ciple was involved in our quarrel, and that the position of every state and all persons should be the same as before. This announcement was sufficient to set both God and man against us.

"We chose war without emancipation, and God gave us our request with disaster and defeat as the consequence. We have ourselves deliberately built up and prolonged the confederate treason, by the determination to avoid striking at its cause. We have provoked the indignation and challenged the avenging justice of the Almighty, by resolving that we would not decree the deliverance of the enslaved till this measure should become a necessity indispensable to the existence of our own govern

ment."

When the Union "as it was mask or cover adopted by the administrators at Washington failed them, another was adopted which was to produce marvels.

THE FEDERAL MAGICAL ROD.

"God,"

THIS was the proclamation of freedom. said the advocates of the Federal cause :- "God had put an instrument into their hands which would shoot out the heart of rebellion, and call up a new Union party from the vasty depths of the South, that would pronounce ten thousand blessings on their names, and make the South reflect almost the hues of paradise." Never were there such responsi

bilities resting on one man before since time began, according to the above theorists. "O that he would take this rod, and in the exercise of his prerogative stretch it over the land!" "But," said Lincoln, "it will only be like a Pope's Bull against a comet.” Surprised at his apathy and unconcern, or con founded stupidity and obstinacy when so much was in his power, long pilgrimages were undertaken to Washington to try to rouse him from his stupor, or make the scales fall from his eyes. Generals Hunter and Fremont tried to rob him of his glory, which he claimed belonged solely to the functions of his office as Commander in Chief of the Federal armies, consequently he suppressed the order of Hunter, and dismissed Fremont for his audacity and impertinence. At length the scales fell from his vision, or, waking up suddenly like a man who had been in a trance, he took the matter in hand, and waved his Federal magical rod-or, in other words, issued his proclamation.

PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION.

The following is the full text of President Lincoln's proclamation :—

By the President of the United States of America.

A PROCLAMATION.

"Whereas on the twenty-second day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred

and sixty-two, a proclamation was issued by the President of the United States, containing among other things, the following, to wit :-

That, on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixtythree, all persons held as slaves within any State, or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforth, and for ever free, and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognise and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them in any effort they may make for their actual freedom.

"That the Executive will, on the first day of January aforesaid, by proclamation, designate the States and parts of States, if any, in which the people therein respectively shall then be in rebellion against the United States; and the fact that any State or the people thereof shall on that day be in good faith represented in the Congress of the United States by members chosen thereto at elections wherein a majority of the qualified voters of such State shall have participated, shall, in the absence of strong countervailing testimony, be deemed conclusive evidence that such State and the people thereof are not then in rebellion against the United States."

Now, therefore I, Abraham Lincoln, President of

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the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-in-chief of the army and navy of the United States, in time of actual armed rebellion against the authority and Government of the United States, and as a fit and necessary war measure for suppressing said rebellion, do on this first day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and in accordance with my purpose so to do, publicly proclaimed for the full period of one hundred days from the day of the first above mentioned order, and designate as the States and parts of States wherein the people thereof respectively are this day in rebellion against the United States, the following, to wit:

Arkansas.
Texas.

Louisiana. except the parishes of St. Bernard, Placquemines, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles, St. James, Ascension, Assumption, Terre Bone, Lafourche, St. Mary, St Martin and Orleans, including the city of New Orleans.

Mississippi.
Alabama.

Florida.'

Georgia.

South Carolina.

North Carolina, and

Virginia--except the forty-eight counties, desig

nated as West Virginia, and also the counties of Berkeley, Accomac, Northampton, Elizabeth City, York, Princess Ann, and Norfolk, including the the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth, and which accepted parts are, for the present, left precisely as if this proclamation were not issued.

And, by virtue of the power and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States and parts of States are and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognise and maintain the freedom of said persons.

And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free to abstain from all violence unless in necessary self-defence; and I recommend to them that in all cases, when allowed, they labour faithfully for reasonable wages.

And I further declare and make known that such persons, of suitable condition, will be received into the armed service of the United States, to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service.

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And upon this, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution, upon military necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind and the gracious favour of Almighty God.