Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-02-21
Communicated.
Emancipation in Delaware.

Emancipation in Delaware,
Ma EplrOR;
There is an article in your last
paper under this caption, calmly aud well writ
ten, but With u strange mixture OF loyal ana
natrotic sentiments, aud just and senslhle
premises, with disloyal and secession words oi
argument, and Of course false conclusions.
The writer comedies that the great Object in
view is worthy of great sacrifices Deaware
redeemed-paced among the free STATES freed
from slavery first then of negroes altogether
their places filled with white labor, aud the
number of white citizens doubled by the imml-
grafton which IL now kept otf by the curse oi
slavery these be comedies are the great results
aimed at And he might have added, Delaware
with The other border Staos, stirred up to the
very verge of civil war and fraternnl hloodshed |
by this contest between pro-savery and ami |
slavery agitation quieted Jorever by TINS JUST
measure Of JMyiHg ont ami Pu'iay dpdy the bone
Of contention.
But though the bill will do all this,
the writer objects to il anl opposes It 10y
arguments ~ inconsistent with themselves, as
they are iuconclusve On the question He says,
| il is unjust to tnke away the "properW' oi
Shareholders without compensation; when the
bill offers full compensation that the COnsu
luton snys, private "propcrfy' shall uot be
taken for public use but by due process of law,
when the bill furnishes that process:-that the
y 4ustltutlt u NilS. NV Nhe HHhh 'N Nv Hi'NNN -
life, hbsrty or property' unless by the judg
menr OF his peers or the law Of the land isn't
here the law Of the land, aud doesn't il raise II
tribunal to assess the property Qdere--Whnt
becomes Of the word h5ertp in the above quota
ton Are not the slaves rights overlooked IN
anxious care for the owners right Of property !
But let us look little further into this const
tutional objection. THIS j, of late the common
cry of disunonists aud their sympathisers,
against every thing proposed for the benefit OF
the country not from their devotion 10 the Con.
stitution but from their determination to put it
down. They deny that it contains the powers
necessary for its own preservation. Though
steeped to the chin in violations of the Const
tuition. of which secession itself is the sum,
they cry unconstitutional" at every effort of
Loyalty to save the country. Your cOrtespon-
dent il evidently not used to such q use Of this
weapon Though skillful enough in the use Of
this aud all other legitimate weapons of aren-
! mcnt in il proper manner, neither he nor nny
other living man can ever mnke it uucunstitu-
tunal for the legislature Of Delaware TO cman-
7 r,uate slaves with compensation TO the owners
A legal skeptic once said that any thing is law
e which is conf lently stated Oud plausibly main
! tanned, but ingenuity itself cannot make pau
sihle argument against this power Ii any
thing was supposed to be settled in iegdl opinion
0 il is that the States have right not merely to
emaucipute slaves with compensation but even
i to abolish slavery. II exists by law, if the law
1 Is withdrawn, or repealed. slavery is gone
Emancipation with compensation withdraws the
law on condition abolition repeals it absolutely;
aud the distinction is based Oh the idea OF pro-
pertg 10 slaves which abolition deuies and claims
Q the right to set the slaves free on the innate
e principles recognized by our Bill Of Rights
y This power has been denied but the right To
emancipate with compensation, never. Your
correspondent, with singular Inconsistency, oh
Ia hu flnl flta I..rtg
and approves of it when applied to the unborn is
H., sue of slaves Why? II the slaves are property
their issue is property, and neither the one nor
n the other can be abolished without compensa-
Il ion. This bill is exactly the reverse Of
+ abolition, il recognizes the slaves as property
- aud cmancipates them with full compensation.
"a Who ever heard that sovereign Stnte could not
take property for public use, pith compensation
N The writer admits ,hs, but asks to what
=. public use could slay, he devotedg Why emau
eipate them, aud colonze them. Send them I,
ii Central America. Improve their condition ant
r improve ours. Remove the cloud that hang
n over our State by Their presence, and fiji ihel
places with productive aud improving popua
v ton.
y But his question comedies the consiitu
H. ionally of the thing, for the public to whio
they are to be put is in the Judgment OF til
s legislature The power is conceded and til
u wisdom Of it's exercise Is in many words al
l. mittcd in the next sentence when be says 81
,r would be for the public benefit # slavery did n1
exist in Delaware
n But lie does not find in the Constitution nm
II power in Congress, to appropriate "pu6li
l. money" To pay for slaves Yet he finds it III th
j. war power" and thinks it ought to he exei
,s csed; and he doubtless would agree with III
that il would be cheaper as well as more human
40 to spend few millions 10 buy out slavery tha
y, To spend hundreds Of millions In Qutlling rebel
| Bon at ala Iu0LsF and "a
art make But this is a question for Congress.
is certainly not unconstitutional for us to propos
in to sell ont slAvefyi whether il is constitution
no Tor them to buy IL out may be safely trusted
such body of lawyers aud statesmen ns ii
m. Congress and Cabinet.
But the price is Too high. Just now it was tC
,as low, and the poor slave owners were not to ha'
,f " lust compensation" for their property e
H. Couldn't we leave this again to Congress- /
may be sure that the northern tax payers wi
"a look as sharp at the bargain as he can desire
,,'. and If their representatives do not think Il
H. "public use" to which they propose to put OF
,ds property" will Justify paying $500, 900 for
then there is no bargain. Your corresponds
greatly undertakes the "puhc object" TO
attained by the passage of this bill; and Il
- power and ability Of the government TO pay Il
ne that object, as well as the sacrifices to he ma,
se- By this State, which really does mean in tn
on bill TO do full justice to the slave owners II
cor CALCULATION Is not just 10 tueIl lne case
puts proves it. Slaves over So being emancpi
of ted At once, must be paid for at once, and Il
Bar liability to support them must be remunerate
md The bill furnishes the means.
ted Mr.. Editor, this great bill is misunderstood
being viewed alone, instead Of looking at it as
M part OF a great plan for settling the country
Or troubles. We are in the midst Of a costly al
bloody war, brought on by slaUsry for tie erie
)m- sion Of slavery; in the belt of middle or bord
viz. S ates il is dwindling aud running out and W
us- soon extugush itself, and it would be far bett
in as well as cheaper to exnguish it at once
b. purchase of the owners, than to have the
States, because of the existence of slavery, Il
has theatre and scenes of bloody wars, which dJo
ella hoa would bring on us. This bill, therefor
ned proposes emancipation By purchase, with f
compensation, to be followed by CoiOHiz1fio
,ect The government has on its hands large bodies
list, 'contraband slaves taken in the war the
llic W Il be increased by more captures from Il
re- Southern States; coioaishg is therefore an il
lin peratiUe necessity and if to the contrabands
Gu few slaves remaining in the border States can
ion- added, and their value paid to the owners is
ion. not the interest and the policy of these States
rect make such an arrangement? Your correspo
e Of dent admits the policy; why not leave the qu'
ror tons of coustitutionality, and the terms Of
bargain TO the wisdom and patriotism, of bo
] to of men to whom he will agree with me it m
nily be safely trusted, and who only can save
.ed- coubiry in this terrible crisis? II they thi
-s of that the great public interests involved in
principles Of this bill will justify the expense
the buying out our slaves, the interest of Delawi
pre- US well as its patriotism, should secure our &C