"(Signed) G. T. BEAUREGARD." But the proclamation was a harmless measure. _First_, it declared that the object of the war was to restore "the constitutional relation between the United States and each of the States." After nearly two years of disastrous war Mr. Lincoln declares the object of the war. Certainly no loyal man had ever entertained any other idea than the one expressed in the proclamation. It was not a war on the part of the United States to destroy her children, nor to disturb her own constitutional, comprehensive unity. It must have been understood, then, from the commencement, that the war begun by the seceding States was waged on the part of the United States to preserve the _Union of the States_, and restore them to their "constitutional relation." _Second_, the proclamation implored the slave States to accept (certainly in the spirit of compromise) a proposition from the United States to emancipate their slaves for a _pecuniary consideration_, and, by their gracious consent, assist in _colonizing_ loyal Negroes in this country or in Africa! _Third_, the measure proposed to free slaves of persons and States in rebellion against the lawful authority of the United States Government on the first day of January, 1863. Nothing more difficult could have been undertaken than to free _only_ the slaves of persons and States in _actual_ rebellion against the Government of the United States. Persons in _actual_ rebellion would be _most_ likely to have immediate oversight of this species of their property; and the owners of slaves in the States in _actual_ rebellion against the United States Government would doubtless be as thoroughly prepared to take care of slave property as the muskets in their rebellious hands. _Fourth_, this emancipation proclamation (?) proposed to pay out of the United States Treasury,--for all slaves of loyal masters lost in a rebellion begun by slave-holders and carried on by slave-holders! Under the condition of affairs no emancipation proclamation was necessary. Treason against the United States is "levying war against them," or "adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort." The rebel States were guilty of treason; and from the moment Sumter was fired upon, every slave in the Confederate States was _ipso facto_ free! But it was an occasion for rejoicing. The President had taken a step in the right direction, and, thank God! he never retraced it. A severe winter had set in. The rebels had shown the kind-hearted President no disposition to accept the mild terms of his proclamation. On the contrary, it was received with gnashing of teeth and bitter imprecations. On the 12th of January, 1863, the titular President of the Confederate States, in his third Annual Message, gave attention to the proclamation of the President of the United States. Mr. Davis said: