Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-08-27
The Policy of Emancipation.
WORDS OF A TRUE DEMOCRAT
Letter from Robert Dale Owen.

Letter from Robert Dale Owen.
To IKE Hon. Edl0ir IT, Stanton, Sec. Of War:
Nv political antecedents are known to
YOU. Always democrat, but never pro-
slavery democrat; opposed, in principle
and feeling. from my youth up, 10 human
slavery. but believing, until recently, that
in the interests of liberty itself, it was the
part of wisdom in the North to abstain
from interference with the danger-fraught
domestic institution Of the South, and 10
trust 10 time for its eradication opposed
with hereditary aversion, 10 war. | was
willing before the sword was drawn, to
make any honorable 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 permitted, as in all past ages it
has been, if it had not lis mission. But
to attain the good it brings We must rec
ognise its necessities.
No civil war of proportions so gigantic
as that now raging ever existed in the
world before. 1t differs from all others,
both in the results sure to ensue from its
protraction beyond brief period. and in
the conditions under which, out of evil,
il may eventuate in good. In calculating
these. time IS an essential element
Seven or eight hundred millions are
spent At the best, as much more is like
ly to 20. Two thousand millions or up
wards IS not an improbable total That
is half the national debt of England; and
the interest on it (probably at almost
double the rate she Paysl will make our
annual burden nearly equal to hers. If
the war lasts three years longer, these fig
ures may be doubled. 1t must not last
three wears longer, unless we are willing
to risk national bankruptcy.
How is it TO be terminated
By concession? That is no longer in
our power. We can buy truce, pause,
by concession 10 the South nothing
more.
By force of arms. then. But if by force
tinust be quickly done. Delay Is de
feat. -a.-
And it must be effectually don.. After
one such war the nation nay revive. its
energies still elastic; solvent still, andre
spected \ second Will ruin it financial
Is, to say nothing of worse ruin. To save
the country, then, the war must not ter
inmate without sufficient guaranty
gainst its resumption.
How can the war be quickly and effect
ually terminated? What guaranty i SUI
flcieut. that it will nos be resumed?
Gradually. very gradually, as this con
test proceeded, have l been approaching
the conviction that there is bat one such
guaranty: the emancipation Of negro
slaves thrnu-out this continent Perhaps
- - fhfs I lac- har
measure Is the only sure means o. ter
minating, quickly and effectually. this
war The recent reverse under General
Mcclellan, the scattered rebel fires daily
bursting forth in states which our forces
had already oyerrun, 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 10
It's four millions rf laborerS, before we can
succeed against their masters in reason
able time and in an etfectual manner.
am not an advocate of revolutionary
shortcuts out of difficulty. | am not
III favor Of violating the constitution by
way Of escaping a danger. There might
be Immediate advantage, but the prece-
dent IS replcte with peril.
Could slavery have been abolished, Gy
northern action, while peace yet existed
between the North and South. without a
violation Of the constitution in other
words, without revolutionary act? Clear
ly not Can slavery be eradicated now,
in war. without such violation? If eman-
cipation be necessary to ensure the per-
manent peace and safety of our govern
ment, and il We are willing to pay TO all
loyal slaye-Owners a reasonable price for
their slaves, clearly yes.
For no principle in law is better estab-
hshed than this, that when important
public interests demand it, private prop
erty may be taken, az fair appraise-
ment. for public use. The opening Of
street in improving a city, the running Of
a railroad, are held, in this and other civ
ilized countries. TO be objects OF sufficient
importance TO justify what the French
law calls appropriation. .forces pour cause d
utilize pubique.'
But of importance how utterly trivial
is the opening of a street or OF a railroad
compared to the preservation, in its in
tegrity. Of the greatest republic upon
earth .--
Ought we to declare general emancipa-
ton, coupled with q provision for the pay
u.
fairly appraised value of their slaves p
This question resolves itself into another:
Have things gone so far that the Union,
in its peaceful integrity, and negro slave
~ within its borders, can no longer CO.
exist? That is THE GREAT QUESTION OF THE
DAY / think it must be answered, even
now, IN the affirmative. Every month
that passes Is converting hundreds OF
thousands of moderate and conservative
and peace-loving men to the same opin-
ion. They despair of sectional friend
ship or national peace. until the teeming
cause of mortal hatred and civil war IS
rooted out for ever.
Have we the means of paying loyal
slaye-owners a fair price for their slaves
III we act now, before a protracted con-
test has exhausted our resources, yes. If
we wait the termination of three or four
years war. very certainly, no.
In that price deportation must not be
estimated. The South asserts that negro
slaves are indispensable to her. That is
only so far true, that she does absolutely
need hired negro workmen, and ought
not to be deprived Of them. Her agri-
culture would, for time, be ruined with
out them. But no good man desires
settlement under which any section Of
our country would be even temporarily
ruined.
Nor can it be doubted that the South,
however strong her prejudices and tradi-
tions in favor of owning her labOrers, has
herself been brought, by the perils Of the
hour, 70 think seriously OF change OF
system as the only means left her to ob-
tain aid aud comfort from Europe. Nor
can all her leaders be wholly blind to the
fact that such change of system would
advance, in the end, beyond calculation,
her material prosperity.
Suppose a declaration, TO the effect that
the government, urged by the necessity