The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-03-30

oeSHons o. eho slavery Question:
Every few days We have something new In
the way Of proclamation from the seat Of
government, signed by Abraham Lincoln and
endorsed BY william 81. Seward. proposing
fresh front in the way Of settling our national
difficulties. and involving some sort Of new
basis for the emancipation of the slaves
On the ed of September. 1862, Mr.. Lincoln
Issued proclamation rendering pecuniary aid
to the owners Of slaves in the States In rebel
lion. providing they would emancipate them or
colonfze them in some part OF the continent, or
elsewhere, and also proclaiming that on the
LIST OF January ensuing ell persons held as
slaves In whole or in parts Of rebellious States
should be declared Free This proclamation was
fortified by Congressional acts, incorporated in
additional articles Of war" which prohibited
the army md navy OF the United States from
the employment Of their power TO RETURN fugi-
tive slaves escaped from their rebelious owners
On the LIST of January, 1868. the promised
proclamation Of emancipation appeared Parts
Of two States were exempted. viz:--Louisi-
ana and Virginia, In all the others in re-
beliion Arkansas. Texas, Mississippi, Alaba-
liza, rlolpns VColbtn, pOulu o1Aoih1 Au0 l>oi va
Carolina-the slaves we're declared free, and the
army and navy required to maintain them in
their freedom.
Accompanying Mr. Lincoin's message to
Congress, dated on the 9th of December, 1868,
appears another emancipation proclamation,
but with pr0viso of amnesty. In this amnesty
provision Mr.. Lincoln includes an oath Of allie
~fnr NH 1soaI,Sf ,xuHnv
which some slaveowning rebels labored,
and Agives them tho opportunity Of an
appeal to the Supreme Court OF the United
States for restoration of their rights to
property in slaves, and also to the advan-
tsges that would accrue to them by repeal or
modification Of the emancipation laws passed
by Congress. In this proclamation authority
was given to persons in certain States, num-
bering not less than one-tenth of the voters
| thereof, to re-establish State government;
| and it was announced that any enact
ment OF such States relativeto the freed people
| therein, who are described as "a laboring,
! landless and houseless GLASS;" would not be
| objected to by the national Executive.
On the bstn =, Maroh. 1864 Mr. Lincoln is
| -. VIZ Sosn VI s>-.- vY1 <s-ss>--s-<-
/ sues another proclamation, In which he pro-
{ ceeds to define the cases in which "insurgent
| enemies" are entitled to the benefits OF the
| amnesty offered in his proclamation of Decem
Der 8, 1868. In this new edct thousands of
people hitherto active rebels, but now either
in captivity in the United States or de Ju,s and
de facto non-combatants, are deprived of the
| benefits Of Mr.. Lincoln's amnesty. Executive
clemency ia offered; but what would Executive
or any description Of clemency amount to if
those who were to be tho recipients Of 1t were
to be deprived by er post .fdcto proclamations
of the advantages to be derived from an ac-
ceptance Of the original terms Of the amnesty.
What are the public to Judge from this
wriggling and regeneration on the part of
the Executive. Either he wants to emancipate
| the slaves or he does not Either be
desires to restore the Union upon its
| old basis or he does not Neither
conclusion can be safely arrived OF when we
take his various proclamstions on the subject
IL emsf e;patlQa and amnesty into considera-
ton. The fact Is, eli these proclsmations
about freeing the slaves amount TO. nothing
This "a, It Is beginning to be understood by all
:,ncoln,s I'd friends They are deserving him
,non the neo,,,o issue, and are taking wider
and mofs compfeo> 'nsive view OF the subject
They are beginning 10 - aand
mate way of abolishing SIR W Is ~ an~s~-
ments to the constitution. us 'nat Lincoins
proclamations have aimed at is II oui'd up anu
away political power in Statcsin WIN, u pe aspfs'
to make those Illegal proclamations saective.
They are all issued TO secure votes aud 'oior
to his liking the political complexion of thoSe
States. He not only uses the executive, but
usurps the legislative, power Of the govern
ment to attain this object. Those who were
mis- old supporters, we say, have deserted him;
but while taking q sensible view or the q,ies
tion OF emancipation is, that it can
only legally no accomplished by consti-
tutional amendment they fail to make
proper demonstration Of their opinions
In the House OF Representatives, at Washing
ton, resolution has been presented inviting
the several States to take the proper constta,.
tional mode 10 secure emancipation. But il
falls like dead blanket over the shoulders of
the managers Of tho republican party. None
seem to have the courage to take up the bud
geon, which, while it carries out the anti.
slavery doctrine, knocks the admins tration,
or its Executive chief, upon the bead. In the
Assembly, at Albany, resolutions meeting the
same point have been introduced by Mr.. Bry.
ant Of this city II is fortunate the effort had
. respectable father; otherwise II would have
fallen stillborn in republican Legislature.
The mon who secured power by their advo.
cacy of.the anti slavery sentiment Of the North
are now afraid 10 touch The question in legiti.
mate way. They have proven themselves IN
true to their own profsssious--traitors to their
own cause
The only proper way Of treating the