The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1862-12-16
IINcoLN,s MESSAGE.

The Richmond papers publish in full the mes
sage of Lincoln to the yankee Congress which met
on the 1st The propriety of such publication,
considering the character of much of its matter,
may well be questioned. 1t is proper to state,
however, briefly, that he proposes an amendment
of the Constitution of the United States to author
ise the purchase of the slaves Of every State that
NAV assent thereto before the year 1900, at -
dollars each, payable in bonds of the u. s. Said
slaves to be colonized in Liberia, Hayt, or some
other foreign country, or in some part of the U.
S., or to be left where they are.
This is the substance of a scheme which he ur-
ges at great length, and as if he really believed
that it would avail to bring the to end
and restore the Southern States to the old defunct
and despised Union. We can scarcely suppose
that he is sincere in the expression of such be-
lief But whether he is or not, nothing could be
further from the mind of any true sensible South
ern man than to entertain such proposition for
a moment. In the first place, no reliance what
ever could be placed any Constitution, or
amendment to a constitution, Of people who
have openly and pal pably violated the most impor-
tant provision of constitution already existing
and as binding any could be. Secondly
the Southern people will never copsent to buy and
pay for their own slaves, they would have to do
In great part if the bargain should be made and
conditions performed. Thirdly, they will not con-
out of their property. Fourthly, the two races,
both free, cannot exist together. And finally, the
South can never consent to live In union with
people who have treated them SO vilely and
barbarousy as these fendsh yankees have done
wherever they have bad the power. While at
peace, they swindled the South in quiet way.
AT war, they rob, and burn, and wantonly DESTROY
and murder defenceless men and insult unprotect-
ed women. May Heaven preserve US from associa-
hAru fboc
The proposition is made, doubtless, not with
any expectation that the South will assent to it,
but tor effect among the Democrats at the North,
and upon Europe
Lincoln admits that "the occasion is piled high
with difficulty" He does not once allude to any
idea of conquering peace, to any of the
events OF the war; nor to any prospects for the fu
ture, except by the above compromise" as he
calls (which may be called buying peace,
and taking care to pay for it out of his enemy's
money than his own.
AS to foreign nations, the following passage
shows that he has been negotiating with some Of
them, and failed in his object because Of "tempo-
rary reverses" which befel his armies:
''In the month of June last there were some
grounds to expect that the maritime powers which,
at the beginning of our domestic difficulties, so
unwisey and unnecessarily, as we think, recognize
ed the insurgents as billigerent, would soon re-
cede from that position, which has proved only
less injurious to themselves than to coun-
try. But the temporary reverses which after
wards beell the national arms, and which were ex-
aggerated by our own disloyal citizens abroad,
have hitherto delayed that act of simple justice"
The report of the Adjutant General, which &C
com anes the message shows that there are about
10000 soldiers in the field, and over 100000 in
the hospitals
AS to finance, Lincoln states the expenditures
Of the year ending the 30th of June last as
$474,744,778 Is. They have since been, with
larger and more expensive army and deprecated
currency at least $500, 100000 more, to say moth
ing of the vast amount of unpaid claims. 1t is
beyond question, therefore, that the yankee debt is
now at least 81 1000, 100000. The receipts in the
Treasury, apart from loans amounted to S51 SAL,
10 rs. So that the whole years receipts are not
enough to pay the interest on the public debt
FoYetteuWe Obserrer.