Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-12-05

are very great, and it gives the inspirifing
assurance that their posterity shall he free
forever
The plan leaves TO each Site choosing to
act under it to abolish slavery now OF at the
end Ut the century, OF at any intermediate
time, or by degrees extending over tie whole
or any part OF the period, and it obliges no
TWO States to proceed alike. Ii also provides
for compensation and generally the mode OF
making it. This, It would seem, must fur
Their mitigate the dissatisfaction of thosl
who favor perpetual slavery, and especially
OF those who are 10 receive compensation.
Doubtless some OF thOse who are to pay and
not To receive will object yet, that the
measure Is both Just and economic Il is GER
tain
The liberation OF the slaves is the destruc.
ton Of prOperty-prOperty acquired by des-
cent or by purchase. the same as any other
property. 1t is no less true for having been
often said that the people of the South are
no more responsible for the original introduce
ton Of this property than are the people of
the North, and when it Is remembered how
unhesitatingly we use,-all Of US use-cottOn
and sugar. and share the profits of dealing
in them, it may not be quite safe to say that
the North for itscOn.iLuance.
If, then, for a common object this proper
ty is to be sacrificed, is it not Just that it be
done at d common charge? and if with less
money, or money more easily paid, we can
preserve the benefits Of the Union by this
means than we can by tie war alone. is it
not also economical t. Do it?
Let US consider it, then; let US ascertain
the sum we have expended in the war
since compensated emancipation was pro-
posed lest March, and consider whether, if
that measures bad been promptly ac-
cepted by even some Of the slave
States, the same sum would not
to have done more to close the war than
has been otherwise done. II So. the meas
ure would save money, and in that view
would be prudent and economical measure;
certainly it is not so easy 20 pay something
as it is to pay nothing. But 1t is easier to
pay large sum than 1t IS to pay larger
one, and it is easier to pay any sum when We
ere able, than 1t Is to pay it before We ar =
able The war requires them at once. The
aggregate sum necessary for compensated
emancipation Of course would be larger. but
it would r,quIre really 10 cash nor bonds
men any faster than emancipation progresses.
Thi- might not and probably would not close
before the end Of the thirty seven years. At
that time We shall probably have Oae' hun
drcd millions OF people % share the burden,
instead of thirty one millions as now and
not only so, but the increase OF our pOpula-
ton may be expected TO continue for a long
time after that period, as rapidly as before,
because cur territory VII. not have become
full. | do no: state this IncOlsiderately. At
the lme ratio OF increase which We have
maintained N an average from our first
national census. 10 1870, until that Of 1850,
we should 10 1900 have population Of I03,-
Dos AS, and why may We not continue that
ratio far beyond that period Our gbun,
dIut room, our broad iti0ull HON steal Is
our ample resource. We're our territories as
limited as are the British Isle, very certainly
our population could not expand as stated
Instead OF receiving the foreign born as now,
we should ZEE compelled u send part Of the
native born away, but such Is MT our con-
dition.
We have ? 353 600 square miles. Europe has
3 100000, with population averaging 7jI peE-
sons 20 the square mile. Why lay not our coua-
tTy az some time average as many Is it less fer
tile Has It more waste surface BY mountains,
rivers, lakes, deserts, other cluses, L il in
.erior % Europe II any natural advantlget If,
hen, We are a. some time 10 Re as populous as
Europe, h-w soo1t As to when this may be, We
m l1-se By ta- past anu tie present; g. when
q viii BE-, II ever, depends much On whether we |
maintain the U1io1.
Several Of cur states axe above tie average /
European population Of scvcn-y-three AMI third /
o the square nile. Massachusetts, has Isl, Rhode
siant 1873. New York a1i New Jersey each SO,
Use, tw1 other great S-ates-Peuusy lvania and
o. s-..H g. haHe 81 .sH
nj The latter 50. Tie states already above the
European. average except New York, have in
reased il as rapid ratio since passing that point
s ever before, while 10 one Of them IS equal TO !
one ether points c! cur country in natgrsl ca
lacity for sustaining dense population.
Taking the nation II the aggregate, and we find !
Is population and ratio Of increase for the several
eeeunial periods to be follows; 1870, 529 S27;
500, 5,3O5 931-3j.O2 Ter cent. ratio Of Increase;
SO, 1,239. sl4-364j per cent. ratio Of increase;
SO, 9,63s ,l3l-j3l3 per cent. ratio Of increase;
$50 SEQ, O2O-Sj.49 per cent ratio Of increase;
l. 1903 4j3-5Z.6I per cent ratio Of Increase
$50, 3, ,sI5-35.ss per cent ratio Of increase
500 81 ,443, i90-35.5S per cert ratio Of increase.
bis shows al average decsnni1i increase Of 3tCJ
or cent. in population through the seventy years
-om our first to cur last census taken. Il is seen
bat the ratio Of increase at no one Of these seven
sriods Is either two per cent. below or two per
sut- above the average, thus showing how infex-
BE, and consequently how reliable the law Of in
tease in our case IS Assuming that i: will
lutinue, it gives the following results.
SO, 42,S-S,34li ls-0, Sc 9G7 ,2i6; 1890.
j.6I7,s12; 1900, loj EOS AIS 1910 49, Is ,526;
go, lot,5oi $50; 1880, 2jl,GsOgli These
CURES show that our country may be as popu-
us o Europe now Is at some point between
go and l3jJ-say about l3-5-Our territory,
l2l persons 70 the square mile, being Of
he capacity 20 colta.n l7,lsOOe0; and
e will reach tbs, zoo. il We DO
o. ourselves relirq1ish the chances BY the folly
I'D evils Of iisunion, or by long and exhaustins
ars sp.ineing from the only great element Of
llonal discUrt among Us. Nhiie II cannot be
'res1on exactly how mucl one huge example Of
cesssion breeding lesser ones indefinitely would
{ I'd the populati. n, civilization and prosperity
q one can DOUBT that the extent Of il would be
cry great and Injurious. The proposed emanci-
ltion would shorten the va, Ierpetuate peace
sure this Increase IF population. and proportion
ely the wealth of tie country. Vita Ihis should
iy al the emancipation would cost, together
ith our other debts, easier than should pay .
II Other debts without il. II We had allowed our
i na;i NAL debt to run at SIX per cent. pcr anaUm
mple interest from tie end Of our revolutionary
ruggie III to-day, without paying anything On
ther priucii al OF interest, each man Of u would
re less upon that debt now than each nan owed
bon j. then, and this because our increase Of
en- through the whole period has bsen greater
an SIX per cent, and has run faster than the IL
rest upon the debt.
Thus time alone relieves debtor nation 20 long ,
its population increases faster IA " unpaid in
rest accumulstes on its deLt. ILLS iact would
no excuse FOR delaying the p,yaiea: i.r saat is
silly dee, bat It shows the great ia.poriaucc Of
ne In this connection, the great algla;sye Of a !
licy by which shall not have 10 pay until we q
m5er hundred millions, VIA. ~ j different
hey We should Lave to pay No v. eu he nun
Z Is but thirty one millions j. word, il :
MS that dollar will be much b. Ter 20 pay for
2 war than viii be dollar ;or en- e.. alton On
, proposed plan, md then the latter vi. nc
od. nc precious life. !; vii Re q .t,in. Of
r.,
A. 70 the second article, think it scu be
practicable TO return 10 bondage tie class q
sons therein contemplated. some % them,
iot.ess, IN the property sense, belong TO loyal +.
reis, and hence provision is made il this article
c'-HpeasItins such.
III FUTURE or TEE ENAScIPArkD SLAVE. d
third article relates to the future Of these il
ed people. II does not oblige but merely au L
lrizes Congress 10 ali in eolonizing such as nav
sent. This ought not TO be regarded as obiec- q
[ able Oh the one hand or On the ether, inso-
ch IS 1t comes to nothing unless by mutual