Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-03-08
THE PRESIDENT ON SLAVERY.

there was nothing 10 indicate how it would be
received by congress aud the country. lie
proposes to have congress initiate measures
for the emancipation OF slaves by states where
slavery exists by providing that pecuniary aid
shall be given to such states as undertake the
gradual adjustment of slavery" Such a
measure as he proposes has been suggested by
many citizens of the border states, including
some Of the heaviest Shareholders. The legisla'
ture of Delaware has recently discussed
proposition TO abolish slavery in that state on
condition of receiving such pecuniary aid;
and as the forces that work in behalf of any
great measure of reform are never weaker
than at the beginning, We may be sure that
tile disposition to favor emancipation on such
terms will grow in the border states and at
length create a general movement that will
Danish from the republic that accursed thing
that has disturbed its peace and endangered
its existence.
The presidents proposition is different from
anything that has been mentioned in petitions
to congress, and we have looked through our
exchanges to see what would be said of it, 1t
finds favor on all sides. Those who have per
sstently agitated the slavery question by peti.
tiOniug congress 10 "let the niger question
alone, as well as those who have been eager
for immediate emancipation, have something
to say in commendaton of it, The New
York Herald says =" 1t will undoubted-
ly provoke the indignation of the abo
lition crew, but will be received with
satisfaction bv the consel vative element
both in the north and in the south" The
New York Tribune says eve never printed
state paper with more satisfaction.
This message constitutes of itself an epoch in
the history of our country y X 1t is the
day star of new dawn" Even our Boston
contemporary, who has for long time been
stark mad over the slavery question, finds
something to approve, and says :-"Supposng
such resolution adopted, it would naturally
bring 10 an end all the schemes at present
before congress for interfering with the local
affairs of the southern states, and, OF course,
to all further discussions of the subject in that
body"
The message will go to Europe by the
steamer that leaves to-day, and along with it
will go dispatches relative to the matter from
most OF the foreign ministers. 1t will proba
bly, produce more sensation there than here,
and one effect of it will be great increase OF
encouragement to the rebel emissaries now at
work in Europe. In their pursuit of aid from
foreign governments they have constructed
elaborate arguments to prove that president
Lincoln is an upholder of slavery, and tina
the anti-slavery sentiment of England ant
France should not be favorable to our govern
ment. They will hardly repeat this argumen
hereafter; and their sympatbizers in Europ
will find in this proposition of president Lii
coin new and very serious embarrassment
1t will there siDk the hope of our traitors int
the lowest deep OF darkness and despair. Thei
agents will find the bearing OF official person
ages more distant and freezing, for neither i
England nor France is the government FIRE
from the influence OF popular feeling, and no
more than ever will the people of those coul
tries shrink from fraternizing with the mali.
nant treason of our slavery extremists.
1t would be pleasant thing, if our SLAYER
question could be banished SO far off int
"Chaos and Old Night as never to be hear
OF more. But this not be, while SLAYER,
itself remains undisturbed. Foolish petition
ask congress to let the question alone. l
those who sign such petitions would reach tn
seat and center Of the trouble, let them pre-
vail on slavery TO let the country alone and g
to its own place. While we have that barba
ism among us, to disgrace free institution
train men to despise democratic ideas, and il
fuse every kind of depravity into our polite
1t is neither patriotic nor reasonable TO con
plain against those who dislike and oppose il
influence, Certainly nothing is mare desiri
bic for this country than to settle the SLAYER
question; but we should not allow ourselvt
to forget that nothing is settled that is N,
right, and that the country can not be rescue
from the disturbance AMI depravity caused b
slavery, by upholding slavery and making
supreme in the government.