The national Republican., 1862-09-08
COarkNsArED EManCIPATIoA.

h' "couhH VI tHc hcpuuhChu Oeuuhi
Committee. Of New York city, on Friday eve.
ming last, the following preamble and reeolu-
ion were adopted:
Whereas, The President Of the Unitod
States recommended, and the Congress Of the
United States adopted, In the highest spirit OF
patriotism, plan for compensated omanoipa.
tion In the border slave States; =
And whereas, The State Uf Kentucky has re,
Gently refused, through her representatives In
hor General Assembly, to accept the terms
offered by the Government Of the Unitsd States,
dent in report full Of misrepresentation, 70.
proa ches, and calumnies upon the loyal peo.
pie q the free States;
And whereas. The other border slave States
have neglected entirely to aocsde to the sys-
tom Of compensated emancipation offered in the
spirit OF enlarged and generous hberanty
therefore,
Resoioed, That in tho opinion Of this commit.
tee, the hour has arrived when II is the solemn
and imperative duty Of the President Of the
United States, for the purpose OF saving our
nati"nslity-of preserving our republican Gov.
ernment--and Of securing TO us and our pos
tsrity the blessings OF liberty. TO issue procla
nation Of emancipation, and declare that all
slavos Of rebels in this Union arc forever free"
II is doubtless true olae here, as we'll as 10
New York, that the manner in which the bor-
der States have received the suggestion Of com
peDs,ted emancipation, has greatly diminished
whatever degree Of favor that suggestion at
one lime enjoyed.
| Ths worst thing about that suggeetiou, as Il
bas always seemed 10 US, 10 its tendency to
iivct the chains OF the slave, by giving him the
artificial value which results from the prospect
that no may be purchased and paid for by the
I1nit.I atn In f,,llu hall th.tll ia.
than snythiug else, keeps slavery alive to- day
10 Delaware, Maryland and Missouri. .
The resolution wc have quoted, shows how
strangely IN error, in matter OF fact easily
certainable. will get possession of the pub
lie mind. Iu truth, no proposition for compen.
ealoi emancipation has ever beon sanctioned by
Courress. II was made 10 that body In July
by the President, hut they refused TO entertain
It, and It is well known here that not dosen
persoas in tho Senate aud uouss were In favor
It.
What Congress- did agree to, WIS the Presi.
dents proposition Of last March, an altogether
different thing, being q pledge to pay to the
States, 10 be disposed Of as thy sap IL, IN inden.
my iot 'Ee pupHc arH ptNa'e iheohSeuhhoep
Of gradual emancipation, provided they would
adopl that system before the close Of this war.
Not Il word was said about compensation 10
slLve owners, and there ia nothing In past pre-.
cedentB in this county to lnducs tho idea that
any such thing us compensation TO rlavs
owners wes thought Of II has never been
paid to them by any Of the several States
which have adopted acts Of gradual eman-
cipaiion. .r...
The resolution we have quoted would have
fui,ed us better ii ii had simply called upon
The President TO proclaim and enforce the oct
of Congress which frees all slaves Of rebels
who can make their way into our lines. It ia
only such whom we can lrec anyhow. Slaves
cannot be freed by a proclamation merely.
We must get at them, or they must be able TO
reach us The act Of Congress goes ~ far as
It Ia practically possible 10 20, and II IL more
ienable ground for tho Republicans 70 stand
upon TO insist that the President shall sxecuta
an existing law, than to ak him to 60 beyond
It. lie may refuse 70 do The last, upon hts
own views OF expediency, which he hes . right
10 eptcrtain but he cannot refuse 10 enforce an
act Of Congress which be has himself admitted
10 be constitutional by s'gniDgit