Staunton Spectator

Since the time our first parents were expelled from Paradise, and

"They hand in hand, with wandering steps and slow,
Through Eden took their solitary way,"

there has not been as much joy in Pandemonium as at this time. The Arch-Fiend in the regions of woe, "grins horribly a ghastly smile," for he and his emissaries upon earth--the extreme abolitionists--have succeeded in prevailing upon "Old Abe" to issue a proclamation of emancipation which will send a thrill of horror through all civilized nations. He invites the servile population of the South to enact the bloody scene of St. Domingo throughout the limits of the Southern Confederacy.--Before he committed this act of atrocity, in reply to the Committee sent by a meeting of the "Christians (!) of all denominations" of Chicago, who were, at the instigation of Satan, urging upon him to perpetrate it, he said that, "he had been considering it night and day for some time--that he raised no objection to it on legal or constitutional grounds, for as Commander-in-Chief of the army and navy, in time of war, he supposed he had a right to adopt any measure which might best subdue the enemy, and that he urged no objections of a moral nature in view of possible consequences of insurrection and massacre at the South, but viewed the matter as a practical war measure to be decided upon according to the advantages or disadvantages it may offer to the suppression of the rebellion."

Having no legal, constitutional, nor moral objections, he had but little difficulty in coming to the conclusion that it would be a "good practical war measure." In a word, the devil triumphed, and Lincoln issued his proclamation, which has "crowned the pyramid of his infamies with an atrocity abhorred of men, and at which even demons might shudder."

After the Committee of abolitionists from Chicago had retired, and when he was in some perplexity as to the course he should adopt, Satan, his potential ally, "squat like a toad at his ear," addressed him, as Milton represents Death as addressing Sin within the gates of Hell, as follows:

"Go whither Fate and inclination strong
Leads thee; I shall not lag behind nor err
The way, thou leading; such a scent I draw
Of carnage, prey innumerable, and taste
The savor of death from all things there that live;
Nor shall I to the work thou enterprises!
Be wanting, but afford thee equal aid."

"Facilis desgensus Averni." There is now no obstruction in the downward road he is travelling, for from the position he now occupies there is

"A passage broad,
Smooth, easy, inoffensive, down to Hell."

His astute ally knew when to approach him. He seized that time when he was writhing under the mortification of a succession of defeats, and when he was blinded by an intensified envenoned [sic] animosity. The fiendish criminality of his act is only equaled by its folly and fertility, for it will have no practical effect, as it will not emancipate a slave who would not have been freed without it. His proclamation, practically, is merely

"Sound and fury, signifying nothing,"

for notwithstanding it, he must rely solely upon the strength and bravery of his armies. Wherever he has had the power to do so, he has emancipated the slaves heretofore, and he cannot emancipate beyond the limits of his military lines. Not as many will be emancipated in future as heretofore, because the owners will now remove them before the enemy can get possession. He aims a deadly blow, but, like the blinded moccasin in August, he strikes his envenomed fangs into himself instead of his intended victim. This proclamation which exposes the criminal animus of its author, will strengthen the South and weaken the North, and bring down upon the Lincoln Administration the condemnation of the whole civilized world. Fearing to trust even the people of the North, he at the same time, issued another proclamation, suspending the writ of habeas corpus, and applying the rigor of martial law to all persons who may utter a word of complaint against the issue of his fiendish proclamation.--They will be thrown into prison without any means of redress. The Lincoln Government is now the most tyranical [sic] military despotism which has ever existed upon the earth. As compared with the "blackness of darkness" of Lincoln's character, those of all criminals who have "existed in the tide of Time" assumed a radiance of virtue. In comparing him with Butler, the tyrant of New Orleans, the Richmond Enquirer says:

"Butler has been called infamous--by common consent he is know as the Beast. But Butler is a saint compared to his master. In addition to all that Butler authorized, Lincoln adds butchery--even the butchery of babes! Language is too poor to furnish a name suitable for such a character. Nay, the whole catalogue of dishonoring epithets is not sufficient to do justice to it. "Murderer" is a term of honor compared to Lincoln's crime. "Child and woman-murderer" tells but part of the story.--To this is added the cowardice of employing an agent. To this belongs the additional fact that the agent, when unloosed, is a savage. To this is added the further fact that Lincoln dooms his agent to destruction. What shall we call him? coward? assassin? savage? the murderer of women and babes, and the false destroyer of his own deluded allies?--Shall we consider these as all embodied in the word "fiend!" and shall we call him that? Lincoln, the Fiend! Let history take hold of him, and let the civilized world fling its scorpion lash upon him!"

We would respectfully request Post Masters to return to us such copies of the "Spectator" as are not taken out of their Offices, and would earnestly request them to be careful to write the name of the Post-Office upon each number retured [sic], that we may be enabled to find them upon our books. Any information from Post-Masters respecting the responsibility of subscribers and the probability of their paying or not paying for their papers would be thankfully received. The present price of materials is too high to enable us to send papers in persons who will not pay for them.--We desire to have prompt and punctual paying subscribers, such as we are happy to say most of our subscribers in this county are. The wheat must be winnowed from the chaff.