The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-12-04
NO 2O3
From the 81. Louis Democrat
Justice to Shareholders.

Justice to Shareholders.
The impression prevails TO some ex-
tent more particularly abroad, that the
late emancipation triumph in Missouri
was victory over the Shareholders, and
that the contest was one partaking large
ly of the character of a war of classes or
interests-one side being represented en-
tirely by slaveowners and their adber-
ents, and the other entirely by non. slave
holders. Such is not the fact, and ius-
tice to a large number of earnest, hard
working Emancipationists in Missouri.
who are owners of slaves, requires that IL
should be stated.
Previous TO the election, and since we
have been in confidential communicates
with shareholders, as well as others In
all sections Of the State. and bavr in
consequence the means of iudping Of
'heir real sentiments upon the subject of
emancipation A disclosure of our en-
tire correspondence would exhibit some
singular things-among others the fact
that many OF the most liberal minded
men in the State upon the question of free
soil, are largely interested in slave nro-
perty, Many of these men were however.
| not simply favorable to emancipitation
at heart, but have been the most zealons
and successful workers in its behalf in
the late canvass. IL is one of the sip-
guar, and by no means unnistructiye fea
lures OF the election, that several of the
| heaviest slaveholding counties in the
State have given decided emancip. .fion
majorities, while counties, on the other
hand, having scarcely slave in them.
nave elected pro slavery representatives
to the Legislature.
The great fact established is. that tbo
result of the election is not the product
OF prejudice of one class of our phupIe
working against another class. II ia The
result of general conviction, entertain
ed by men of property and intelligence
throughout the State, without reference 10
the character of their possessions, that
slavery in Missouri is a doomed institu-
uon, cumberer of the ground, dry and
! worthless trunk, the sooner cut down and
cast INTO the fire the better for the true
interests OF the State. The triumph of
emancipation, although to some extent
aided, undoubtedly, by the peculiar con-
dition of public matters in our midst
was not the work Of the bayonet of nom
lar excitement or anything of tempo
rary nature, but OF the sober, second
thought OF the people, as deliberately
executed as it was formed Outside of
st. Louis, where the contest was between
two parties of proiessed Emancipation-
lists, there never was more quiet and
orderly election held in the State, nor one
at which loyal citizens had better on
portunity TO vote their real sentiments,
nor one succeeding less exciting and
acrimonious canvass. Ii was the delib-
crate verdict OF people, who bad calmly
weighed all the facts in the case. The
result is revolution which is in no dan
ger of going backward
We feel a greater anxiety 10 have the
real facts, as we have stated them, cor
rectly understood in the Northern States.
on account of the conditions upon which
constitutional and legal emancipation in
Missouri must take place. If our eleo-
tlon had been triumph over slayehold-
ers and the slavehoding interest purely,
: we are well aware of the repugnance the
people of the North would feel towards
> contributing out of the national fund, for
the compensation Of the owners Of slaves
to be set free. There are of course, n
/ number of Shareholders in Missouri, who
have bitterly opposed emancipation from
= the first and all the time, but these will
. generally be found to be tainted with dis
: loyalty, and will not, therefore, be likely
q to derive much benefit from compensa-
@ tory system Of emancipation, framed, as
? 1t will be, with a view TO 4 rigid enforce
q mcnt Of law Of conllscation. OF the
o loyal Shareholders Of Missouri very many
3 are liberal, highminded gentlemen, and
{ earnest emancipationists To deprive
such men of their property, for the pub
- lie good, without some recompense, would
3 clearly be unjust.