Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-03-14
Important From washington.

!
Fellow citizens Of the Senate and 1onse
Of Representatives ] recommend the adop-
ton of Joint resolution by your honorable
bodies, which shall be substantially as fol
lows: ReSoi,ed that the United States
ought 10 co operate with any State which
may adopt a gradual adjustment of sla-
very giving TO such State pecuniary aid, 10
be used by such State in its discretion 10
compensate for the inconvenience, public
and private, produced by such change of
system" If the proposition contained in
| the resolution does not meet the approval Of
| Congress, and the country, there is the end.
But if it does command such approval, /
deem it of importance that the States and
people Immediately interested should be at
once notified Of the fact, so that they may
begin to consider whether 10 accept or re-
iect it. The federal government would
find IFS highest interest in such a measure,
as one of the most efficient means Of self
preservation. The leaders of the existing
instruction entertain the hope that the
government will ultimately be forced 10 ac-
4 knowledge the independence of some part
of the disaffected region, and that all the
/ slave States moth of sach parts will then
4 say, the Unicn for which we have struggled
being already gone, we now choose TO
go with the southern section. 70 deprive
4 them OF this hope. substantially ends the re-
| bellion, and the initiation of emancipation
completely deprives them of it; and to all
the States initiating it the point is not that
all the States tolerating slavery would very
soon, if at all, initiate emancipation. but
that while the offer is equally made 10 all,
the more northern shall, by such initiation,
4 make it certain 10 the more southern that
/ in no event will the former ever join the
latter in their proposed coniederacy. | say
initiation, because, in my judgment, aradu
al ard not sudden emancipation is better
| for ALL
In the mere financial or pecuneary view,
any member of Congress with the census
tables and treasury reports before him, can
readily see for himself how very soon the
current expenditures Of this war wonld pnr-
/ chase at fair valuation all the slaves in
any named State. Such proposition on
the part Of he general government, sets up
no claim of a right by federal authority to
interfere with slavery within state limits,
referring as it docs, the absolute control Of
the subject in each case to the State and its
people Immediately interested. 1t is pro-
posed as a matter Of perfectly free choice
/ with them In the annual message last
! December, thought fit to say the Union
must be preserved, and hence all iudispens-
able means must be employed. said this
not hastily but deliberately. War has been
and continues to be an indispensable means
to this end. A practical reacknowledg-
ment of the national authority would rem
der the war unnecessary and it would at
once cease. If, however, resistance con
tinues, the war must also continue and it Is
impossible to foresee all the incidents which
may attend, and all the ruin which may fol-
low It. Such as may seem indispensable
or may obviously promise great efficiency
towards eading the struggle, must and will
come
The proposition now made is an offer on
". hope it may be esteemed no ofense
TO ask whether the pecunary consideration
rendered would not be of more value to the
States and private persons concerned. than
are the institution and property in it? In
the present aspect of affairs. while il is true
that the adoption of the proposed resolution
would be merely initiaory, and not within
itself a practical measure, il is recommend
ed in the hope that it would soon lead 10
important results.
In full view of my great responsibility
to my God and my country, / earnestly
beg the attention of Congress and the peo-
pie to the subject. zl
(Signed,) ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
HOW THE MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED.
The message excited deep interest in the
House. IL was evident that a document Of
such an important character was not gen.
orally anticipated. The reading was called
for by Mr.. Stevens of Pa, and on his mo-
ton it was referred to the committee of the
whole on the state of The Union, in whic.
, it will be discussed. Some of the members
apparently not fully understanding it as
pronounced from the desk. perused the man.
: uscript at their seats. The subject therein
discussed formed Thursday night them,
of earnest conversations. The message q
: a SIMILAR character transmitted TO the Sen
: ate was not read.