Year: 1862

The observation-disclosures of the r. SIS.
The Proclamation of President Lincoln t-e-
shadowing emancipation to all slaves held by
rebels in aims against the constitutional u
thority of the government, issued as a d" .tr
measure, under the war power both implied
and expressed in the Constitution, is one Of
the most important papers, if not the most ! H.
portant, ever issued on this continent sin !,
the Declaration of American Independen, 9.
A proposition to strike the shackles from m
lions OF men, women and children, without Il
consent ofthose who have long held them j
bondage, was not expected to fall quietly upo
the public ear, and to be received without cal.
ing forth diversity of opinion. But we ar
justified in saying that the expression given &
public sentiment by the public press of thu
country has been far less divided and infama.
tory than most prudent men had reckoned up
on A very large portion Of the press, includ-
ing the entire republican press, and so far as
we have seen, the united religious press, give
to the proclamation most cordial approval,
while the dissenting sentiment finds express
sion only in the democratic portion of the
press And there is one gratifying fact in con-
nection with the democratic papers. 1t is this: (:
while few of them are warm and generous in
their approval of the proclamation, and some
Others, while not exactly approving are dis
posed TO treat 1t fairly and candidly, not one
that we have seen-if we make solitary ex-
ception-has suggested anything like revolt,or
resistance to the measure proposed by the
Commander-in-Chief


But occupying no more space with our own
comments, we proceed to copy from the press
of the country:


From the Baltimore American.


We have long expressed the conviction that
slavery in this country is doomed; and the ad-
vent Of this proclamation we can scarce con
slider, under the circumstances, as Fastening
its fate Perfectly mad as the cotton States
were in challenging conflict for its exten-
sion, the ierocious spirit they have Shown in
the fight has, little by little, lost them the sym
pathies of the world at large: until left alone
as It's especial champions, and inadequate TO
sustain a much longer struggle, IL would have
persisted, ultimately, whether the Executive
had moved in the matter in the way he has
seen fit TO do or not.


And as to its effects upon the institution in
the border State. it is not at all probleniatcal.
If Virginia or North Carolina become free





exemption resulting to Maryland is of no prac
tica value whatever. With free States on
both sides of her, who would care to own ne
groes here? aud what possible advantage
would we have over those obnoxious to the
terms of the Presidents manifesto in other
States? As the matter stands even at present,
negro property there has become so uncertain
in its tenure that in many portions OF our COM
monwealth they are as good as free already.


In rouclusion we do not think
anything whatever is to answer in putting
down the rebellion except the utmost yigor in
our military and naval movements.


From the Wheeling IVA Integencer.


There will be some persons who will make
the proclamation the occasion for the COM
mencement of hostilities--just as they made
the first proclamation he ever issued an occa-
sion. But as they did not effect their ends
then SO they will not now. Such people will
be tramped TO the bottom. They cannot roll
back the tide of events. That which has been
SO long prophesied is now upon US. Let the
guilty head of secession bear it all without
word of sympathy from one loyal man or wo-
man. For our part, while We deplore the stern
necessity that has compelled the President to
the step he has taken, we say thousand
Amens to the proclamation. In the language
OF that distinguished patriot, Colonel Metcalf
of Kentucky, we say: "If we cannot have sla-
very and the Union then let slavery die the
death it has brought upon ITSELF"


From the Worcester Spy.


President Lincoln's proclamation concern
ing slavery is one of the most important docu-
ments that ever came from the executive de-
partmeut of this republic. 1t begins the end
of the rebellion by establishing war policy in
regard to the cause oft. The President de-
cares now, as heretofore, that his aim is to
crush the rebellion and save the republic; and,
feeling that the time has come to strike at the
principal cause and support of the rebellion,
he issues a carefully prepared declaration of
the policy that will hereafter be pursued by the
government, in order to defeat treason and
save the Union.


From lions Advocate


The chief magistrate of the nation, with all
the facts before him. has seen tit to issue this
proclamation. To him the measure appears
feasible and he adopts it. Whatever may be
its physical effect its moral effect will be great
er. 1t places the government in a new atti-
tude in regard TO this subject. 1t proclaims
freedom to the slaves in all the States which
shall be in rebellion against the government
on the first day of January next; and at the
same time provides that no detriment from
this source shall be sustained by loyal citizens.
Believing that il is by slave labor that the ell.
emy in the disloyal States is maintained, the
President proposes to weaken them at this
point. In the mean time, we stand before 9TH
er nations in a new and more favorable posi-
tion,-a position more in harmony with our re-
publican institutions and government. Let
us all continue TO hope and pray that God by
his good providence will still guide our rulers,
and that this rebellion may be put down, and
its instigators brought to their merited DOOM


From the Rockiand Free Press-Jameson Dem.


The President of the United States, as Com
mander-in-Chief of the Federal armies, has is
sued a most important proclamation for the
purposes of crushing rebellion and saving the
Union and Constitution. He has proclaimed
that on the first day of January next all slaves
in States OF parts OF States in rebellion shall
thenceforward and forever be free. The mo-
tives which have prompted Mr.. Liucoln to
these acts are as pure as those which actuated
the noble Greeks and Romans whose names
have been preserved in history for devotion 10
country. Ii was step of immense response
bility. The measure is not only one which
clutches the rebellion by the throat, but it in
augurates a social revolution of vast import
ance. With what sincerity of heart, in the
hope that 1t may result in good, the President
put his hand TO this work, we know by the
carefulness with which it has been performed.
The President of the United States has often
declared and shown that he has no desire TO
meddle with the institution of slavery, or TO
harm the inhabitants OF the slave States farther
than he is compelled, to preserve the Union,
but after having in vain poured out rivers of
blood of loyal citizens, and heaps of treasure
TO accomplish his object, he is obliged 10 pro-