The Shasta courier., 1862-12-13
Presidents Message.

From careful reading of the Presidents
Message, as received by telegraph. we find
much to commend, although we differ with
him in some of his recommendations as to
how the evilof slavery is to be disposed Of
We-have not room for tie Message entire
and therefore can only give brief synopsis
of its contents at this time.
The chief topic discussed is the compensa-
ton system, as declared in the Presidents
emancipation proclamation of September 22d,
and recommendation of amendments to the
Constitution. for the purpose of carrying out
gradual emancipation policy, upon the ba-
sis of compensation. After full examina
ton of the facts which have been the cause
and chief support of the rebellion, the Presi.
dent has satisfied himself that slavery is the
mower that moves and supports the rebellion,
and that as the only way to conquer a lasting
peace, the institution must be placed in the
way Of being finally eradicated from our
Government ut no remote Teriod. To accom-
plish this, the President recommends the fol-
| lowing
AMENDMENTS TO TIE CONSTITUTION.
With this view, recommend the follow
inr resolution and articles amendatory to the
Constitution Of the United States:
Rcsolred. bv the Senate and House of Rep
resentatves Of the United States Of America,
in Congress assembled, 1.-TWO thirds of both
Houses concurrng.) that the following arti-
cles be proposed to the Legislatures or Con-
Y. ntions of the United States, all or any of
which articles when ratified by three -fourths
of the said Legislatures or Conventions to be
valid as part or parts Of the,said Constitution
as named.
ARrIcLE-Every State wherein slavery
now exists which shall abolish the same
therein any time before the first day of JAN
uary in the year of our Lord 1900 shall re-
ceive compensation from the United States,
bearing interest at the rate of S for each
slave. shown to have been therein, by the
eighth census of the United States. Said
amount in bonds to be delivered to such States
by instalments, or in one parcel, at the COM
ple;ion of the abolishment, according as the
same shall have. been gradual or at one time
within such State and interest shall begin
to run upon any such bond or bonds only
from the proper time of its delivery as afore
said and afterwards. Any State having re
ceived a bond or bonds as aforesaid. and at
terwards introducing slavery or making sla-
very therein, shall refund to the United
States the bonds so received or the value
thereof, and all interest paid thereon.
A T. All slaves who shall have enjoy
ed actual freedom by the chances Of the war
at any time before the end of the rebellion,
shall be forever free but all owners of such
slaves who sh;.. not have been disloyal shall
be compensated for them at the rates as in
provided for States adopting the abolishment
of slavery, but in such way that no slave
shall be twice accounted for A. -A- - e
| ART.-Congress may appropriate mon-
cy. or otherwise provide for colopizing free
colored persons, with their own consent, at
any place or places within the United States.
| By the foregoing recommendations, we
take it for granted that the President consid-
ers the emancipation proclamation effectual
only so far As the Confiscation Act of Con-
gress is carried out by the military depart
ment in its progress through the rebellious
States This view is the only practicable one
to take of the effect Of the proclamation. He
recomme- ds gradual en- ancipation Of
slaves, and says:
The liberation Of the slaves is the destruct-
ion of property acquired by descent and pur
chase. the same as any other. II is no less
true for having been often said. that the peo-
ple of the South are no more responsible for
the introduction of this class of property than
are the people of the North and when 1t is
remembered how unhesitatingly we all use
cotton and sugar. and share the profits of
dealers in them, it may not be quite safe to
say that the South has been more responsi-
BILE than the North for its continuance. If,
therefore, the accommodation object to this,
and his property is to be sacrificed. is it not
| Just that it be done at a common charge? and
/ if with less money, or money now easily paid,
we can preserve the benefits of the Uuion by
this means, than we can by the war alone, is
it not economical to do it then?
As to the policy proposed above, we doubt
whether this is the proper time to carry the
measure out, several of the slave States being
a. thi. time in open rebellion, and they