Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1862-05-08

| TeUelllOH WAS iIduc Ny tHo HuhuiGu dhd
fifty thousand shareholders, for the SAX e
of perpetuating slavery, then it might
be complete remedy to extirpate the
institution but if the rebellion has
grown out of the adherence of the non
shareholders for emancipation and ANAL
gamation, and their dread of "negro e.
quality" how will their discomfort be
cured by the very measure the mere ap-
prehcnsion of which has driven them
iuto rebellion =?
No wise man desires to increase the
number of enemies to the State within
the hostile regions or divide its friends
outside. Mr.. Lincoln knew that de-
cree of emancipation simply would GER
tainly have this effect Such an act he
knew was calculated to make rebels of
the whole of the Shareholders of the
! South, and at the same time to weaken
the sympathy of a large number of the
working men of the North, who are not
ready to Zee their brethren in the South
put on an equality with manumitted ne
groes.
In accordance with this view of the
subject. proclaimed before he was named
for the Preaidency, he has acted since
he has been President. To disarm the
jealousy eff race, which he knew lay at
the bottom of the rebellion, he recon-
mendcd in his first annual message that
homes should be provided in some neigh
boring country for such of the blacks as
should be made free bv the events oil
the contest. But this did not complete
his view of the subject.
While aware that the chief cause of
the rebellion was the antagonsm of race,
stimulated by the disappointed and de-
feated politicians, whe had made it the
source of their power over the Govern
ment, he also saw that the progress of
events had affected and would still fur
ther affect the class who had property
interests in the subject. And while it
was true that that class had not origin
atcd the icy which culminat, in the
rebellion, they were now involved in
it-many of them actually engaged
and all, whether sympathizing with it
or not, having their property staked on
it, and therefore in danger of being
drawn into it. To do justice to those
who were not engaged in the rebellion,
and to prevent them from being drawn
into it by their property interest, and
iucte their cooperation in ridding the
country of this disturbing element, he
now proposes mes sure of compensation
for their interests.
If we were called on to consider this
policy, simply upon its reasonableness
abstractedIy considered. and were devils
ing a scheme for future events, its wis
dom would be apparent to all practical
men; but it does not rest on such
grounds. 1t is fully vindicated by the
condition of things by which We are
surrounded. The North is a unit and
the South is divided on the question of
the Union. Would the gentlemen who
are advertising for policy for the Ad-
ministration improve by policy which
would divide our friends and unite the
South ? They imagine, indeed, that by
dccrecing emancipation they could get
more efficient help from the negroes. If
they could show any reason for suppos-
ing that the negroes would run away
in any greater numbers than they now
do, under such decree, there might be
some ground for debate but there is
not the slightest reason for supposng
this, All run away now, / believe, who
can get away. 1t is only when our ar
mics invade the slave regions that they
can get away, and it would still require
that the forts they are compelled to
build should be taken by our armed
men. We could not strengthen our.
selves at the North by the measure
certainly we have already the whole
force of that region and we could not
strengthen ourselves at the South, for
we cannot reach the slaves by such n
proclamation except by force, and we
should add to the force of the free men
to oppose us.
These considerations demonstrate that.
in military calculation, the poly to
which the President is invited by por-
ton of his original friends is erroneous.
But many reject arithmetic in consid
cring this policy, and imagine that the
inscription Of emancipation on our BAN
ners would be talismanlc word which
would carry victory with it. ] doubt
whether any better conquering words
could be invented than those we now
conquer by: the Union, the flag, the
Government founded by Washington.
maintained by Jackson language which
speaks to the hearts of our soldiers. and
to the world, of the nationality of the
great Republic, am for the freedom
of all races and crecds, and look for !,
tho day to come, and that not far dis
tant, when the flag of the Union shall
float over no slave, and our country
shall be absolutely the land of tho free;
but the battle now is for the country,
and the gallant men who day by day
find bloody winding sheet, give their
lives for this cherished idea, and not
for the emancipation of the African
race.
Having considered the Presidents
policy on the subject of slavery as a
military policy, let us view it in its