Year: 1863

ther Of which years ago would tolerate


any restraint upon the extension of


slavery into their territories, only dis


pute now as to the best mode of reno.


wing it from within our limits.


Of those who were slaves at the be-


ginning Of the rebellion, fully one huns


dred thousand are now in the United


States military service, about one-half


of which number actually bear arms


in the ranks, thus giving the double
advantage of taking too much labor
from the insurgent cause ard supply.
ing the places which otherwise must
be filled with so many white men. So
far as tested it is difficult to say that
they are not as good soldiers as any.
No servile insurrection or tendency to
violence or cruelty, has marked the
measures of emancipation and arming
the blacks. These measures have
been much discussed in foreign coun-
tries and contemporary with such dis
cussion, the tone of public sentiment
there is much improved. At home,
the same measures have been fully dis
cussed, supported, criticised and de-
nounced, and the annual elections fol-


lowing are highly encouraging to those


whose special duty it is to bear the
country through this great trial. Thus
we have the reckoning; the crisis which
threatened to divide the friends of the


Union is past.


A RECONSTRUCTION PROCLAMATION.
Looking now to the present and fu-


ture and with reference to a resump-


tion of the national authority within


the States wherein that authority has


been suspended, l have thought fit to
issue proclamation, copy of which
is herewith transmitted. On exami-
nation of this proclamation, it will ap-
pear, as is believed, amply justified by
the Constitution. True, the form Of
an oath Is given, but no man is coer-
ced to take it. A man is only promised
pardon in case he voluntarily takes
the oath. The Constitution authori-
zes the Executive to grant it on terms
as is fully established by judicial and
other authorities. 1t is also proffered
tina: if many of the States named a
seat of Government, it shall be in the
mode prescribed set up. Such gov
ernment shall be recognized and guar
anteed by the United States, and that
under it the State shall, on subs cri-
bing to the constitutional conditions,
be protected against inyasions and do
mestic violence.


The constitutional obligation of the
United States to guarantee to every
State in the Union o republican form
of Government, and to protect the
State in the case as stated, is explicit
and full, but why tender the benefits
of this provision only to State Gov
eanmcnt set up in this particular way?
This section of the Constitution con-
templates case wherein the element
within State favorable to republi-
can Government in the Union may be
too feeble for an opposite and hostile
element external to and even within
the State; and such are precisely the
cases with which we are now dealing.
An attempt to guarantee and protect
a revised state of Government con-
structed in whole or in preponderatipg
part from the very element against
whose hostility it is to be protected is
simply absurd. There must be q test
by which to separate opposing ele-
ments so as to build only from the
sound, and that test is sufficient and
liberal one, which accepts as sound
whoever will make worn recantation
OF his former unsoundness.


But if it be proper to require test
of admission to the political body an
oath of allegiance to the Constitution
of the United States and to the Union
under it, why not also to the laws and
proclamation in regard to slavery?
Those laws and proclamations were
enacted and put forth for the purpose
of aiding in the suppression of the re-
bellion. 10 give them the fullest eff
feet there had to be pledge for their
maintenance. In my Judgment they
have aided and will furter aid the cause
for which they we're enlisted. TO give
up this principle would be not only to
relinquish lever of power, but would
also be q cruel and astounding breach
of faith.


may add, at this point that while re
main IN my present position, shall cot at.
tempt to retract or modify the Emancipa
tion Proclamation, nor shall return to sla
very any person who is made free by the
terms OF the Proclamation. or by any act Of
Congress. For these and other reasons Il |
is thought best that the support OF these per.
sons shall be included in the oath, and it is
believed the Executive may lawfully claim
it in return for pardon and restoration Of
projected rights, which he has clear consti
tutienal power to withhold altogether, or
grants upon the terms which he shall deem
wisest Tor The public interest, lea


1t should be observed also that this part
oil the oath 10 subject to the modifying and
abrogating power OF legislation and Supreme
Judicial decision, The proposed acau,es.
cence of the National Executive, in any hon.
orable temporary State arrangement ior the
freed people. is made with the view OF pos
sibly modifying the confusion aad distressed
destitution which must at best attend oil |
classes by total revolution Of labor through.
out the whole States. 1t is hoped that the
already deeply afflicted neople ii, those States