Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1865-04-29
Nr. Lincoln's Policy.

nc lamentcu IEcSiucut i-ihSo'us Ho"'
the hour he became Chief Magistrate Of the
Nation down to that OF his death laborcd
for the the single object Of restoring the
Union. His every act was deliberately
considered, with direct reference to that oh.
iect. 1t matters not what motives may
have been imputed to his action upon any
question, that, and that alone, was the only
consideration which prompted its final
adoption or rejection. 1t was urged by
one faction that the way to restore the
Union was by freeing the slaves; by an
other, just the reverse opinion was held,
by whom it was insisted that it could best
be done by strict observance Of the guar
antees which Congress had thrown around
the institution of slavery. The President
was influenced by neither, but by his OWL
convictions of justice and propriety. He
said in 1862: eff l can restore the Un-
ion and sare slarery, I will do it; if can
save the Union by freeing the slaves in
part, that will do; if l can save the I'm
ion by freeing all the slaves, I will do that"
Up to January. 1868, he delayed the exer-
else of tho power held by the Commander
in. Chief, having warned the rebels that if
he was compelled to adopt more stringent
measures tho responsibility would rest
solely with themselves. They could pre-
vious to that time have come back to the
Onion with all their "rights" protected,
and have reafirmed their allegiance under
the Constitution. But this they refused
to do. Then the Proclamation of Emanci-
patton was forthcoming, as a acnr measure,
to cripple the military power of the rebel
lion and strengthen the arms Of the Union,
and not as the Copperhead press have SO
falsely charged. to conciliatc any faction or
clsss of men. This act of the President
was emincntly just and proper, and no man
Of common sense having tho welfare of the
country at heart, no matter what may have
beec his views regarding slavery, could
refuse to endorse it. In brief, the ques-
ton resolved itself thus: Our soldiers
were falling each day by thousands, in the
struggle TO perpetuate the Government,
menaced by traitors in arms. The slave
element supplied the rebel army with
thousands Of supporters, which could we re-
move, would just in that proportion weak
en- their cause. Humanity. then, appealed
for the adoption Of this measure, as the
quickest. surest and easiest means Of stop
ping the sausion Of blood. After careful
deliberation, after repeated warnings, the
Proclamation went forth. Could Mr.. Lin.
coin. as the sworn protector Of the Union,
have done lessl And after the edict had
gone forth, and had met with the desired
success. could he subsequently have re-
voked the prorise made to these freed
men I His name would have been forever
shrouded in infamy, and he would have re.
ccivsd the just execrations of the civilized
world. had he permitted this wrong. Cop
perhead politicians may coustrue this act
Of our late President - they please. dis
tort it As they will. they never can place
it in other light than that Of wisdom and
humanity.
When the probability Of reeonstruesioa
b-cone manifested, Mr.. Lincoln only asked
- q ecoditios that the au;hoFify Of the
Gevcr.n<.s sAssA Be rrcognissd BY the
:ebs1z. skss hassilsfses shs<,a cease and The
reb<l oaies sAoxlA dlxbsnA Caa scy
h~ay bss . sscss.iesiss say sh<ss 10 any
vssag N tkss II vss. Il cszrs~. axr.~1
shx he Prs.sae& essa net ssls Via,
- - sas,Ay 49, sre-&ns si.~zy
s~rA - M ps~ssn sP~s s-casxznrfsss-
s.1 90 arsy III ~sas~ Cspp-rs~s< e~ne
% ezss . ssa<is ~xFrs.ssu~ 81 Inc i.s< Prrsi-
a<xe 100 70 .>rz<s.>rs vssA IN syars h<ss
.nnzze.s-2-a q. sz& szzlz<rzhas S-xsrx
- s>~sz~ ta< Czsae- ss< - e ~x.-
b~s - sAs as Il rsAsE~s ksz ..l<
r. Hz <z<.<s sv~.ras tsss~ IN r-b-l-
boo ~ Ms s--a sAw~u BY every 80. h.
~sz=s-s~aes &C sA~ar P-~rhzr ri<A... his
s~ir~s ssrsi.s. Ia szsiss 10 F~xsuHs tA<