The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1862-05-07
Causing State 8spablieau.
MORNING. NAY 9Th. 1884

GEO. I. PARSONS, Editor.
MORNING. MAY 9th. 1884.
The PreGress q EN-. neipation.
The signs Of the times are propitious. little
more than enc year ago. slavery in the District
Of Columbia and in all the slave States, vas As
6rn and permanent IN institution as the common
school system Vas in Michigan
II Vas the great power in the land. Ii vas
guarded and protected BY Law. 1t was held III
violable, BY universal public sentiment at the
South, and not interfersd with By any party 81
the North. So far - practice vent, it was held
BY the North, what it Vas claimed to be BY the
South, sacred institution"
Congress up to that time had not only not
done ANYTHING. but had not attempted to do any
thing, to impair the sacredness of slavery. Even
the Detroit Free Press admits that ''the national
government not only had neither done or per-
mitted any act to oppress them, but, on the con-
trsry, it Was absolutely under the control Of those
who entertained congeuial political opinions up
on al national questions"
Now behold the change! In the District Of
Columbia, where then, slaves were held and
worked, and bought and sold openly in the mar
kes place, without let or hind, rance from any one,
slavery is now abolished, and the national dis.
grace forever wiped away.
This is the FIRST great act of long deferred
justice. This is the beginning of the end.
In Virginia, the great slave breeding State,
much has been done within one short year, to
wards abolishing slavery. General Butler inau
gurated the movement there, by denominatng
slaves escaping from their masters into our lines
eontyabsads. and treating them accordingly, and
thousands Of Virginia slaves, have in that way
more will be % set free before the close of the
var.
In the newer and less thickly settled part o
the State, now erected into new State, the PEG
pie in voting upon their ne~ constitution, hav,
voted upon the subject of freedom and slavery
and the result ID an overwhelming majority il
favor of freedom.
II South Carolina, q still holder policy ha
been adopted BY General Hunter. than that o
General Butler in Virginia He has begun t.
issue free papers to the negroes eRtitled unde
the act of Congress to their freedom by virtue 0
services eompulsorily rendered to the rebels
Printed forms are prepared requiring only to b,
filed with the name of the former slave and tn,
e 81 nanor>1 ~
cipates him. The following is a copy Of tn,
first:
ut having been proven to the entire satisfsc
ton Of the General commanding the Department
| Of the South, that the bearer, VIM. jenkins
heretofore held in involuntary servitude, ha
been directly opposed to aid and assist those il
rebellion against the United States of America
'Now, be it known to all that ssreeably e
the laws, declare the said person free, and for
ever sbsolved from al claims to bis services
Both he and his wife, and bis children, have ful
rights to 60 north, south, east and west, as they
may decide.
"Given under my hand, at the headquarters o
the Department of the South. this nineteenth
day OF April, A. d. 1862.
I'D. HUNTER Maj Gs.. Commanding"
This is the frat official act Of emancipation
BY the General Government, in any of the
States, and is based upon a Law of Congress
Who shall say that there is no hope for Soutl
Carolina! If left to herself, it would be hoping
against hope, We admit, but as she is left Il
General Hunter, there is good prospect Of her
regeneration.
In Tennessee and Kentucky, slavery exists
under much the same conditions that it does il
Western Virginia. In Kentucky especially, tn.
people are fast realizing the truth that slavery il
Improbable, aad damaging to their moral, pc
litical and social welfare. ard when they lool
across the river into the great free States o
Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, many Of them wish
in their hearts, they we're we'll rid Of it,
In Missouri, 'the work goes bravely on. ,
Since the commencement Of the rebellion, the
number Of slaves has decreased one half E,
Governor Robert n. Stewart, Of that State, whs
is nov candidate for Congress in the St. JOSEPH
District, at . recent meeting in Andrew county
said:
HE believed the damnable course Of the Sc
cessionists had killed the institution dead in
Missouri. [Cheers. Slaves south Of the Mis-
souri, river were very scarce to find, while those
north of the river we're found hard to hold. The
nstitstion existed here merely in name 1t wal
merely skeleton in our house. While prudent
nen from every quarter feared 10 bring property
where it was unsafe, there was Q large class Of
men Who declined 70 eDigrste, and would no,
enigrats TO State which had the institution in
ito mdst-which dilemma enectually cuts US of
from all immigration. Hence, without recon
mending any plan, he gave it IS his opinion, that
under existing circumstance, Missouri would be
better of without her slaves than with them
He believed they had become to be very un
safe, a. we'll q almost ortbless species of prep
erty.
HE did not consider It his duty to advocate
emancipation then, but, to be brief, gave il a:
hs opinion that if Missouri could be rid of ne
groes. With equal and exact justice to every man
in the State, she would be the gamer BY il. he
was no abolitioniss, and was discussing the ques
ton solely upon the basis of political economy
on the score OF dollars and cents-on the ques-
ton Of pecuniary veal or woe Of the citizens o
Missouri"
R-., ..s only ut the Soufh il The s..n ESP alton
sentiment gaining ground. The Democracy Of
the North are At last beginning to yield. In
many quarters We see evidences of gradua
shifting of position, AID ineipient caving in
Even the leaders are beginning to discuss the
question, whether the Union ard slavery car
longer 20 along together Everybody has heard
OF Michael Shoemaker. nos Col Shoemaker o.
the Michigan 18th. Who would suspect o,
dream of his conversion Ard yet ne 10 hope
fullv cnn vortod