Year: 1861




To-day being the frs, Monday in December, the Con.
gress oil the United States the Capitol at Wash
ngton. There will not be the usual delay and difficulty
IN organizing, for at the special session which met in
July last all those preliminarics were disposed Of
Gausha A. Grow will call the House TO order Speaker
and the Presidency Of the Senate will Of be
ciscd by Vice President Hamn who Is, by the constitu
tion, Qci0 President Of tho Senate The first business
Of both houses will be the adoption Of resou
tion directing the appointment of joint committee to
wait upon the President of the United States and inform
him that the two houses Of Congress- session and
are ready TO receive any he may have to
make them


THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE,


The customary report of such Joint committee is that
they have waited upon the President Of the United
States and have been requested by him to inform their
respective houses that he will them certain
time message This presented by his private secre-
try, and Immediately read in both houses We have
no definite information TO whether the Message and
accompanying documents viii be presented to-day, but
we presume that such viii be the case


OF course it is impossible for to give at this time
synopsis Of this state document which will be looked for
and read throughout the country with the greatest in
terest We expect to be able to publish il in full in
of our evening editions to-day. We may safely az.
sume however, that Mr.. Lincoln VIII take in
it the view OF internal difficulties
which he took in hs inaugural and in his Message the
special session. That he will adhere his detcrmina-
ton 10 crush The rebellion all and every sacri-
fee but at the time preserve nvoiate far
may be- the constitutional rights Of the States and the
system Of government established by ts founders
We know that strong efforts have been made and be
ing made by radical fanatca men, to him TO dcv
from this the only safe and practical course; but his





dencc we desire Of the futlity Of all snch efforts.


As TO our foreign relations there will be great anxiety
to learn his views and recommendations in reference
TO the trpartite expedition against Mexico and also
reference TO the boarding Of the British Trent
by the San Jacin,o and the arrest and taking there
from Of Messrs Mason and Sideii and their


On the latter subject there be but little doubt
the views of the administration bn in regard the former
we have DO facts from which to form any definite opinion
Both are very important matters and will doubt form
prominent points Of discussion in the Message Besides
thesethe conduct Of the aud the questions Of Mcxi
co and the right Of searcwe do suppose that the
Message will he extended at any length other subjects
Of minor consideration, or that will recommend any
general legislation beyond what is conuecied with the
carrying on Of the government


REpORT or THE SECRETARY OF WAR.


The srongest interest is manifested in the forthcoming
report OF the Secretary OF War which il to be with
the Message Of "the accompanying documents"
There are 600 600 Union troops under arm and tho
management subsistence and practical direction Of this
immense army imposes a tremendous res possibility on
the ocal who has tho civil control it, Particularly
this the view of the question that arises
every day, aud that must be settled uniform
bassthat is, wba. is be done with the slaves that
Under control? II has been represented that
Secretary Cameron gave his unqualified and appro
baton TO the views expressed by Colonel JOAN Ceehrane
in his speech to his regiment weeks ago, which
he advocated the propriety OF making n war against
slavery and not only coniatatng the slaves Of rebels,
but also armpg them, and using them as national
soldiers. We contcnded az the time that Secre-
tary Cameron could possibly go so Far in
his views regards slaves, while it was
sfengoasly INSISTED upon by the abolition press that he
du favor such extreme We find now that our
views we're correct Our Washington correspondent in
forms US that The report Of the scretay Of War
petcd. II is carefully written document, and highly
creditabc to Secretary Cameron. 1t gives detailed
view of the army showing that have the present
line six hundred thousand troops in the service
and points with considerable sorce the fact that not
withstanding this immense army has been raised III so
ton for the field and what is better that the disposition
Of the people in every loyal State Is rush 10 arms in
overwhelming numbers. Secretary Cameron defines his
position On the slavery question He says dis
tnctly that every agency employed by The rebels
10 destroy the federal government, when it falls
nto our hands, no matter what il may be, should
hc Immediately turned against them: that contraband
negroes sbond be pn 10 work on for,caons construct
nt bridges engaged hosters wagoncrs horscshoers
&C. &c and that they should he paid for their labor He
is Of opinion that under circumstances should any
slave who belongs to rebel master be returned either
before after the From present appearances a
proposition will be brought before Congress authorizing
each commanding General he advances into any rebel
State issue proclamation to the PEOPLE thereof
carng after the expiration Of period 10 be
named property Of every description recognized such
by laws Of the State in which such proclamation s
such State laws does not within the time mentioned take
the oath Of allegiance TO the federal government But
will that Secretary Cameron does in the re-
degree express himself in favor Of armng The slaves
His plan merely amounts TO enancpating the slaves Of
rebeis and employing them in military and other works
this may properly be included the raising and saving
crops abandoned rebel estates for the benefit of the
government and to diminish the expenses OF the war.
This must be left in large measure the discretion Of
the commanding officer. Another and perhaps less OBJ
mode of coping with the difficulty woud be the
apprenticeship TO loyal masters under proper safeguards
and restrictions, Of all slaves of rebel masters This
whole question Of slaves difficult and delicate
one, and WILL feel quite certain form the great sub
ect OF discussion the coming session. In connection
with it. IT may not be amiss to republish series of
lutions adopted recently at Union meeting in Kentucky.


meeting Of Union held at Frankfort, Ky,
the 23d ult to express sentiments in opposition 10
the recommendation OF John Cochrane and Simon Came
in relation TO arming the slaves Of the South The
following resolutions passed unanimously


That the government of the United States has
stituliona power to interfere with the institution Of
slavery in any Of the States nor has 1t the power TO de-
prve any citizen Of his slave property without due pro-
TO public use without just compensation


That the exercise OF any such power by any officer OF
the United States, whether civil or military, is palpa
bic violation Of the express provisons Of the constu


on and should be condemned by every department Of
the government, and by every citizen thereof.


That the proposition recently announced, for the
emancipation Of the slaves OF those at war with the
United states, and the armng of such slaves against
their masters, Is in violation OF the rules Of civilized
warfare, is abhorrent every principle Of humanity
and Christianity and in its results would add to the
amtes Of the present civil tho additional horrors
OF serve nsurrection murder rapue and plunder, by
the black race against tho white throughout the slave
States of the Union.


That as friends TO the constitution and government OF
the United Statess patriots phiapthropists and As
Chrsans-we do hereby most soemnly demonstrate and
protest against such NrOp0a ton and do most earnestly