Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-04-15

for Us eNtirpatiOn. Generations Of this
rsoe-our subjects within our admitted
power 10 proteet-hsve been born, and
have groaued and died in Bhacklss under
the shadow Of this dome, and their blood
weighs heavy on the national arm that now
smites q nations trsnsgreasions and 70
oeives itself the blow il deals.
Think Of Il. Think Of it. And yet
learned and grave men stand here to argue
that We should still trudge aud stagger on
under this fearful load. For enc / will
not, nor shall my people. Did our fathers
or our States or our people or our
selves occupy o different relation to slave
ry, there is one feature Of this bill to which
| would never oonseRt-the provision for
compensation, not to the slave for his gen.
Grafton Of unpaid labor, but 10 the master
from whom We take him, purely and solely
because he never had any right to hold
him. Change, turn, anRlyze, or soPhisi-
este this provision as you may, to pay the
stakeholder for the deprivationlOf his slave,
is in some essential way 10 recognise the
rightfulness Of his claim. But whom l re-
member that our fathers and yours we're
alike guilty for the establishment Of this
thing, that they and We have conjointly
tolerated its existence, that our own States
enact laws that more or less sustain il, with
an sbashed oountenanoe and humilisted
mein and with bated breath give my as
sent 10 this provision. There is, however
one feature that will not consent to-the
appropriation for the removal and coloniza-
ton Of the freed men. ! do not now propose
to discuss the vast question of the ultimete
disposition of the race. Whstever srgu-
ments may be urged in favor Of eolonizing
the whole colored population Of this eoun-
try. the proposition as applied to this frag-
ment is, in my Judgment without force.
And while would to day, was the power
mine, unhesitatingly make free every
slave on the continent would not under
take to-day to say how / Woild ultimately
dispose of them. Nor does it we'll lie in the
mouths Of Shareholders to cavil in advance
az 10 their disposition. If found q rob.
her in possession Of my property should
not long argue with him what disposition 1
would make Of il. l should resume it. The
question, however, is one Of the most mo-
mentous that can be proposed. Nor are
its propounders TO be silenoed by sharp
words. To free twelve or fifteen hundred
slaves is but to add 80 many to the free col
ored population Of the eountry-a matter
in itself Of no moment.
But toemanoipate four millions is to change
the status Of the race, and our relations to
it and men may well feel the profoundest
anxiety for the result. Such entire conf
denoe have I, however that the result
could not be disastrous, that would fear.
lessly commit the country 70 its con5e-
ouences; and while have my own views
ss to the proper course, would, neverthe-
less, trust much to the Instructions and
suggestions Of the new state Of things, for
know that new lights and new avenues
would open up; and know that men nor
nations have ever permanently suffered for
doing acts Of justice.
Those who would defer emancipation
until q satisfactory plan for the DISPOSE
ton Of the slaves is devised, would do we'll
to contemplate the ultimate catastrophe to
both races. il this scheme should 20 for
ward unchanged fifty or q hundred years
more, when our system could no longer
sustain its weight. What strange passages
the sayings and doings Of the American
Congress of this year Of grace will fur
nish to the page Of history. That W,when
this thing Of slavery is tumbling to ruins
about us, Of self-begotten rottenness, men
can still be found so blind and stupid
and fanatic, as to seek to stay and prop it up.
There is not man living that dares arise
here and say that he does not know that sla-
very is utterly all wrong. Nor can a man
here be found that will say that he does not
believe that it is some time to end; nor when
that end is reached it may not be through
conVulsion, anarchy and blood. But yet
now, when that fearful end draws nigh,
through these fearful psroxysms, which can
neither be mistaken nor denied, men, whose
dearest interests are most involved, stand
with their allies in blind iniatuation, and
raise their paralytic hands to push the calam-
ity by, will not bel eve it is upon them, and
hold those to be their bitterest foes who i'm
plore and beseech them to care for and pro-
vide for their own and the common well
fare.
Like tigress stealing upon her prey, and
falling into the hunters tolls, that in her
great agony, Whelps there her young, this
slavery, overwhelmed in its progress, spawn
ed into the world this atrocious rebellion
and war. And these, her offspring, like
Milton's hell-hounds, born Of sin, turn ever
to tear and devour the hag that gave them
birth. And these men and their allies would
lull aud hush this bowling brood to peace
and quiet that they might again nurse the
dam. 1t matters nothing what we say and
little what we do. This war, without COM
promise or cessation, will go forward till its
benefcent end is accomplished through Its
own appointed meauR.
Every day ofits contlnusce, and every de-
lay, every dragging moment, makes this end
the more inevitable. Every step on slave
soil, every battle fought, no matter with
what temporary result, every musket fired,
every sword brsndished, every soldier that
suffers, and every heart that mourns, but
make this result the more absolute. Our
early disasters, Bull Run and Balls Bluff,
the death OF Lyon and the removal Of Ere
mont, shall all bear rich fruits and the
breeze that mournfully lifts the dag Of the
drowned Cumberland, where the bitter salt
sea quenched the nOblsst hearts that ever
burned with American heroism, shall yet
bear to earth's ends the legend Of eonti-
nent msde free.
Does any maR dare wish that the battle
fields that have drunk the blood of our brave
and beautiful ones should ever again be print
ed with fettered fOot2
Think of slaves tilling the valley of Bull
Run or the FIRE. girt field where Baker fell Of
their turning up and grinning at the bones
of the young heroes of the North around
DOnelson. Fancy the taskmAster lashing his
bondmen to toll on the nsmeless plains of
the fsr-of Tennessee, gOrged with the red,
rich, free, proud, bounding blood Of the
Northwest; a spot to rank among the bat
tlsfelds of the world, where was lost and
won a great destiny, which shall forever
bear the footprint OF great nation in its
forward march. Do gentleman expect to see
Slaves, ,h0siag corn there.
1t is most fitting that while the army
marches to the restoration Of the national
power, over the form of fallen slavery, and
tramps its life out, that the solemn lustration
of the nations capital should be performed