Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1862-04-30
COMPENSATION AND COLONIZATION.
From the Philadelphia Bulletin.

From the Philadelphia Bulletin.
The confidence Of the people in President
Lincoln is, we think, higher at this moment
than it ever has been, and we are quite sure
that they would not be willing to exchange
| MIN for any one of our prominent politicians
or generals. The peculiar power of the Pres
ident seems to consist in his careful and COM
prehensive view of everything; in a peculiar
balance of his own intellect and his capability
OF holding that of others in the same position I;
IN his moderation of character and transparent
honesty OF purpose. These are high qualities,
ana they are such as the people appreciate.
In all the appalling difficulties which beset
the President in his entering upon his office
the same generic traits have been shown. He
perceived at once-what Mr.. Buchanan seem
ed 10 be incapable Of seeing--that there must
be in every nation the power of self.preserva-
tion, and that it was his plain duty to acquire
ana hold all the possessions Of the United
States. He perceived that if the war was TO
be carried on at ALL ii must be waged with
vigor, and that its grand motive, the pre- serva-
ton OF the Union, must be clearly apparent.
Directly in the path of the President lay the
question of slavery, one on which almost
every individual of the thirty millions of peo-
pie in America had opinions and could talk at
full length, but in regard to which It was the
most difficult thing immaginable to devise
wise plan, and when devised, to persuade any
one TO make it practical. The peculiar pow
ers of Mr.. Lincoln's intellect were brought to
bear upon this question, and when his mind
was made up and the proper time had come,
he camly took the responsibility of sending a
message to Congress embodying his views.
We all remember how astonshed every one
was at the boldness which thus confronted the
question of the age. But when the surprise
had passed. away, the result was admiration as
we'll of the wisdom the boldness of the
measure.
ha fret nrin ci,,1o of Dr. nj
emancipation of the slaves wfth compensation
TO The loyal masters. He recommended that
resolution conveying this idea, that Congress
would thus assist any State that was willing
to enancipate, should pass both houses, and
this was accordingly done. His second prin-
ciple was Colonization, WITH the consent of the
negroes, not only in Africa or Hayti; but that,
in addition, territory lying toward or in the
tropics should be set apart, which might be
settled exclusively by celored persons. The
popularity of these measures was truly remark
able. Almost the entire North evinced at
once willingness to assist the South in bear
ing this burden-a willingness to tax them
selves to pay for the property thus to be given
up by Southern men, SO that the great boon of
freedom could be secured to the blacks and,
at the same time, the fruitful source of all
trouble to the country might be removed.
The exceptions are extremely rare to the dis
position to burden themselves fer a great ma
tional and philanthropic, ,Object. The emanci-
patton was to be conditioned upon the consent
Of the slaveholding States, and thus it was
perfectly constitutional. Abroad, too, where
there had been continual statements, in part
prompted by Southern emissaries, that there
was no real disposition in the Amer ican Gov
ernment to the abolition of slavery, this course
of the President at once silencced all snch
charges.
The immediate result of the course pursued
" he siA To- hrip tba ohnl
tion of slavery in the District of Columbia.
His principles led directly TO this result.
They were That it was eminently desirable
to abolish slavery that the principles of COM
pensation and colonization should be kept in
view, and that it should be done with the con-
sent of the governing authority. Bat in the
District of Columbia, Congress is the local
legislature, and their consent settled the
whole matter. They passed such bill by
two thirds vote in both houses, and it was
signed by the President. 1t is one of the
great events of this century; it is hardly too
much to say that thus to tree the nation from
the shame OF slavery, in the National Capital,
is worth all the war has cost.
We learn from authentic information, that
strong disposition exists in the State of Del
aware to avail themselves of the resolution of
Congress in relation to compensation for their
slaves. million of dollars-less than the
expense of one day of the war-would pay for
the whole Of the slaves in Delaware. In the
election which occurs this year, we learn that
this question will enter as main element.
Should emancipation be successful there, Mary
land could not retain her slaves, and must
necessarily follow.
We might illustrate the Presidents policy
by the view recently afforded us of the course
Of events in Mexico. Suffice it to say, that it
is characterized by the same moderation and
coniprehensiveness already indicated. The
course pursued in the case of Mason and Sill
dell is another illustration of the same traits.
The people have reason to rejoice that at such
time the Government is in the hands of one
who seems raised up especially for the occasion.