Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-06-22
RUTLAND HERALD.
MONDAY, JUNE 10, 1865.
The emancipation Proclamation.

z Mr.. f. B. Carpenter, the well-known
artist, contributes to the independent
sketch of the history Of the Emancipa-
ton Proclamation, as given to him by .
Mr.. Lincoln himself, while he was paint
ing the picture illustrative of its CON
sideration by the Cabinet. We give be-
low a few extracts which we think will |
be read with interest by those who have
not seen the original communication;
At the final meeting an interesting in
cident occurred in connection with Sec
retary Seward. The President had writ
ten the important part of the proclama-
tion in these words -
~ "That on the first day of January, in
the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and sixty three, all persons held
as slaves within any State or designated
part Of Il State, the people whereof shall
then be in rebellion against the United
States, shall be then, thenceforward and
4 forever FREE; and the Executive Gov
v ernment of the United States, including
the military and naval authority there
Of will recognize the freedom of such
persons, who will do no act or acts to
repress such persons, or any OF them, in
any efforts they may make for their aC-
tual freedom"
"When l finished reading this para
graph, resumed Mr.. Lincoln, "Mr, Sew
ard stopped me- and said think Mr..
President that you should insert after
the word recognize" in that sentence,
the words land maintain" replied
that had already fully considered the
import Of that expression in this cennec-
tion but l had not introduced it because
il was not my way to promise what |
was not entirely sure that l could per
form, and | was not prepared to say
that thought we were exactly able to
maintain this. But said he, " Mr..
Seward insisted that we ought to take
this ground, and the words finally went
in
In February last, a few days after the
passage of the Constitutional Amend
ment," / was in Washington, and was
received by Mr.. Lincoln with the kind
ness and familiarity which had Charac-
terized our previous intercourse | said
to him one day that | was very proud
to have been the artist to have first con-
ceived of the designs Of painting pic
ture commemorative of the Act of
EmanCipation-that subsequent occur
renCes had only confirmed my own first
Judgment of that act as the most sub
lime moral event in our history. Yes"
sadi he and never do | remember to
have noticed in him more earneStuess Of
expression or manner, 'As affairs have
turned, it is the central act of my Ad-
ministration, and the great event Of the
nineteenth century"
l remember to have asked him on one
Y occasion, if there was not some opposi-
tion manifested on the part of several
members OF the Cabinet to the emanci-
patton policy. He said, in reply; Moth
ing more than | have stated 10 you
Mr.. Blair thought we should lose the
Fall elections, and opposed it on that
ground only" Said |, | have under
stood that Secretary Smith was not in
favor of your action. Mr.. Blair told
me that, when the meeting closed, and
he and the Secretary of the Interior
went away together, the latter told him,
if the President carried out that policy,
he might count on losing Indiana sure !"
"He never said anything of the kind to
me" returned the President "And
how" said |, "does Mr.. Blair feel about
d it now 2" "Oh," was the prompt reply,
che proved right in regard to the Fall
elections, but he is satisfied that we
have since gained more than we lost.
II have been told" said |, that Judge
Bates doubted the COnStitutiOnality OF
the proclamation. "He never expressed
such an opinion in my hearing re-
piled Mr.. Lincoln. "No member of the
Cabinet ever dssented from the policy,
in any conversation with me-" y
Mr. Chase told me that, at the cabinet
meeting Immediately after the battle OF
Antietam, and just prior to the issue OF
the September proclamation, the Presi-
dent entered upon the business before
them by saying that "the time for the
enunciation of the emancipation policy
could no longer be delayed. Public SEN
timent," he thought, "would sustain it
many of his warmest friends and sup
porters demanded it, and he had prom
ised his God that he would do itm The
last part of this was uttered in low
tone, and appeared to be heard by nc
one but Secretary Chase, who was sit
ting near him. He asked the President
if he correctly understood him. Mr.
Lincoln replied: II made solemn vow
before God that, if Gen. Lee was driver
back from Pennsylvania, would crown
the result by the declaration of freedom
to the slaves !"