The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1862-01-21
REGULATIONS FOR 1862.
The War and Peace Policy.
BIZ T. ABBoTT.-No. 2.


In previous paper, we have written
some views upon the above topic, necessa-
rily embracing the subject of American
Slavery, and have suggested a course of Gov
ernment Policy toward purchased and con=
traband slaves. Wa now proceed to briefly
define the process which should be en-
ployed in the practical operation of the sys-
tenn:
l. For the purchase of such slaves as
might be offered, the Government should
issue Three Hundred Millions of dollars of
United States bonds, having ten, twenty
and thirty years for their maturity, payable
in equal installments, and drawing five per
cent annually. These bonds should form
the financial basis of the system; and if the
above sum should not prove sufficient to
purchase all the slaves that might be offer
ed, it should be increasd to the amount re-
quired, whenever the demand should arise.
2. All purchased, escaped, contraband or
conhscated slaves, who might thus come
under the control of the United States Gov
ernment, should be either apprenticed to re-
sponsible parties, they giving bond and
security for the performance of the terms of
indenture, or they should be employed by
best comport with the nature and require
ments of the case.
3. For the purpose of purchasing, valu-
ing; apprenticing and employing these serv-
ants, suitable commissioners should be pro-
vided, according to the demands of the
business; and their salaries should be paid
by charging fee of one dollar each for
every indenture made or contract drawn;
this fee to be paid by the individual TO
whom the servant might be indentured or
hired. And these should be required to
give bond and security for the true and
faithful performance of the conditions and
obligations of their Office.
4. The laws regulating the conduct and
obligations of masters and servants-the
civil and domestic metes and bounds to
them respectively applying, should be left
to the discretion of Stata lepislatinn and
law, obtaining in the States where this sys-
tem might go into practical effect.
9Th. A fair and equitable valuation
should, by the before named Commissioners,
be placed upon all purchased, escaped, con-
fiscated or contraband servants, who might
thus come under Government control, and
they should be held bound to do service to
the Government, in the manner herein
named, to the amount of their estimated
value, without interest. To this end, an
exact account should ke kept of the pro-
ceeds of their labor and when having
thus refunded to the Government the said
amount of their value, they should be dis
charged from all obligation to perform in
voluntary service in the premises; and GER
tifcates of discharge should be given so
that effect.
9th. Minors, born after the parents have
come under Government control, should not
be bound to service for a period of
time extending. beyond the twenty-second
year of their age; and those born before,
who are under the age of fourteen years,
should net be bound for a period of time
extending beyond the twenty-fourth year
of their age. This difference of three years
in the term of service should be made be-
cause the last, it is supposed, might be pur-
| chased, while the first are supposed to cost
the Government nothing.
7th. Should any of these escaped or con-
| traband servants, be at any time by salts
| factory proof, as in law provided, shown to
| have been the property of any true and
| loyal citizen of the United States, at the
| time of his escape from the custody of his
owner the Government should pay to the
| said owner the amount of his slave as esti-
mated at the time he came under the Gov
ernment control, with five per cent. interest
! thereon for the term of service which might
! then have expired.
9Th. It should be imperatively settled by
the terms of this liberating purchase that
all Government servants, SO soon as they
| shall obtain their certificates of discharge,
shall, under the direction of the before
| named Commissioners, depart without delay
| to such country as may be provided for
| them. And to aid in establishing them in
their new home, the said Commissioners
should be authorized, to procure their pas
sage to, and provide them with one month s
subsistence to apply on their arrival at their
point of destination; the same to be fur
nished out of the Government funds accru-
ing from the service of these servants.
9th. Should any of these servants on
obtaining their liberty, be at any time able
and desirous, they should have the privilege
of purchasing their kindred and friends
paying therefor in the ratio of their esti-
mated value according to the times OF SER
vice remaining due to the government, with
out interest thereon.
10th. The fortieth year from the estab-
lishment of this government policy should
be declared year of "jubilee" to all re.
naming servants under its control, making
them forever free from all involuntary
servitude they should receive their certif
Gates of discharge, and be conveyed to theil
new country and homes, under the SAM
provisions as contained in section eight.
18th. A good beginning is already mad
for this humane, and politically and socially
necessary move, by liberal officers of tn
Haytian Government. Valuable assistanc
is now being given to such persons as vii
emigrate to that island. That government
offers land to settlers, and holds out othe
inducements to such as will make littl
effort to secure their homes in q most desi
rable country.
, Negotiations should be entered into be