Smyrna times., 1861-12-12
Congress and the Emancipation Ques-
tipn.

The bills for the emancipation of the slaves
oTthe SsuIa, introduced by Thadeus Stevens
.-d others, in Congress, is csusisg much i'll
ts.liag sad apprehension in the Border States.
>rh-y ara TO the effect that there can be no solid
and Vermanent peace and Union in this Repub.
s,e 40 lang as the institution Of slavery exists
within il t; that slaves are now used by the reb.
eI,,s an essential means OF supporting and pro- |
,,.e,ing she war, and BY the law of nations it
i, riyht 10 Iiberate the slaves Of an eaemy to |
wssken mis- power.
The Cambridge (Nd.) Intellgencer, an IN
sompromising Union paper. 10 commenting on
the bill offered by Thadeus Stevens, in which |
il as dODbl reflects the almost unanimous sen- |
tImsnt in the loyal slave States, says:
The sssupptiOn, therefore, that "a solid and
s~rusaenI peace and Unisn' is Incompatible |
wah the existence OF ss very, falls to the round
Even admitting that slavery was the cause
Of The rebellion. then it would not follow that
tina destruction of the institution was essential
ts the peace and unity Of the nation. Ifil did,
by lhs sane source of reasoning, every source
si Distraction would have to be aRnIhIlated.
All the Banks should have been abolished, be-
sasss the question OF United States Bank
gave trouble. All the WHISKY should have been
ssaplled inIO the sea, because there was a whIs.
az InsurreeIlOn. And all the foreigners shou
have been driven from our shores, because The
haIuralIEaiIOn question agItsied the public
Mlai. The FidIculousRsss of the argument is
spparsni. Never was any nation clear Of dis
ssrdaat elemeats. IL Is the duty of rulers to
md uuiI hat kal 4 lhnu,
selves 10 the preservation Of every interest and
svo.a the destruction Of aHy. II this Govern.
sect has the power TO destroy the institution
fslsTesy.H II has the power TO control it for
Eosc. II hhey are wise, they will make it
klsssing instead Of curse TO the land.
because slaves are an element of strength
10 the rebels 10 no good reason why they
shss1S Be emaneipated. IL is BOT right to des-
trsy sssTy thug that is an element Of strengI b
sas saemy. Their wives, ia the dischs Tg Q
sftss:r doaasstic duties, are as much, OF more,
a. sisnsnl of strength as their slaves, and shall
ws take their wives also!
-S@ usueh Tor the argument il favor Of the
smsaeIPsI,On policy. Tee argument sgainsl
neAhsustIble.
la the irst place. il ia illegal There 10
s.t the shadow Of authority for It 10 ihe consti-
IsIIsu. Congsess has no right to pass such a
VI
ts u The CoAstItsIioa pledges the faith and
Whsle p'wer Of the nation for the protection
asa preservation of all the institutions OF the
sssuIfy. IL specially denies to Congress the
right 10 ihterfsFe wIIh the institutions Of the
d siss. Bat this bull aIns q death blow at one
ef tho most HnpsrGs ut aud Valaabls institutions
sf half the States of The Union. Congress maj
pass Ia 80 furnishing criminal slaves. but wheI
a. aitssaPIs, Ter any cause whatever, TO destrOS
tAs IHslIlsiIsn OF slavery. II uanscends its pow
&C aad imPsrIs its suihority. IL may confis
cate the slaves OF rebels. but il has no right u
set thsEn free. IL right that the master shonL
ssn-r - his prop TIy for his crime. but Their
Is no ressoa shy the slave should profit By ia
Er,ass Of his master. II there is any to prof
u shosld be the Government, which has bee
made to suffer also. 1t has the right to seiz
The slaves Of rebels as property. and dispose
Ihsn as property, and to appropriate the pre-
coed 10 Its own use, but it has no right to alte
ih@ir eOndIIIoa as slaves. IL 10 true Sir. Ste
T<ns contends that the lsw Of nations make
u right 10 libsrste slaves But we are nS
EshIisg anser the law of naIioBs.' We pr,
fsss 10 be asing the Constitution for toe sol
PFessioa of this rebellion. Beyond that IheI
% 40 iaw TO ns-sutside OF it there is no rigl
or ssthsriiy Ter gs.
In the aexI place the pro opposition is a wicks
0ss. IL whl be setting loose upon the eomm
sHIss sf tbs Ss6.h an ignorant vicious aad d
graded class. that wIll even surpass India
tsIsas 20 tkeR baTb2I itiss.
Not snly 10 the thing illegal aHd wicked, b
70 10 imp0lii.e. Ia takes from the GoVeTnme
BALI Of iIs moral force. The great strength
e.r cause has been that il was for the bene
sfIas south. II we enter upon the work
tasir Destruction. hoW shall we benefit! v
base prsfsssed that we intended no interferen
sstwsen the relation Of master aud slave,
we adopt this policy we belle our own wsrC
u will slFengt then the rebel cause tenfold.
Is uue that The rsbsls are our enemies, but tn
sss sssssIss whom ge hope to make ffient
rhis policy wilI widen the breach, and ma
Reconciliation impossible,
Oa ths whole, it 10 the most inhuman, q
bat4rsl and dIabelieal scheme that has ev
ksss promulgated on IhIs continent. Il il
GhounndfOld worse thsH the rebellion. 7
whois civilized world will contemplate il wi
horror. Thsi the pslicy is favored 10 The MOI
ss soass sosssderabie extent. cannot be deni
TIE indieatSoas are that formidable party
siaag. bent 90 pressing it's iHiquiioss schsn
iago she policy Of the Government. That
wlli prsss saccsssfal. we de not fear; but d
il wilI prove sreablesome, we eaunot dou
Aad. while we daPiors the agitation ofthe g
lsst. sna enter our sassest and emphatic I
tess sgsin@t il, we hsys so sbIding confide
ia TIE wisdons and integrity ef our rulers.
aEs i ll--- Nv
December came in rsw and Geld the Gle
wrrs DARK sad threatened snow and in all
ssetisas IL was easy to realize that winter