Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-03-14

disposed to join the South, the means of free
ing themselves Of the institution which would
lead them to such course, and by so doing
" substantially end the rebellion"
The Union men Of the border States, land
they are in the majority would prefer to
maintain the integrity Of the Union, but their
interests are so involved in the institution of
slavery that they have been driven into soces-
sion as a means of preserving their property.
Hold out to them the hope that the loss they
may sustain by reason ol Emancipation will
be made up to them by the Federal Govern
meni, and they will flock to the National
standard with a rapidity that will send terror
to the hearts Of the more Southern of the
rebel leaders, and all hope Of carrying with
them the border States will be dispelled in
the impossible coutil gency Of the recognition
Of the more Southern Of the seceeded States,
and The rebellion 'oiH be at an end
As financial measure, ttis proposition Of
the President carries with it It's own argu-
ment. Should the war continue, the enor-
prosecution would soon amount to a sum suf-
fcently large to defray all the expenses Of
the proposed compensated emancipation, and
would so cripple the resources of the border
States as that they would not in years be able
to overcome its disasterous effects. But by
opening to them the means of extricating
themselves from pecuniary loss, it is believ-
ed that they would soon throw of the re-
bellious leaders who have forced them into
warfare upon the National Government, and
declare for the supremacy of the Constitution
and the restoration of the Union. The war
would then be transferred from their borders
to the more Southern States, and the people
along the lines at present occupied by the I'm
ion armies would then be enabled to resume
their accustomed ayocations, and contribute to
the resources Of the whole country, while the
last hope of success would be struck from
the hearts Of the rebel leaders, and a speedy
restoration of the supremacy of the Consttu-
ton would be effected.
We are disposed to favor the proposition
submitted by the President, as the most ef-
fectual means Of an economical and speedy
suppression Of the rebellion. 1t is both
practical and constitutional and, if embraced
oy any number of States, as we believe it
will be, will at once put an end to both the
rebellion and slavery within such States and
this too without infringing single letter of
the Constitution. And here is where the
proposition will be the hardest blow to the
rebel leaders. They have made the people
of the South believe that the object Of the
North was to emancpate their slaves, and
when it is made to appear to their deluded
followers that neither President Lincoln nor
Congress has any iatention of interfering with
their local institutions, only so far as they
can do so within the limits Of the Constitu-
ton, the principal argument for secession falls
to the ground, and with it must fall the last
hope of jeff Davis and his co-conspiritors.
The President has in his message enunci-
ated the principles Of "true Unionism" in CON
tradistnciion from Disunionism as advocated
by those who evince readiness to sacrifice
the Union and the civil and religious institu-
tions and destinies of the American people,
for the unconstitutional attempt to emanci-
pate the slaves from the condition of servi-
tude which they occupied at the formation OF
the Constitution and the Union, and has decar-
ed for the maintenance of the Constitution as
the fundamental law of the United States to
which all good citizens are bound TO render
obedience. He rebukes alike those who seek
to overthrow the Union by throwing off the
binding force of the Constitution for the
sake of perpetua;ing and extending Slavery,
and those who ignore the Constitution for
the sake of abohshing Slavery. In this he
will receive the approval of true Union men
throughout the length and breadth Of the
hand.