Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-04-25

HOW TO SOLVE THE SLAVERY QUESTION.
Speech of Hon. r. r. Blair, Delivered in The
Hmm of Rcpresentatipe.. Anrl II. 1862.


y been hoard, here and elsewhere that The President lie
without policy in his Administration shall cudcayor
to showthat this impuuiion b. unfouudcd to explain my
conceptions Of his policy, and 20 demonstrate that 70 is
wise ia every aspect, and commcnds itself 10 the lovers
Of the Union and Of freedom There can be no dispute
with respect the object OF the far he is con-
ccfnod. Hc says in mis- Annual Message, that he has
been anxious that IL shall not degenerate into violent
and remorsecss Revolutionary struggle thave. there
fore he adds n every case, hoL ghtt proper 20 keep
the integrity u the Union prominent at the primary o.
jecf II contest No refuse belief 20 this utter
ance II the President stood on his mere dedMnupn,
bic life has been 20 marked by integrity that all men
Weld implicit faith his words the true index OF his
heart But the language ruoly characcrAes his con-
duct lthas not been attempted to show that be has
not cndeasurcd ia every way, 10 prevent the struggle
from degcucralng into violent and tcmorsccs re'ou-
uonafy struggle, and az u.s. hrs great object To- main
tain the integrity VI uie Union
But ected by some u those who aided in his
election that he has not in aid VI This object made ihe
upon the Of 'ho war and deofccd emancipation
by order Commander iu-Chicf OF the army and
navy, as an elective agency in suprrcssng the rebel
lion
This measure might unqucsronably be justified II il
deemed necessary eNpcacnt for she purpose Of
accomplishing his object, and % 10 could be shown that
he knew This ob true De might he Mraigucd Tor failing
90 use this Butwhcn the record Of bis opinions
is examined il is easy 10 understand that be does not
consider the measure which is regarded A. so omnipotcnt
by portion Of bis friends finely io De effective Tor
the purpose and think IL be shown that his judy
mont is probably the most correct
In his canvass for the Senate with Mr. Douglas, his
views respecting the subject NJ Slavery fuily dcvc
oped, and though not speaking with reference 70 the
U
bic present attitude aud shows far deeper insight into
the relations Of the subject than any other man Of the
day had then attained. In bis declaration, that alb We
all things he desired 80 separation OF the back ana
white races" be showed that he knew that the excite
ment occaoncd at The South by the idea Of cnaucipa
ton not due 10 the fears of the loss of property
would occasion To- those holding slaves birth 100 slave
State, and subsequent fcfdcucc ia Indiana and ILLINOIS,
among people large proportion OF whom also tPlung
from the Slave States aud hom the non shareholders u
the Slave States, taught him that the greatest fcpug.
nance TO this measure was found among men Who he'd
such property interest stake lie knew, also, that
these for the most part, and the best part
IDENTIFY attached the Union and especially in those
gi1ns Of the country where military operations would be
difficult
To superficial observers who believe that the rebellion
grew out OF slavery and is, they term H. slaychod
ers rebellion, when 1t known 10 be true that the non
savch0ding regions ot The south are for the Union, s
natural that II should occur % them that the proper
ooure To carry all the non aa'cholders against The re-
he0n would be TO decree emancipation. But closer
scrutiny demonstrates the contrary 60 be true such
scrutiny demonstrates that The rcplhon originated chief
Is with the nOn-savehoidcta resident the sronghods
" The institution, not spuuging, however rom any love
VI slavery but from an VI race aud ho.t-
" % the idea Of equality with the blacks involved IN
simple Emancipation. This idea among slaveholdfrs
vas naturally Of greater intensity IN puppfuun 10 the
number Of slaves about them aud is force la ncutraz-
ing Union feeling diminished as we approach The high
/ and mouutan regions where he slaves are few.
Every man acquainted with The facts knows that Is
falicious 20 call this Stockholders rebellion II
such the fact divisions VI army could have
suppressed it without difficulty the negroes themselves
could easily put down thc two hundred and hy thousand
SHAREHOLDERS but IL matter of history that The slave
holders. body, where the last and most reluctant TO
Join the rebellion. The representative NJ that in
tercst like Badger " North Carolina Aiken " South Ca
rona, and Alexander H. Stephens Of Georgia struggled
As long A. there was hone AGAINST the REBELLION aud for
the obvious that the entire interests Of the slave
holders were put IN extreme jeopardy It. was the neg5o
question and not the Sar1y question which made the
I neutrality-suspicious. entirely dutfeni, ana requiring
entirely different treatments and is necessary % un-
dcrstaud the distinction enable 90 deal with 10
cessfuy 10 Is that the physician should know the dis
which he iscallcd on to ren and % cure II the
rebellion made by two hundred aud Gfty thousand
shareholders ior the sake OF pepetuatng Slavery, then
1t might be complete remedy 10 eXurpae the institu-
ton but II the rebellion has grown out Of the abhor-
Of the nonslayohOdcfs for emancipation and a.
magamation and their dread Of % negro equality" how
will their SEQ tent be cured 10y the very measure the
mere apprehension Of which has driven them into rebel
lion.
No wise man desires to increase the number Of enc
mics to the State within the hostile regions divide its
friends outside. Mr.. Lincoln knew thata decree Of
Emancipation simply would certainly have this effect
Such act he knew calculated TO make rebels OF the
whole Of the observation-disclosures Of the South and the
same time 10 weaken the sympathy OF large number
Of the wol king Of the North, who not ready To
their brethren in the South put an equality with
mannmitted negroes.
In accordance with this view NJ the subject proclaim
ed before he named for the Presidency he has acted
since he has been President 10 dsarm the jealousy Of
race which be knew lay At the bottom Of the rebellion,
he recommended in his hrs annual Message that homes
should be provided In some netborng country Tor such
Of the blacks should be made free BY the events Of the
contest But this did not comp lee his views Of the sub
ec While aware that the chief cause Of the rebellion
was the antagonism Of race, stimulated by the dsap-
pointed ana defeated politicians, who had male II the
source OF their power over The Government he also saw
that the progress of had affected and would still
further affect the clAss who had property interests in the
subject Aud while il that that class had
originated the policy which eliminated in the rebellion,
they now involved in it. many of them actually en-
gagged and ALL whether sympa zing whit or not, hav-
ing their property saked IT, aud, therefore, in danger
OF being drawn into H. To do justice TO huse who
engaged in the rebellion and TO prevent them from
being drawn into it by their property interest and invite
their cooperation in Kidding the country Of this dis b.
ing element he now proposes measure Of compensation
1--we were called to consider this policy simply upon
its reasonableness absacty considered and devils
ing scheme TO- future events, It's wisdom would be app
parent TO Az practical men but IL does not rest ON suct
grounds 1t is fully indicated by the condition of hing
by which we are surrounded The North is unit,
the south Is divided on the question OF the Uniun.-
Would the gentlemen who are advertising for policy
for the administration improve this condition by polio
which would divide friends and unite the South -
They imagine. indeed. tha boy dccrcoug emancipation
they could get more efficient help from negroes.
they could show any reason for surprising that nepoe
would run away in greater numbers than they un
der such Decree there might be some ground for de
bate but there is NOT the slightest io supposnl
this All run away now. believe, who can get away
IL is only when armies IN wade the slave reguns tina
they can get away and It would still require that tn
forts they compelled 10 build should be taken by
armed men We could not strengthen ourselves at To-
South for we cannot reach the slaves by such procli
nation except by force aud We should add TO the fore
OF the nee men 10 opposeus,
These consider aons demonstrate that in q militar
calculation, the policy 10 which the PrCsideu is invite
by portion Of his original friends is erroneous Blu
Imagine that the inscription o emancipation our bau
uefs would be tasmanc word which would carry vie
tory with a. | doubt whether any better cunquenul
words could be invented than those conquer by
the Union, the dag, the Government founded By Wash
ing waintaincd by Jaekson language which speaks 4
the hearts Of our soldiers and TO The World Of the nation
Atty OF Che great Republic Tor the freedom Of al
races and ceeds md look for the day TO come and tina
NOT far distant whom the nag Of the Union shall float owe
no slave and our country shall be absolutely the land
the free but the battle is Ter the country, aud th
gallant men who day by day End bloody winding sheet
give their lives for this cherished idea, and for The
emancipation Of the African race. Having cousidere,
the Presidents policy the subject Of slavery mill
ary policy let us view it IN IFS bearings the eXtiuc
ton Of the institution itself brief retrospect is neces
10 its comprehension IN the present state Of the ques
uon. 10 important IN ulc 6rst place ace What wa
the essential Issue in the last Prci entail election
think that was, ia effect whether the minority should
govern by making Of the passions connected with the
institution Of slavery say the passions connected with
the Institution and not merely the passions Of the ns
tuition As property the property interest and 1t is all
important 10 successful treatment Of the subject that
the distinction should be needed IL not, as
times supposed a Stakeholder rebellion in its origin
ior II - matter OF fact that the party the South
which the Shareholders class attached moi
the disuuonists party there.
The sensitiycness which enabled the leaders Of tn,
Democratic party In the South any time 10 unite Ia,
South by playing the Slavery chord was not IN the
properly nerve II was caused by that morbid condition
mseparaole from the presence Of diverse Ia tn,
same community,
To the people Of the Union however, Il was not S,
Important how the Tnaut ur0ducpd effect was