kingdom of God, and they seek after its | Elder Halliday addressed the meeting, spirit. A Conference was held there lately, and good times were experienced by all assembleg. In the Staffordshire Conference the brethren are diligent in attending to the Saints, and love, union and good works are the result. On the whole, the Saints desire to do right, long to gather to the bosom of the Church, and they pray and work in their weakness to save themselves from this perverse generation. May God bless them in their good work. Praying God to bless you in your arduous labours, I am yours, very truly, W. G. MILLS. CHELTENHAM CONFERENCE. President Geo. Q. Cannon. Dear Brother, I take pleasure in forwarding you a brief report of the condition of this Conference, and of a Conference meeting held in this town on the 30th Nov. last, at which Elders J. G. Bigler, George Halliday, G. W. Grant and William Thurgood were pre sent. Our morning meeting was well attended; indeed, I never saw so many of the country Saints at a morning meeting before, some of whom had travelled nearly twenty miles across country, and with them were several persons not in the Church. The representations of the Branches by their Presidents were favorable; the Saints, it was reported, evincing desires to improve upon the past, so as to receive the blessings of God in an increased degree. Elder Bigler expressed his satisfaction at hearing the reports, and gave some suitable and wise counsels and instructions. After a few remarks by myself, the meeting adjourned. In the afternoon meeting I read a financial report, which was accepted. Elder Halliday addressed the meeting for some time, and then presented the Authorities, who were unanimously sustained, following with a few lively remarks on the blessings and privileges enjoyed by the Saints. Elder Bigler made a few remarks upon the necessity of the Saints living the Gospel, and was followed by Eider Thurgood, who exhorted them to diligence in the discharge of their duties. In the evening contrasting the beauties of the kingdom of God with the fading things of the world.. Elder Grant followed, treating on the present condition of the United States, and their rejection of the Gospel, and I followed with a few remarks by way of exhortation, after which the Conference adjourned. Our hall was well filled in the morning and afternoon, and at night it was densely crowded. A good spirit prevailed throughout the day, and much valuable instruction and edifying counsels were given. On Monday evening a number of the Saints assembled in their meeting-room in a social capacity, and were cheered with the songs and recitations given. The before-named brethren attended, and contributed not a little to the harmony and amusement of the evening, and enjoyed a share of the materials provided by the Saints for cheering and sustaining the physical man. The meeting was addressed, previous to dismissal, by Elder Bigler in a short and appropriate speech. All present appeared to enjoy themselves very much. I have just returned from a trip through the Conference, during which I attended several very good meetings, and found the Saints feeling well as a general thing. All are anxious to gather if circumstances were favorable, which, unfortunately, they are not with many. Still, though our emigration will not be so large this year as last, some will bid adieu to their native land, and, with the blessing of God. seek a home among the gathered Saints. Trusting this will find you and all at the office well, and with kind love, I remain your brother in the Gospel of peace, W. G. SMITH. SWISS AND ITALIAN MISSION. President Cannon. Dear Brother, I wrote you on the 23rd ult. giving you an account of my trip up to that date. On Christmas day we held a meeting at brother Nägeli's about 60 Saints present. We continued giving instructions to the Saints on the following day, and the Lord poured out his Spirit upon us in a manner to be appreciated by those who felt its influence. One brother had SUMMARY OF NEWS. come more than a hundred miles to be | Saints rejoice in the instructions given, present, and thought he was well paid and the Lord blesses us with his Spirit for his journey. In the evening, when to teach them. Finding myself too about to baptize two candidates, we crippled, after walking through the mud learned that the police were on the and snow with wet feet, to travel much watch for us, so, preferring liberty to on foot, I took train on the 2nd for Biel, confinement, we shouldered our knap- met a few of the Saints there in the sacks at 8 p.m. and trudged about eight evening, had a good time together, and miles through the melting snow. On returned here on the following day. Sunday following I went to Zurich, We had an excellent meeting here on where we had an excellent meeting; Sunday. The blessings of the Lord are brother Huber returned that night to being poured out upon the faithful in Landschlacht and baptized the two rich abundance. persons alluded to above. On the 31st and 1st instant we had excellent times in the meeting-hall at Zürich. On the latter evening, brother Huber arrived from Herisau just as we were commencing. It seems, brother Cannon, that every meeting grows better; the Brothers Schettler, Gerber, Huber, Forrer and Schramm are one with me in their labors, and all are rejoicing in the blessings of God. With kind love, as ever, yours faithfully, JOHN L. SMITH. ENGLAND.-The severe gales noticed last week continued on towards the close of the month, causing many disasters and much loss of life and property. Part of the American contributions for the relief of the Lancashire distress have reached Liverpool. POLAND.-An insurrection has broken out in Russian Poland of a serious character; the manner in which the conscription was being enforced having led to it. The whole kingdom of Poland has been declared in a state of siege. By later advices we learn that sanguinary conflicts have taken place. A troop of insurgents attacked Tomazow, driving out 500 Cossacks, and disarmed several frontier Cossack posts. Warsaw students accompanied them. AMERICA. The Messages of several of the State Governors have been received. Governor Robinson recommends in his Message, that Kentucky reject the Presidents' Proclamation, and protests against any interference with her State policy, as unconstitutional. The Message of the Michigan Governor expresses satisfaction with the Proclamation. The Governor of Maine manifests continued and unreserved loyalty to the President, and will support the policy he has enunciated. The Message of Governor Curtin, of Pennyslvania, is almost exclusively devoted to State affairs. It breathes a strong Union spirit, and says, the freemen of that State will never tolerate schemes for the destroying the Government of the United States, or forming separate confederations. The Message of Governor Tod. of Ohio, manifests a feeling of strong loyalty to the Federal cause. Twentysix Republican members of the Senate, forming a clear majority of that body, have presented a memorial to the President expressing a want of confidence in the Administration. The Richmond Whig states that the Federal officers captured at Murfreesborough will be confined until General Butler be given up to the Confederate Government. The Federals have abandoned the attack upon Vicksburg, and resolved upon attacking some other point. The Confederates are retreating from Springfield, pursued by the Federals. The Confederates are said to have executed ten Federal officers in Arkansas, in retaliation for the acts of General M⚫Neil. A bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives for the enlistment of 150,000 negro troops. The resolution to lay the bill upon the table was defeated by 83 to 53. LIST OF DEBTS DUE FOR BOOKS, STARS, &c., BY THE SEVERAL CONFERENCES AND OTHERS, FOR THE QUARTER ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1862. Forward and fear not, ye chosen of God, AND FEAR NOT. Into sin, with its pleasures, nor stray from the track; And trust in Jehovah, like Noah of old, MARRIED: At Logan, Cache county, Utah Territory, on the 23rd November, by Bishop Preston, Francis Hawkes to Eliza Cole, both trom London, England. EDITED, PRINTED, AND PUBLISHED BY GEORGE Q. CANNON, 42, ISLINGTON, LONDON: FOR SALE AT THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS' BOOK DEPOT, 30, FLORENCE STREET, ISLINGTON; AND ALL BOOKSELLERS. THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS' MILLENNIAL STAR. "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the Prophets... The Lord God has spoken, who can but prophesy?"-AMOS No. 7, Vol. XXV. Saturday, February 14, 1863. Price One Penny. EMANCIPATION OF THE SLAVES-THE PROPHET JOSEPH'S PLAN-RESULTS OF ITS REJECTION. The Proclamation of Emancipation of the Slaves in the rebellious Southern States, which many supposed would never be resorted to, has at last been made by President Abraham Lincoln. On the 1st of January, 1863, this important document was issued to the world. On the 22nd of September, 1862, a hundred days previous, he had issued a Proclamation in which he stated his intention to declare the Slaves "in any State or designated part of a State, where the people shall then be in rebellion against the United States," "then, thenceforward and FOREVER FREE." This first Proclamation having given the rebellious States and the world due notice of his intention, was attended with no particular effects in rebeldom. Strong efforts were made in the North by many leading men, to deter the President from issuing the final Proclamation of Emancipation; and in some quarters hopes were freely expressed, that the influences brought to bear on President Lincoln would be sufficiently weighty to make him pause, and hesitate before resorting to so dread an alternative. Many prominent men in the North freely expressed the opinion that the Proclamation would be inoperative and attended with no bene ficial results to the North; while it would stir up feelings of more deadly hatred, and more bitter and relentless animosity on the part of the South than had before been entertained. Greatly to their disappointment, however, and to the joy of the Republican party, President Lincoln, "by virtue of the power vested in him as Commanderin-Chief of the army and navy of the United States," did declare that all persons held as slaves within the States of Arkansas, Texas, Lousiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia, excepting a few parishes in Lousiana and a few counties in Virginia, and henceforward shall be FREE;" and that the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons. In his Proclamation he set this forth as, in his view, "a fit and necessary war-measure for suppressing said rebellion;" and er joins "upon the people so declared to be free, to abstain from all violence unless in necessary self-defence;" and he recommends to them "that in all cases, when allowed, they labor faithfully for reasonable wages ;" and he further declares and 66 are 98 EMANCIPATION OF THE SLAVES. makes 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." tion of the Union, and they are in ecstacies at the prospect. Viewing the contest, however, from our stand point, there is every reason to doubt the good results which they so confidently and jubilantly anticipate. The Union is Many have expressed the belief that like a cracked dish; it is hopelessly and Mr. Lincoln would never issue this Pro- irremediably broken. It is beyond the clamation; but we have not felt for power of President Lincoln or any one moment a single doubt upon this faction in the nation, either North or subject. From the commencement of South, to prescribe a remedy that will the present struggle we felt convinced heal the fracture or prevent it widening. that the hopes which the sanguine peo- | The decree of the Lord has gone forth ple of the North indulged in respecting respecting this consummation and no its speedy termination would prove power can prevent its complete fulfilfallacious, and that they would find the ment. Still, the North is taking every South a more stubborn and determined step in its power to profit by the meafoe than they anticipated. When they sure which has been adopted. Induceshould find them intractable and de- ments are now being offered to the slaves termined to resist and fight to the bitter to avail themselves of the boon extended end, we felt assured that then the to them. A bill is likely to be passed policy of proclaiming the Emancipation | soon by Congress authorizing the orgaof the slaves belonging to rebel slave- | nization of one hundred and fifty negro holders would be adopted and prose-regiments to be used against the South. cuted with vigor. Having before our eyes the revelation of the Lord upon the subject of this unhappy and fratricidal contest, we could not very well arrive at any other conclusion. He says in that revelation that, when the division shall have taken place between the South and the North, "after many days, slaves shall rise up against their masters." Knowing, as we did, the antagonism of many in the North to the system of slavery, and the hatred with which they viewed those who perpetuated it, we could not but think that this uprising here foretold would be incited, in part at least, by the encouragement given to the slaves by the North. For the opinion has been freely expressed by certain men in the North in years past, (and, of course, since the breaking out of the war such an opinion has obtained greater popularity,) that it would be quite justifiable and right for the slaves to shed the blood of their masters to gain their freedom, if they could not gain it in any other way. Abolitionists are jubilant now that this Proclamation has been issued by the Government. They imagine that the slave will speedily avail himself of the liberty offered to him by the North, and that the backbone of the rebellion will thus be broken. Two great points, they think, will now be gained: the freedom of the slave and the restora What success they will obtain in raising these new recruits does not appear very plain as yet. The belief seems to be very prevalent among many of the negroes at present, that the advantages proffered to them by the whites are of a very dubious character. They imagine that their chances of being killed are far more numerous than those of their philanthrophic white brethren, and that the Proclamation of Emancipation has been issued more for the purpose of securing their help as soldiers than for any real regard the Northerners may have for their dusky relatives. They entertain a decided aversion to being placed in the front of the battle, which they imagine will be the honorable position assigned to them, as they may be killed, or, if not killed, be captured by the Confederates, who have promised to shoot or hang every one of the race they can catch acting in concert with their enemies. These little prejudices and misapprehensions of theirs will be dissipated, doubtless, after a while, when they become better acquainted with the true feelings and motives of their Northern friends. In the meantime, the leaven which is being industriously diffused among the slaves will continue to work until it produces the desired results. It may be sometime yet before the scheme will produce the bloody crop of fruits which |