The Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1861-1862, 1862-01-25


# the act Of Congress entitled an sct to con-
iScate property used for insurectionary pur-
poses, approved August 6, 1861, the legal
claims of certain persons to the labor and ser
vice of certain other persons, have become
and numbers of the latter thus lib
Grated, are already dependent on the United
States, and must be provided for in some
way" The arguments ofthe Secretary of
War and the President amount to just this !:
By the authority and act of the Government,
the slaves are made free, because Of the rebel
lion Of the masters, and being free, the Gov
eminent can not exact their service; invo.un-
tary service would make them slaves, and
the Government can not hold slaves; but be-
ing free by her act, they are dependent upon
the United States, "and must be provided tor
in some way" That is the emancipation
policy of the Administration. AS war
measure, to give strength to the North, what
do you think of it? You will observe we can
not "exact SERVICE" from the manumitted
slave-he is to work or not work, as suits his
pleasure That alternative being presented,
the negro does not work. But he 10 to be
"provided for in some way" What will that
provision cost, when more than 100000
slaves belonging to masters who 60 with the
S,uth, are liberated? That will depend
largely upon the number of Republican Com
misssrcs detailed to the service, and whether
the present per cent. of profit is continued,
and upon the number of missionaries that are
sent among this interesting people, to prepare
them for liberty, equality and fraternity.
But Mr. Lincoln is not content with an
advocacy of emancipation by the United
States, but he proposes to encourage the
States to adopt the Same policy. He goes on
to say: Besides this, it is not impossible
that some of the states will pass similar en-
actments for their own benefit respectively,
ard by operation OF which, persons Of the
same class will be thrown upon them for dis
posal. In such case recommend thai Con-
gress provide for accepting such persons from
such States, according TO some mode of va!u-
alton, in lieu, pro tanto, Of direct taxes, or upon
some othor plan to be agreed on with such
States respectively; that such persons, on such
acceptance by the General Government, be Al
once deemed free" The proposition amounts
to just this The public expenditures are now
so enormous that a d:recs tax is inevitable,
The Constitution of the United States Article
l, section 2, provides that "direct taxes shall
be spportioned among the several States,
which may be included in this Union, accord
ing to their respective numbers" the tax
must be 50 apportoned and imposed, but
when we come to collect the taxes, if any
State, as, for instance, Kentucky, will free the
negroes, we will receive such freed negroes in
payment of her portion Of the tax according
to their value, to be asccrba;ned by appraisc-
ment. A fair construction of the Constitution
requires not only that the direct tax shall be
imposed upon all the States equally, but that
it shall also be collected from them equally,
in proportion to their numbers According
to tbs Presidents recommsndation Indiana
would pay her tax in money, to be used fol
the common benefit, but Kentucky might pay
in the slaves of her people, at valuation, bu:
as soon as so received they are to ''bs at once
deemed free" Such is the war policy Of the
the Administration, defeating revenue insteat
of furnishing it.
But the question occurs, in what way art
we to provide for the manumitted slaves
they will become dependent upon us, ane
"must be provided for in some way" thu
President says. He gives us his plan. Aftc
recommending that negroes be taken from
States in payment Of the direct tax, he goe
on to recommend "that in any event steps b
taken for colonizing both classes Cor the on
first mentioned, if the other shall not b
brought into existence,) at some place or pla
ces, in climate congenial for them. y = "
To carry out the plan of colonization may in
volve the acquiring of territory, and also tn
appropriation of money beyond that tobe ox
pended in the territorial acquisition" Presl
den Lincoln does not inform us on what par
of the globe we are to purchase the territor,
for the free negroes, except that he suggest
that it must be where the climate is con
genial. ..
Know ye the land Of the cedar and vine,
Where the flowers ever blossom and tn
beams ever shine?
Where the citron and olive are fairest Of fruit
And the voice of the nightingale never is mute
Where the tints of the earth and the hues q
the sky,
In color though varied, in beauty may vie.
\
IT'S cline of the South-'tis the land of tn
sum-"
What think you Of this description of tn
modern Eden, the Elysium, which the Presi
dent would have US buy for the weary chil
dren of Africa? But what Is to be the cos
of its acquisition Perhaps only few hun
dred millions. This presents the disagreeabl
| and embarrassing suggestion which Mr.. Lin