Litchfield enquirer., 1862-10-02
For the Enquirer. EMANCIPATION.
DEAR EDIToR.-

l ask space in your columns to let forth . 1e" thoughts upon the policy of emancipation, which may hare. at ieast the quality of aptness to the present. hsat of popular thought, if not that of originality or ability.
 Probably no subject since this accursed rebel lion broke out has absorbed 50 much of and en- gagged so anxiousy the whole mind of the nation, as the question involving the true relations of Slavery, to its inception, prosecution and sup pression; how far t was an active cause of the rebellion how far it has been and still is an el- sment of strength or weakness to the rebels i; whether rebellion can live without it, or would perish if it was destroyed, and, if the latter be the case, how best to rid oursevs of the instita' tion. These questions have all undoubtedly az itated the whole public mind, have been intense ly thought upon and in most cases some conclu- sions reached. They are questions, however, which the outbreak of rebellion sprung, for the first time, with pungency, clearness and force upon the vast majority of men, and questions too, to the discussion of which almost all brought minds biased to one view or the ether by old prejudices and long habits of thought They were questions therefors whose solution required time, to notice the bearing of the prog grsss of events upon them, the keen knife of ex- perience to lop away all side issues all old pre- judces all subterfuges and astful deysrsions f;orn the main question and to present them in their own native force and character, and finally, a terrible baptism of suffering and blood just such as the nation has passed through iu long months of agony and unfortunate warfare, to bring the great popular mind up to singleness of purpose snd earnestness after the real truth in their dis cussioD. What wonder then that, for long period, the great mass of public opinion has been in a sort of chaotic. state on these grave questions, without any one definite form aud void. There has been every variety of opinion, and each class have maintalned their own with all the tenacity of mssn whe aro pet quite sure that they are right, and still, very much wish to convince themselves that they are, until some new development of, the great drama, now en, acting has knocked the last prop of their theory from underneath it.
 Undeniably this very intensity of thought and depth of feeling, has had no smaller share in creating the embarrassment of the administra. ton in dealing with this vexed question. It would have been very easy early in the war to have snpounesd, the emancipation policy, but would it have been 'so easy to carry it out. One party answers with vehement !" yeas" while the other, quite as numerous, answers with just as vigorous "nay" and in this very divergence opinion as to the practicablity of the policy lies the greatest evidence of the wisdom of the admin
 stration thus in not declaring for it positively anc
 fully We hazard nothing in saying thati it has talk
 sn no 5aek.oarS step in this thing its whole course
 has been onward though slo,0ly onward. Hae
 it done les. it would certainly have failed to keel
 step with popular opinions and teaching of ex
 perienee, while, had it done more it might hav' just ovsrsteppsdths mark and lost all t hat
 gained. Its advance has been slow but certain
 and i. has gained the coufdenee of ths. people il it's sincalty of purpose. and given ground fo faiti flat it ~il, ss sosp as it thiaks t satel can, go much father. It has waited fos publi opinion se form, to ,grappIe with thess, grss questions sbdas slasery and to educe from tn ! (ehaos Of ooa6icting ideas some fixed rule an } rineiplsof action. Its own form of goverr fment, tho central authority is peculiarly dspsu dent upon the popular sympathy, s' most onnip, ''ss.s v;ita if sat poRsrlsss wstssdt it. aaa pop