Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-08-28

To the Hon. Ed,card N. Stanton, secretary of
,cdr -
My political antece lents are known to you.
Always a democrat, but never a pro-savery
democrat; opposed, in princle and feeling, from
my youth up, to 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 institutions of the south, and
to trust to time for its eradicion opposed,
with hereditary aversion, to war, was willing,
before the sword was drawn, to make any hon
orable concessions that might avert its horrors
But political conclusions bring with them
great lessons and new duties. War wo1fdhot,
under the divine economy, have been permit
ted, as in all past ages it has been, il it had
not its mission. But to attain the good 1t
brings we must recognize 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, it may eyentuate in good. In calcua-
ting these, time is an essential element.
Seven or eight hundred millions are spent.
At the best as much more is likely to go.
Two thousand millions or upwards is not an i'm
probable total. That is half the national debt
Of England and the interest on it (probably
at almost double the rate she pays) will make
our annual burden nearly equal to hers. If
the war lasts three years longer, these figures
may be doubled. 1t must not last three years
longer, unless we are willing to risk national
bankruptcy.
elbow is il to be terminated?
But concession? That is no longer in our
Wp N a hv
cession to 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 efectuay done After one
such war the nation may revive, its energies
still elastic; solvent still, and respected A
second will ruin it financially, to say nothing of
worse ruin. TO save the country, then, the
war must not terminate without a sufficient
guaranty against its resumption.
How can the war be quickly and effectually
terminated What guaranty is sufficient that
it will not be resumed? +?
Gradually, very gradually, as this contest
proceeded, have | been approaching the con-
viction that there is but one such guaranty
the emancipation of negro slaves throughout
this continent Perhaps-but to this am less
certain-that measure is the only sure means
of terminating, quickly and effectually, this
Clelan, the scattered rebel fires daily bursting
forth il states which our forces had already
overrun, the fact that we are fighting against
| brave men of our own race, all increases the
| probability that we must deprive the south o
legal right to its four millions of laborers
before we can succeed against their masters il
a reasonable time and in an effectual manner.
am not an advocate of revolutionary short
cuts out of difficulty. | am not in favor o
violating the constitution by way Of escaping
danger. There might be immediate advantage
but the precedent is replete with peril. CoulC
slavery have been abolished, by northern ac
ton, while peace yet existed between the nort
and south, without n violation of the constitu
ton in other words. without a revolutionar
actP Clearly not. Can slavery be eradicate,
now, in war, without such yoationP If eman
cipation be necessary to ensure the permanen
peace and safety of our government and il W
are willing to pay to all loyal slave-owners
reasonable price for their slaves, clearly yeas
For no principle in law is better established
than this, that when important public interest
demand 1t, private property may be taken' q
fair appraisement, for public use. The open
ing city, the running of a railroad, are helt
in this and other civilized countries, to be OF
jeets OF sufficient importance to justify whu
the French law calls appropriation foicie pou
caused Witde pubhcque." But of imporlanc
how utterly trivia is the opening of street 9
OF railroad compared to the preservation, i
its integrity of the greatest republic upon earth
: Ought we to declare general emancipation
;; coupled with provision for the payment, to a
! loyal shareholders, of the fairly apprised vau
of their, slayesP This question resolves it int
another Have things gone so far that III
Union, in its peaceful Integrity, and negr,
t slavery within its borders, can no longer CO
I exist That is the great qustion of the da
: think il must be answered, even now in Il
! affirmative. Every month that passes is col
verling hundreds of thousands of moderat
e and conservative, and peace-loving men to Il
same opinion. They despair of sectional fiien
!, ship or national peace. until the teeming eau