Year: 1862

surprise as II died the country at large. And
yet, it is what the thoroughly loyal men here,
as well as all over the country, felt was a ne
cessity forced on our President alike by our
foreign relations, and our internal political
condition. 1t has been known in well-inform-
ed private circles here, that something of the
kind had been under consideration here for
some time, but it is believed that the determ-
nation to go TO the extent that the proclama-
ton has gone, was reached only very short
time before its issue. The President as well
understood as any one, that the truly loyal
people of the country would be satisfied with
a proclamation ordering the officers of the ar
my to obey and enior.e the recent laws of
Congress, and the new army regulations but
he equally well UNDERSTOOD that this would not
reach the evils to be remedied and guarded
against.


1t is also well understood here that the
measure was fastened in consequence of in
formation received Of the intentions of some
of the European governments, in certain con-
tingencies, and also by acknowledgements, as
to the political hacks and charltans, who are
as thoroughly disloyal and reasonable as Val
landgham or JEFF Davis, and have of late TAX
ed to lauding the President, and abusing ev-
cry prominent loyal and earnest man in the
nation who wants this war made, not a
war, and nothing but war. The President saw
all the adulations of these knaves and simple
tons were only kisses to conceal their designs
to smite him and the country's cause under
the fifth rib, with more fatal effect.


That the President has made no mistake,
either in the character or time of issuing his
proclamation, is becoming more and more ap-
parent. OF one thing all sagacious and we'll
informed men are well assured, and that is,
that il has not come one moment too soon.-
Here, as elsewhere, the rebels at heart who. a
few days ago were lauding the President, and
abusing the loyal and earnest men, whose hearts
were made sad by the untoward course in
which things were tending, now gnash their
teeth with rage, and denounce him as "aR inn
bcciie, and a tool in the hands Of the id ab-
ohtionists"


But nobody is deceived by their howling.-
1t is well understood that their rage is not
caused, as they hypocriticaly pretend, by fears
that any harm will come TO the country from
the Presidents decisive policy; but they are
discomtited because the mask is not only
stripped from nest of domestic traitors rs
thoroughly stepped in treason as Davis HIM
self, without the courage or manliness to take
the responsibility bybpenly avowing their real
intentions and purposes, but also from the for
eign despots who have been connivng with
our domestic foes, both North and South, for
the overthrow of our government, and the des-
truction of our republican institutions. Both
these classes are now stripped of their hypo-
critical pretences. Our domestic traitors have
no shelter under which to conceal themselves.
The negro is not black enough to conceal their
real designs. A third party is now simply an
impossbility. Every man must now rally
around the Government, and sustain it hearth
ly, and in no halfway spirit, or he must go
with the rebels and take the responsibility of
such a position. This is what has long been
needed to give courage and strength to the
administration.


Among the timid but really loyal men here,
the Proclamation meets with an unexpected
amount of favor. While some of them at first
shook their heads in apprehension, at so bold
and unexpected step, the greater portion re-
garded it as one of the inevitable necessities of
our condition, the time for which has fully
come. And even the most tmid are coming
TO the same conclusion.


We have quite large class of shoulder
strapped gentry here, who, in spite of the
stringent orders ofthe War Department, con-
trive TO loaf about our hotels, theatres ard
other less reputable places. most of the time
They abound, especially when battle is i'm
pending, both here and in Alexandria These
fellows have been threatening Congress, and
the President with wrath, in concurrence with
the New York Herald, for year past When
Congress presumed to appoint committee to
inquire into the conduct of the war, these fell
lows threatened to bring the army into Wash
ington, and serve Congress, as Cromwell did
the Long Parliament, if this committee pre-
sumed to make any damaging revelations of
the doings of democratic generals. More re-
Gently they re-echoed the reasonable demand
of the Herald for the installation of military
dictator, il the President presumed to do any
thing distasteful to them. When the proc
lamation made its appearance, there was some
tall swearing among these traitors in uniform,
and in Alexandria. Some of those whose dai-
ances with female rebels had been most con-
spicuous, openly encouraged mutiny among
their deluded followers in the ranks. But the
unwhoesome fearof court-martial, and file
of soldiers with loaded pieces, and black caps.
soon put an end to all open demonstrations.
Still there can be no doubt, that these traitors
will do all the mischief they deem consistent
with their own personal saiety-a thing with
them, paramount to all other considerations.


The proclamation of conditional emancipa-
ton has already accomplished much good. 1t
reassured the confidence of the truly loyal men
of the county, in the President, and inaugur-
ated positive policy which all men who new
er had the smell of treason in their garments,
or the thought of treason even in the most se-
cret recesses of their hearts, will heartily ell
dorse, while il will drive all the moving,
sniyeling whining and cowardly sympathiz-
ers with treason, either into the ranks of the
truly loyal men of the country, or into those of
open and undisguised treason and rebellion.
To unmask the traitors is no small good. So
long as they were permitted to conceal their
treason under the cry of the Constitution and
the laws" it was not easy to deal with them.
But now this cry will not save them, when they