The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-03-13
The Presidents Message on Gradual
4i tiT Emancipation. .r

tclose. w. z. C0LWELL.
The Presidents Message on Gradual
H. 10 llT Emancipation. 3D. Ir
WAsH1EoToN. March G.-Ihe President
to-day submitted 10 Congress the follow
ing message: $500 alift . i.,.I4 "a
"FslioW Citizens of the Senate and House
Of Rsprssent0ti0es: .qi1saa .,3i -5l
Il recommend the adoption Of joint
, resolution by your honoflbls bodies
" hich shall be substantially as follows:
4 "Resolusd, That the Onited S;atss
, Ought to co operate with Ao5 SIats which
may adopt gradual abolisbrnent Of Slave.
ry. giving 10 such STATE pecuuiary aid, TO
he used by such State in it's discretion +, TO
'compsnsste fos the inconveBiences. pub
, lie and private, proddced by such change
OF system. II the proposition contained
! in the resolution does not meet the ap.
pfoval Of COhgfess and The country. there
is the end. but If it does command such
approval, deemt it Of importance That the
States and people Immediately interested
should be at once distinctly notified Of the
fact so that they may begin 10 consider
whether TO accept or reject it. The Fed
eral Government would find its hig hest
interest in such messure, as one Of the
, most efficient measures Of self preserva-
ton. TIE leaders Of the existing insur-
rection eRtertain the hope that TIE Gov.
ernment will ultimately be forced TO &C
knowledge the independence Of some part
} of the dlsalIeeted region, and that all slave
States north Of such parts will then cay:
The Union for which we hate struggled
being already gone. weIow choose TO &c
b with them. Toydepriye them of Il is hopt
l. substantially. ends the rebellion, and III,
e initiation OF emancipation completely de
q prives them OF it. As TO all the States
Initiating it, the poin, is not that all th'
States toerating Slavery would very soon
= if at all. initiate emancipation. but ths
i while the offer is equally made to all, th'
|. more Northern shall by such Initiation
make it certain to the more Southern tbs
in no event shall the former join the lat
ter in their proposed Con:ederacy. / sa,
; initiation, because, in my judgment. grad
al ual. and rot sudden, emancipation is bel
"a ter for all. In the mere financial or peer
mary view, any member of Congress, wit
!, the census tables and Treasury repor
~ before him. can readily see for himse
- how very soon the current expenditure
- of the war would purchase at fair. vail
7. alton all the slaves in, any named Stat
Such proposition on The part Of Il
General Government sets up no claim
n right by Federal authority to interie
er with slavery within State limits. r'ferrir
.lf as it does the absolute control Of he sui
ject in each case 10 the State and its PEI
20 pie Immediately interested. 1t is propo
>, ed as matter Of perfectly free choice wit
y them. In lhe annual message last Dc
IS cember, thought ct 10 say that the Ur
n ion must be preserved, and hence all il
k. dispensable means must be employed.
r. said this not hastily, but deliberately.
. Warhas been and continues 10 be a
v indispensable means TO this end. A prat
+ tical acknowledgment Of the natioDi
re authority would render the war unnece'
,s, sary, and it would at ooce cease If. how
- ever, resistance CONTINUES. The war mu
= also continue, and it is impossible 10 for
zee see all tho incidents which may atten(
an and all the ruin which may follow. Sue
as may Seem iidispensa' e or may ob'
br ously promise great efficiency toward enc
;c ing The struggle, must and will com
= The proposition now made, though an o
''n fer only, rhope it msy he esteemed no o
IN, fense 10 ask whether the pecunary col
ee, sideration rendered would not he Of mo-
-, value to tia States and private person
concerned than are the institution ar
Dy prt perry 10 it, in the present aspect of a
nd fairs. While it is true that the adoptiC
re. of the proposed resolution would be p,er
w. ly initiatory, and not within itself a pra
M tical measure, it is recommended in I
~ hope that il would sooner lead to impor
Wy ant results. In full view Of my great !
I'LL spousibility to my God ard to my countr
re l earnestly beg me attention Of COngre
IA, and the people to The subject.
A (signed) D'' ABRAHAM LIScoLS.
law HIGHLY IMPORTANT FROM THE