Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1861-09-11
From the Chicago Tribune.
An Important Question

Editors Chicago Tribune:
If the Southern Confederacy should pro-
claim emancipation to day, would not the
North be fighting for the establishment
of Slavery? AS a last resort, the leaders
of the rebellion must and wM do A;s--a
bitter pill, to be sure. but of the same sort
as the destruction of Harper's Ferry and
the burning Of Hampton. Slavery may
cease for the time among them, but the
new-fangled confedcracy must live. FIRE.
mont has begun the work by declaring the
slaves of armed rebels free. Willour Sec
rotary Of War, or our President, falter or
hesitate? If they do, deyoutly hope
Davis, Bauregard q CO., will cornplicate
matters by being the first In authorilatiyely
proclaiming freedom TO the slave.
| am sincere in the belief that the lead
ers of The rebellion mean to have their
Government stand, and if the prospect Of
sympathy among Europeon nations, and a
large party in the North, together with
the services of half a million of blacks in
the field, could be thus obtained, you may
depend upon it they will proclaim emanci-
patton whenever their affairs are brought to
desperate strait. Il. L. ..
The question propounded by our cores
pondent is an important one. We ex-
pressed the opinion fully month since
that Davis & Co., holding the power Of
the sword, which is now absolute power in
the South, would declare freedom to the
slaves rather than be baked in their pur-
pose to destroy the Union. They will only
do SO as last resort. They will only do
SO when all other expedients shall have
failed. They commenced the war solely
and avowedly to extend and perpetuate
slavery. They expected the cooperation
and aid of large party in the North and
hence an easy victory. But, finding them
selves in war Of fearful magnitude, with
utter ruin staring them in the face if they
do not make good their assumptions with
the sword, emancipation will ultimately be
no longer matter Of choice. They know
that the slave population can be turned
loose upon them by federal armies. They
know that the slaves will rise of their own
accord whenever the presence Of a federal
army shall guarantee their safety. They
know that so great calamity TO their
cause can be prevented. by emancipation,
aud oily by emancipation. They know
that foreign powers would be attracted TO
them by such policy; indeed, that the
sympathy of the world would be gathered
to their standard by a proclamation OF
freedom. They know further that eman-
clpation would actually strengthen them at
home, by converting four millions Of sullen
enemies in their midst to cheerful and CRATE
full friends. Therefore emancipation, by
the rebels themselves, is only question OF
tins and relative strength between the
loyal aud disloyal sections. If Davis "
Co are strong enough to conquer the
North, or to successfully repel all attempts
to re-establish the authority of the Gov
eminent in their territory, emancipation
will never take place in our time. Ii, on
the contrary, the Government eyinces the
power to conquer them, it appears alto
gether likely that they will give freedom to
the blacks and accept their assistance in
the field to recover their ground or prolong
the war.
Now for our correspondents question
would not the North then be lighting to
re-establish slavery? BY no means
There is no such thing as slavery in the
national Constitution. " Persons held to
service or labor in any State By the ldacs
thereof" are mentioned, but when those
State laws are DESTROYED or rendered mop
eratiye il does not desolye upon Congress
to re-enact them or the Executiye.to regard
them. Therefore we should be fighting
merely to restore our territorial integrity.
But if slavery were extinguished the cause
Of the war would have ceased to exist.
The contest might continue for brief time,
but it would soon cease. The cancer be-
ing removed the patient would speedily re-
cover. The two sections, drawn together
by every material tie, would not be slow in
uniting. When the cause is removed, the
effect will disappear. We can have peace
when slavery is abolished. even though it
be JEFF. Dayis's own act, but we cannot be-
fore.