The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1862-08-20
The Policy Of Emancipation Now
Viewed by Disting uisiled Democrat.

IL; 10th Connecticut ..
The Policy Of Emancipation Now
Viewed by Disting uisiied Democrat.
Robert Dale Owen has been known, both in
his own State OF Indiana and in the country gen
orally, Democrat of approved orthodoxy.
He has held several important public positions
during the period of Democratic ascendancy, as
well under the State as under the General Gov
eminent, and has always maintained high and
honorable character as public man. We have
much pleasure in adding his name to the already
long list of converts to the emancipation policy
He has written long letter to Secretary Stanton
| on the subject, from which We will make some
extracts, embodying the most important argu-
ments he presents, and evidencing that from
true Democratic and patriotic STAND point, there
ia present deliverence or future safety for the
nation in any other policy than this one of uSI
vERsAL EMANCIPATION.
In opening the discussion of the question, he
deals with it in its financial and military aspects
and he himself approached the consideration
| of it, ss follows:
Ny political antecedents are known TO you
Always a Democrat, but never a pro slavery
Democrat; opposed, in principle and feeling,
| from my youth up, to human slavery, but be
lieviug until recently. that, in the interests of
liberty itself, il was the part of wisdom in the
| North to abstain from interference, with the
danger-fraught domestic institution of the South
and 10 trust to time for its eradication I; opposed
with hereditary aversion, to war, / was willing
| before the sword was drawn, to make any honor
able concessions that might avert its horrors.
| But political commissions bring with them great
lessons and new duties. War would not, under
| the divine economy, have been, if il had not its
mission. But to attain the good it brings We
| must recognize IFS necessities
No civil war OF proportions so gigantic as that
now raging ever existed in the world before Ii
differs from all Others, both in the results sure
| to ensue from its protrsction beyond brief pc.
Rod, and in the conditions under which, out Of
| evil, 1t may eventuate in good. In calculating
these. time is al essential element
Seven or eight hundred millions are spent. At
| the best, as much more il likely TO go. Two
thousand millions upwards is not an improba.
bic total. That is half the national debt of Eng.
| land; and the interest on IL probably at almost
double the rate she pays) will make our annual
burden nearly equal to hers. II the war last
three years longer, unless We are willing TO risk
national bankruptcy.
How is this 20 be terminated?
BY concession? That is no longer in our pow.
er. We can buy truce, pause, by concession
| 10 the South; nothing more
BY force Of arms, then. But il by force, it
must be quickly done. Delay is defeat.
And it must be effectually done. After one
such war the nation may revive, its energies still
| elastic solvent still, and respected. second
y I'll rum IL financially, TO saw nothing o. worse
| ruin. To save the country, then, the must
not terminate without sufficient guaranty
against its resumption.
How can the war be quickly and efectually
terminated? What guaranty is sufficient, that
il will not be resumed?
Gradually, very gradually, "a this contest pro
ceedcd, have been approaching the conviction
that there is but one such guaranty the eman-
cpaIou Of! negro slaves throughout this cont
rent. Peihaps-but TO this / am less certain
that measure is the only sure means OF termi
mating, quickly and efectually this war. The
recent reverse under Gen. Mcclellan, the scat
tered rebel fires daily bursting forth in States
which our forces had already everrun, the fact
that we are fighting against brave men of our own
race. all increase the probability that We must
deprive the South OF legal right TO its four mil
hons of laborers, before We can succeed against
their masters IN a reasonable time and in an ef-
fectual manner.
Mr.. Oven then goes On to consider the consti-
tutonal laS justifypg the declaration Of general
emancipation, and how such a measure would in
the end rebound to the benefit Of the South it
self. As this argument has been so frequently
up Of late, We shall 60 On TO the next portion of
the letter which sets forth the advantages of
emancipation as at once taking away the oft
threatened danger Of foreign intervention-an
argument which NJ. Owen, who has been in E1-
rope IL diplomatic capacity, can feel the force
Of, much more, indeed, than those who have new
er had ali opportunity of a wide intercourse with
European society can be expected to do. On
this important aspect of the question, Mr.. Osen
reasons thus:
Look nos at the question in lie foreign aspect,
Under the chances Of European Intervention.
Be those chances great or small, Intervention
nav occur, and that ere long.
II il occurs, It's character will chiefly depend
upon what shall have been the anteceient action
of our Government in regard 20 slavery.
II. previously to such intervention, We shall
rave issued a general declaration OF emancipa
tiou then shall stand before Europe as the
champions of human liberty, while our enemies
will be regarded az the advocates Of human ser
vitude. Public opinion in England in France, |
and throughout Europe generally, will ;ten pre- |
vent the respective governments from lnterven- /
ing, except it tie IL our favor. No European
Government dare place kseli in the attitude Of a
slavery protector.
II, on the contrary, We shall have left the 10
sue a. IL nov stands, our policy Indicated only /
By the Con6sca,ioa act not broadly and boldly |
anncuuc-i ard more especially II the South, /
despar;ng Of saving her favorire institution, con-
cede-. a. the price OF foreign recognition and
support, a voluntary system Of gradual emsnci-
pation-no, It all an unhkely move then the sym
patty of pubic opinion throughout Europe vii
be with the South, and viii sustain any action in
her favor.