The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-10-04
syasariIlt sItnipu.
TERMs.
SATURDAY aoRNISG, OCT 4. 1862
EMANCIPATION MEMORIAL
Report of the Delegation to Presi-
dent Lincoln.

From the Chic go Prcss.
The undersigned, appointed with two
other gentlemen who were unable TO acl)
10 present to President Lincoln the me-
mortal in favor of national emancipation
adopted by the public meeting Of Chris
tians OF all denominations held in Bryan
Hall, Chicago, on Sabbath evening, Sep
tember 9Th, 1852, would respectfully re-
port:
Wereached the city Of Washington on
Thursday morning, September 1lth but
were delayed two days before arrange
ments could be made Tor a suitable inter
view with the President, which was at
last accomplished through the kind SER
vices Of Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary Of
the Navy.
The President received us courteously,
and gave the fullest opportunity to dis
charge the duty Assigned He listened
with fixed attention while the memorial
was read by the chairman Of the dele
CATION, who added few words TO ex-
press the deep interest felt in the Presi-
dent by the religious community, as
manifested by the many prayers TO be
followed by memorial expressive of
their solemn convictions of national duty
and necessity He observed that in do
ing this the memorialists believe that
they discharge their solemn obligations
as Christian citizens, which is all they
eek, having no desire to dictate TO their
Chief Magistrate, who has his own re-
sponsibility TO God the nation and the
world. The time of presenting the me =
mortal might seem inauspicious, in view
Of recent disasters, which make the au-
! thority of the Government in the slave
States less extensive and influential
than before. But the memorialists be-
lieve these disseters 20 be tokens Of Di-
vine displeasure, calling for new and ad :
vanced action by the President in behalf
of the country-such as would indicate
national repentance for the sin Of oppres-
sion; and he must see that if success in
our military affairs was supposed to rem
der such action unnecessary, and defeat
to make it unavailing, then duty be-
comes an idle word, and Gods voice OF
remonstrance aud warning an unmeaDing
utterance.
The delegation presented, at the same
time, memorial of similar import, drawn
inIGerman and in English and signed by
q number of our German citizens, which
was placed in their hands on leaving
home.
After a moments silence the Presi
dent answered, and, as we waited upOI
him in public capacity, as a delcga tiol
from large body Of the people, to learl
J. a-sr
and moral subject which is pro
foundry agitating the nation, we suppose
the reply belongs properly those WHOM
we represented, as 20 ourselves. w
give il, therefore, with some degree o
fullnSss, accurately in substance, and of
ten ia the very words which fell from hi
lips. The President made his observa
tions deliberately and with well chose
language, speaking in an earnest an
often solemn manner, as one impresse
with the weight of the theme, yet a
times making a Enthusiastically shrcw
remark with pleasant air. He com
menced by saying:
"rhe subject presented in the memo
rial is one upon which / have though
much for weeks past, and may even sa,
for months am approached with IN
most opposite opinions and advice, an
that by religious men, who are equal
certain that they represent the Divin
will. / am sure that either the one @
the other class is mistaken in that belle
and perhaps in some respects both.
hope il will not be irreverent for me
say that il ii is probable that God woul
reveal his will to others, on point s
connected with nag duty, it might be SUP
posed he would reveal il directly TO M
For, unless am more deceived in myse
than | often am, it is my earnest desir
TO know the will Of Providence in thi
matter. And IL can learn tohdt 10 is, / t0i
dot! These are not, however, the day
I Of miracles, and / suppose il will
. granted that / am not TO expect a dire
revelation. must study the plain, phys
ical facts of the case, ascertain what
b possible, and learn what appears 10
wise and right. The subject is Difficult
and good men do not agree. For instan c
: the other day four gentlemen OF standir
and intelligence, (naming one or two
the number,) from New York, called,
a delegation, on business connected vii
the war; but, before leaving, two OF the
n earnestly beset me TO proclaim gener
, emancipation, upon which the other tw
at once attacked theml You know, ais
that the last session Of Congress had
decided majority Of anti-slavery me
yet they could not unite on this polio
And the same is true Of the religion
people. Why, the rebel soldiers are pral
70 ing with great deal more earnestne'
Il ! fear, than our own troops. aud expec
ing God TO favor their side; for one
our soldiers, who had been taken prison,
Y told Senator Wilson, few days sin,
that he met with nothing so discourage
70 as the evident sincerity Of those he "
among, in their prayers. But we W
talk over the merits Of the case,
il DWhat good would a proclamation
emancipation from me do especially
We arc now situated do not want
issue document that the whole wor
will see must necessarily be inoperati'
. like the Pope's bull against the coom'