Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-02-14

The annual necessary expenses of the govern
ment cannot be less than six hundred millions Of
dollars. To raise this immense sum Of money
the government is obliged to resort TO extraor-
dnary loans, and TO general system Of direct
taxntion, How then could the Federal govern
ment afford or he able to leave the conduct OF
the war, an enter our market as purchaser
of our slaves for the mere purpose Of enamel
pating them aud setting them free The
government needs all the money it Can obtain
for the necessary expenses Of the war, without
running o crusade for emancipatng negro
slaves, and taxing the people Of the United
States to the tune Of $780, 900 to purchase and
emauoipatc the slaves Of Delaware
Ii the Federal Government should adopt such
an unconstitutional and expensive policy IN tue
other border slave States of Maryland, Kentucky
and Missouri, at the same rates Of purchase as
the sum demanded for the slaves in Delaware
pray sir, what would he the aggregate cost of
this policy to the people OF the United States =
fancy il would 80 cucumber tho people with
debt and never ending system OF onerous
taxation, that even the warmest and most Jealous
advocates Of emancipation would cry out
"save us from our friends"
ILL., This " Emancipation Bill" is obnoxious
to other capital objections, to wit:
I. 1t proposes 10 cmancipate absolutely and
without the consent of their owners, all slaves
s above the age of thirty five years." after the
expiration of 80 days from the time the " act
goes into operation :" aud all slaves that may
thereafter arrive ut that age, till the first day OF
January in the gear 1872, when all the remaining
slaves that shall then be in this State shall he
absolutely free and in case any owner OF any
such slave shall omit or neglect to take the sum
at which said slave shall have been assessed-by
the County Assessor-the State Treasurer may
deposit the amount Of said assessment in the
Farmers Bank of the County where tuc
assessment was made, to the credit of the mastei
and thus all slaves are to be tree-anh a. on
and after the said first day Of January eighteen
hundred and seventy-two, there shall be neither
slavery nor involuntary serylude in the State OF
Delaware, except as u punishment for crime
The provision in relation to the emancipation
of all slaves over thirty five years of age aitei
ninety days from the time &" the said act goes
into operation" would, in many cases, Operat,
ns Il great hardship upon the aged ani inirm
slaves and would he a source of additional burder
to the people.
. Az our nws now stand, the owners of slaye'
above 50 years Of age aud the estates Of sucl
owners, are bound for their maintenance. l
such slaves should be at ouce, and uncondition-
ally emanclpAted, as provided by tue bill, it woul,
instantly relieve their owners from the burden q
Of their maintenance throw the burden upon ih'
tax PAYING citizens, and soon otir poor hou7c'
]
the nge of thirty five years, whom the unsouh'
policy of the Government had thus liberated.
Thus sir | have endeaVured na briefly u
nnsatble. To present my objections TO this bill io
The emancipation of slavery in Delaware,
have presented them fairly, without passion
prejudice NY objections are open to far cfltl
csm / invite such criticism. Let ~ discus
these grave questions in the spirit oi cahdor
with nn eve single to the public welfare, ns wei
| ..It. uI nil
htiun wrong move now IN the direction d
: emancipation, will result as many wrong move
hnye heretofore renulted in fastening at,ll aronq
or the letters upon the slaves.
The only sound and safe policy To lie pursue
in this case, isa system Of gradual euaucipatlo
of the slaves, by providing that nil children bar
of slave parents after given period, (aud ear
not how aoon that periud may he ilxeil shall b
free the males ut u or %, and the females 4
rs or u, or all at n, na may be deemed mo
prudent, and hest for the future condition
. those children,
The moment such law should he passed, I'll
4 State of Delaware would he recognized aa ai
p really become free State. There would in sue
T. case, lie no injustice done 10 the owners OF slav
y then living. The law would he prospective in i
o operation4 would not effect The rights Of pre-
O perty would produce no convulslons IN socie'l
o no disturbance of our social relations, ami won
have no injurious elects upon lhhoT. Anu lnat
II il would not cost either the Government OF Il
= United States the people Of this state, Il sing
II dollar
s 1t is to he hoped sir, that the present agilati
s Of this question Of emancipation, may result
:, the adoption Of such system by our irgislatul
after the people shall have had time to consid
! and net upon it, as will oonducc, at once, to t
IS welfare OF the negro population, the hest lntere'
'e OF our citizens aud the prosperity OF the STA
~ Of Delaware;
AZ Georgetown, Feb. Z, 1867 G. $. l..