The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1862-03-12

aship gton, March =


Washington, Marchl
The President to-day transmitted to q
gress the following Message *.
Fellow Citizens of the Senate and H.....
Representatives.:
recommend the adoption of a Joint 49,.
be substantially as follows sa
Resclred. That the United States orsh, =.
cooperate with any State which NAV So.
gradual abolis ment of slavery. .;v;.f
such State pecuniary aid, TO be useS nv
State in it's discretion. 10 compensate h, ~.
Inconvenience. public and private. urod,..s
BY such change OF System. w
II she proposition contained in the rs.,l,
ton does not meet the approval of Cons,ss.
and the country, there IL the end; bur n
does command such approval. Idsem q -
importance that the States and people imma
diately interested should be ut once diseiDc,I,
notified Of the fact 50 that they may begin =
consider whether to accept or reject IL n.
Federal government would find its highest !,
terest in such measure, as one Of the ma,
e6icient measures of self approximation. ~.
leaders OF the existing iusurrection euseyS.;.
the hope that the government will ulsiusspI,
be forced to acknowledge the independence .,
some part Of the disafecfed regions. and A.,
all the slave states north Of such marta Nil
then say, the Union for which We have am,
gled being already gone We now choose 70 %
with them. To deprive them of this hon. sA
stantially ends the rebellion. and the iai,n.
! ton Of emancipation completely depriyr
, them Of it. As 10 all the States intjasins. n,
point is not that all the States tolerxt;ns
slavery would very loon. il at all, in,.s
emancipation. hut that while the offer is eou.l
ly made to all. the more northern sh,li h
such initiation make il certain 10 the NOR
southern, that in no event shall the former
join the latter in the proposed Coufedrscy.
say initiation because in my Judgment grsdus
and not sudden emancipation is better for AZ
\ In the mere financial or pecuniary view, am
member OF Congress with the census tsbls
and the Treasury reports before him. can ma
lily see for himself how very soon the cuu,,.,
: expenditures of the war would purchase. -
:, fair valuation. all the slaves in anv san,i
State. Such apropositon on the part Of n,
=, General Government sets up no claim or rirA,
by Federal authority, TO interfere with slAser,
\ within the State limits. Retiring as il d.
!. the absolute contro of the subject in each cs,,
q 10 the State and its people Immediately iuse,
ested. il is proposed as a matter 0f perfectly
free choice with them.
In the annual message last December |
O thought ft to say the Union must he preserved:
and hence all indispensable means must be en-
!. ployed. said this not hastily. but delba.
ately. War has been and continues TO BE- Z,
Is indispensable means TO this end. A practic,!
d re acknowledgment OF the national suthoriiv
o would render the war unnecessary, end |.
i. would at once cease. II. however. resisssass
continues, the war must also continue, ana |,
is impossible 10 foresee all the incidents xhicl
may attend, and all the ruin which may iob
n low Such as may secm indispensable, Of uy
obviously promise great efficiency iows6
" ending the struggle. must and will come II
= proposition now made, though an onef say
| hope il may b. esteemed no offelse y ui
/ whether the pecuniary consideration tenderei
would not be Of more value 10 the States sul
~ private persons concerned. than are tho Inst
J. tuition and property in it, in the present sPe
n Of affairs, While II is true that the adoptiu
=, of the proposed resolution would be merely %
itiatory, and not within itself practical ues
ure. it is recommended in the hope that 1
b would soon lead 60 important results. '
il In full view OF my great responsibility I
j my God and to my country, earnestly II
the attention Of Congress and the peepk I
the subject, =,
Signed, ABRAHAM LINCOLN