The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-01-23

quence OF the war, the emancipation Of
the slaves.
In military point Of view. there il
weakness, embarrassment, and burthen,
in The proposition. and no strength. With
out emancipation and its evils, the slaves,
found in the reighborhood of the camps,
may be used to relieve the soldiers of ex-
hausting labor. Owing service to their
masters. they may be required to render
that service to the Government; but if
made free, it will be at their discretion
and pleasure whether they relieve the
soldiers in the trenches and upon the
breastworks at least such is the view Of
the administration, as expounded by the
Secretary of War, who says, The Gov
ernmenl has no power to hold slaves. none
to restrain slave of his liberty. or to ex-
act his service. Ii has the right, howev-
er, TO use the voluntary services of slaves,
liberated by war from their rebel mas
ters.'
If the slaves be freed by the act of
the Government. and the masters thereby
discharged from the care and responsible
" of their maintenance, that burthen at
once falls upon the Government. That is
the doctrine of the Administration. In
his last message. President Lincold says:
Under and by virtue Of an act of Con.
gress entitled an act to confseate property
used fol insurrectionary purposes. approx
ed August 6. 1861. the legal claims of
certain persons to the labor aud service OF
certain other persons, have become forfeit
ed; and numbers Of the latter, thus liber-
ated. are already dependent on the United
States, and must be provided for in some
way The argument of the President
and the Secretary of War amounts to Just
this BY the authority and act of the
Government, the slaves are made free, be
cause Of the rebellion of the masters, and
being free, the Government cannot exact
their services; involuntary service would
make them slaves, and the Government
cannot hold slaves; but being free by her
act. they are dependent upon the United
States, and must be provided for in some
way That is the emancipation policy Of
the Administration. AS war measure.
to give strength 10 the North, what do
YOU think Of it? You Will observe we
cannot exact service from the manumit-
ted slave-he is to work or not work as
suits his pleasure. That alternative being
presented. the negro does not work. But
he is to be provided Tor in some way
WHAT will hat provision cost. when more
shan 100000 slaves belonging TO mas
ters who go with the South, are liberated?
That will depend largely upon the num-
ber of Republican commissares detailed
to the service. and whether the present
per cent. Of profit is continued, and upon
the number of missionaries that are sent
among this interesting people. to prepare
them for liberty. equality. and fraterni.
ty.'
But Mr.. Lincoln is not content with an
advocacy of emancipation by the United
States, but hs proposes to encourage the
States to adopt the same policy. He goes
on to say:
"Besdes this. it is not impossible that
some Of the States will pass similar en-
actments for their own benefit respective
ly, and by operation Of which. persons OF
the same class will be thrown upon them
for disposal. In such case, recommend
that Congress provide for accepting such
persons from such States. according TO
some mode Of valuation, in lieu, pro tanto,
of direct taxes, or upon some other plan
to be agreed on with such States respect
lively; that such persons. on such accept
ance by the General Government, be at
once deemed free.
The proposition amounts to just this:
The public expenditures are now so enor-
nous that a direct tax is inevitable: the
Constitution of the United States. Article
/. section 2, provides that direct taxes
shall be apportioned among the several
States. which may be included within
this Union. according to their respective
numbers the tax must be so apporiior ID
and imposed but when we come to coli,
the taxes. if any State, as for instance
Kentucky, will free the negroes. we will
receive such freed negroes in payment Of
her portion Of the tax, according to their
value. to be ascertained by appraisement
A fair construction Of the Constitution re.
quires. not only that the direct tax shal
be imposed upon all the States equally
but that it shall also be collected from
, them equally, in proportion to their mum
bers. According to the Presidents re