie Uni
"ted States, above the age Of eighteen
Years, earnestly pray that your
Honorable Body will pass, at the
earliest practicable day, an act eman.
"cipatiDg all persons OF African des.
"cent held to involuntary service or
"labor in the United States
ut is desired to obtain one million
cot signatures To this Petition"
The EpiscopdIiaa then quotes from
~ docdment accompanying the Peti
ton" We copy the extract that our
readers may be apprized of what ia
going on:
Emancipation Is Peace but #
emancipation is to avail rs ~ 4 peaca
measure, we must adopt it boldly
Teso'utely, eflctuaIly. 1t must bs
general, not partial; extending not to
the slaves Of rebels only, but to every
slave on this continent. Even if l.
were practicable, which it is not. with
slavery non existent in the Northern
States, and abolished in those which
persist in rebellion, to mainlei1 /, in
the narrow border strip, it is precise
'y there, where negro fugitiyes can
the most readily escape, that its main.
tenance would the most certainly
lead to war.
The Presidents Proclamation bas
nobly paved the way, but as it is con.
iessedIy based Oh the war power, and
justified by military necessity, tbere
is the chance that the Supreme Court
ii still in the hands of the slave pow
er, when peace snpervenes, NAV de.
clare It in operative. An A0r or
EMAEcIPATIoN is needed TO endorce
that Proclamation and enlarge its
operation sanction of that great
measure 5y the National Legislature
under the solemn form Of law.
The constitutional power of Con-
gress to enact euch o law admits Of no
reasonable doubt. The powers to
lay and collect taxes, to exercise au-
taorily over fCrts and arsenals of the
United States, to suppress Insured.
ton, and various others eouslly ss-
eent'a are expressly given by the
Constitution to Congress. 1t is the
rlghE ani duty Of Congress- to carry
these powers into effect. In case Of
obstruction or defeat Of existing laws
framed to that intent, it is the right
and duty OF Congress to select such
means and pass such additional laws
"a may he necessary and proper TO
overcome such obstruction and en-
foIce obedience to such laws. +ss
God does his work, but he does it
through the agency OF good, active
men and women. He helps those
who help themselves. WIZ arc the
days OF slavery numbered : Because
81 the brave blows that have been
struck against it. How shall il be-
eradicatei By the Same process by
which it was doomed. BY continuing
to strike such blows. By continuing
70 work against it, until it ceases to
exist. Up to this hour, the meas ures
taken to subdue il have been partial
only. *f
Gods work ia yet incomplete. The
least you can do in aid oft is to give
to it your personal influence and your
name. Aud then, when You shall
have lent helping hand, il will be
time enough to cit down and to hope
that the evil which threatens the yery
existence Of this natiln, will be, not
doomed only, but destroyed at last. q. /,
1t will be seen that those who ara
moving ID this matter intend, if they, ,