Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-12-17

changed purpose--tbe most suggestive pas.
sage in the document oeirg perhaps that
In which he iutimates that the existing Of
fefs of pardon to Rebels may become no
longer practicable, and that the lime prob
ably will come when the door of pardon
must be closed, and that 10 lieu more Wig
orous measures than heretofore must be
adopted.
There is very great plainness Of speech
in the Message, which makes no preteDse
to ornate language, and deals only in the
most easily understood phrases" t.-,
The Herald, as its manner is, carries water
on both shoulders, and spills from both :
"As usual with all his state papers it is
a plaiD, unpreteuding documeu'; aud in
this respect, and in the matter OF brevi,y,
Lincoln is an immense improvement upon
Buchanan and poor. Pierce, With their
heavy and dismal electionee:iug pamphlets
1t is an encouraging report on the state Of
the nation, and embodies various, timely
aud practical recommendations to the two
houses although in some things of grea1
moment IL falls short on the mark.
THUS the SHAREHOLDERS Of Rsbeldom are
placed between two consuming ires If
they still adhere to JEFF Davis they must
give up Slavery in giving up their negroes,
aud q farm to boot Of fifty acres to each
negro soldier; aud if they abandon Davis
they must subscribe TO O.d Abe's Enamel
patton Proclsmations1 This, we think, is
one Of the weak points Of the Message,
and the other most prominent is Gideon
Welles. Aud So we turn il over to the
digestion of the two Houses Of Congress
aud our readers" a t.. .,t.1a sfl
The Times, which differs from The Herald
in seeking always to carry water on neither
shoulder, strains the clear stream of the Presi.
dents good sense and good faith through Sew
ards colauder, ia this fashion
"The most salient feature in the Mes
sage is the emphatic declaration Of The
President, that he recognizes but one sin
gle condition for peace-and that, the re
turn of Rebels 10 their allegiance. He
says: They can at any time have peace
simply 10y laying down their arms, aud sub.
hitting TO the national authority under
the Cous,itu ion.' The President Ueilher
insists upon nor looks for any stipulation
in advaLce in respect to the abandonment
OF Slavery. His only claim is for an abau-
douneut Of armed Resistance. THIS makes
good precisely what we have conleuded
vas the true construction of the famous
mssive. TO whom it may concern 1t
pu.s beyond further dispute the President q
absolu singleness of purpose, and his de.
termuation 10 maiutain the war solely on q
cous,i, utiona basis for constitutional euds
| 1t is true that be takes occasion here to
repeat that he will not attempt either t(
retruct or modify the Emancipation Proc
lamation. Yet in this he is perfectly con
sistent. That proclamation was u wal
measure, authorized by the war power in
yolved III the duty prescribed to the Exec
uuve 10y the Constitution TO enforce the
laws. It's operative force must continue
While the war lasts When the war ceas-
es, itself must cease as a war measure. IL
can have no further continuing effect
though the effect already consuma,ed
whatever the cou is may decide that to be
cannot be undone, aud must remain un
changed. The President holds 10 lht
Proclamation in just the right manner
| lie treats it as an instrument for war, bu'
in no way interposes it against peace
The Rebels can get peace at any tim
without touching it. All that is requires
of them is thut they shall 10 good iait
bow TO the Constilu ion."
Turning to the evening papers we fed
The Post:
"As often as the public have had reaso;
, to exclaim God bless Abraham Lincoln
they will utter The beuedction with ne'
,, zesI on reading his late message. IL is b
best, n our opinion, that be has yet writ
ten; ca lm and diguitied in tone, clear u
sta emeut, and bold and magnanlmous II
Split; aud iu its exhibition Of the stale o
lbe country amply satisfactory. No Am
erican viii arise lrom the perusal of thi
simple and straight 70 ward document bu
with feelings of increased confidence in th,
stability OF our institutions, and OF re anl
ma ed hope Of their future destlnies.
/, "Mr. .Lncou's conditions of peace ar
stated with equal brevity and lerseness
The war will cease on the part of IN
Government he says, whenever it shal
have ceased on the part of those who be
gan il That is the whole matter in nut
, she'll; that is just, dgnilied, selfrespeetfu
=
and necessary; no needless vengeance
+ threat Tened, no proscriptive or yindlctiy
! legislation is asked for; but to all who sui
NIT to the laws their benign protection
again vonchsafed. Mr.. Lincoln does nj
3 mean, of course, that the leaders of tn
most aagitious and sanguinary Rebeilo
shall get off uuscathed; he would |
among the first, probably, TO suggest Il
r execution of such monsters OF lniqul'l
| but for the poor. misguided people, WI WI
+ have been nude the victims of their helII'
g ambition, he chershes feelings Of the pr
!. foundest commseration."
The Commercial Advertiser, which prides
self on certain ability 10 the funeral line, say
: "The President thinks that the eount
e has grown richer in men and means dnrlt
70 the war Population has probably q
: yapced 10 spite Of The carnage Of BATH
T. fields aud the wasting OF disease. but tas
y our material resources have increased is
Is delusion worthy only Of place IN a p'
y election speech.
IS The Message is unsatisfactory, 10 that
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