, 1862-09-23
EMANCIPATION MEMORIAL.
Report Of the Delegation to Presi-
dent LiRCol8.

The undersigned, appointed with t~o other
gentlemen who were unable to acs) to present |
10 President Lincoln the memorial In favor Of |
national emancipation adopted by the public |
meeting OF Chrittlans of all denominations |
held in Bryan Hall, Chicago, On Sabbath even
leg, Sept. 9Th. 1869, would respectfully report:
We reached the city Of Washington on |
morning, Sept. llth, but were de-
layed two days before arrangements could be
nude for suitable Interview With the pres.-
dent, which was at list accomplished through
the Kind services OF Hun. Gideon We11es, Sec
1elary Of the navy.
The president received US courteous1Y. and
gave the fullest opportunity to discharge the
duty ass:gued- He listened with fi1ed atten-
ton while the memorial WAS read By the chair
1nsn of the delegation, who added q few words
dent BY the religious communite, as manifest
ed In the many prayers offered In bis behalf
frtm the day OF his election to the present
hour, and to ezplsin the pressurs OF feeling
that caused those prayers to be followed by a
memorial expressive Of their solemn conVic-
served that In doing this the memona'ists be.
1iese that they discourage their solemn o51ig.-
ttcrs as Christian citizens, which is
all they seek. having no desire to die
tate 70 1htir ch1et magistrate, 9 whs
the ration snd the world. Tbs time Of pre-
EsIting the memorial might seem inluspt-
cicus, in view Of zec.nt disasters which make
the authority Of the government in the hlave
States less ezfenei c and influential tha1 be-
fore. But the memorialtsts bslieye these dis
a>ttIs to be tokens Of Divine dfsp1easurc, ca'l-
-Dg tor new and advanced action BY the presi-
dent In behalf Of the ccua;rf-Eucn % would
frGicate national repentance for the tin OF op-
pr ssion; and he must see that II success in
our mili!dT affairs was supposed to render
such action unnecessary, and defeat to 1nak3
il unavai(ipg, then duty becomes an idle word,
and Gods voice OF remonstrancc and warning
Al nnneaEirg ntterance-
Pie delegation presented, at the came time,
q memorial OF similar impors drawn in Ger
nlEu and IN English, and signed by number
Of our Gtrinau citizens, which WIS placed in
:beir hands on leaving tome.
After moments silence The president an
lwercd, and, as We waited upon hi y ia pup
lie capacity, as delegation from large body
Of The people, to learn Lis views on grave,
politics1 and moral suhjecs which Is profs uud-
y :gitating the nation, We suppose the reply
be1orgs as properly to those whom We repre-
ssnted, as to ourselves. We give it. therefore,
with some degree of ful11ess, accurately in
substance, ard often in the very words which
fell from his lips. The president made his
otselya'ions deliberately and with we'll chosen
uAbEs btCEhilS LII AL Gd1uEsb I'LL OltEA
fo'tmn manner, as one impressed with the
weight of the theme, yet at TINES making 4
Enthusiastically shrewd remark with pleas
ant air. lie commenced By saying:
"1he subject presented in The memorial is
one npon which I have thought much for
weeks past, and may even say for months. I
um approached with tho most opposite optr-
ions aud advice, and that By religious men.
who are equally certain that they represent the
Divine will am sure ,ha. either the ooe or
the other class Is mistaken in that belief, and
perhaps In some respects both. hope twill
rot te iFreverent Tor me to say, that il it is
probable that God would reveal his will to
Others, on 4 point SO CONNECTED with my duty,
it. might be euppo-ed be would r.yeal 1t dffecs-
~ 10 nc. For, uGless am more deceived iu
myself than tfscn am, it is my earnest de-
sire to kEoW the will of Providence Ia this
mattr: Ind u Ie,. learn ,ehat It j., e'n dc
II! These are Eo+, howtver, the days Of nnir1,
cles, ard SUPPOSE it will De granted, taat
am net 10 expect Gisect revelation. must
| s1udy the plain, physical facts Of the case
| ascertain what is possible, and learn what ap-
pears to be wise and right. The Subject il
difficult, and good men do Lot agree. Foi
iIstaIce, the other day four. gentlemen Of
standing and intelligence {naming one or two
Of the number) from New York, called, as q
delegation, en- business connected with the
var; but, before leaying,tw two Of them earnest
II tcset me to prl c1aim general maucipation
| bpcn which the other two at once attacked
| item! You krow, a1so, that the last session
| OF Congrt SIS had decided majority Of anti
slavery men, yet they could not unite On tht
| policy. Ard the same is true Of the religion:
WoEle. Why, the rehtl soldiers are prayfnI
vita great deal more earnestncss, fear
than our own troops, aEd expecting God II
favor thtfr side; for one Of oar soldiers, VIII
bad teen taken prisoner, told Senate
Wilson, few days since. that he me
| with EothinE SO dscouragirg, as the eyiden
sincerity OF those he was among, In thei
prayers. But We will talk over the merits o
the case.
"What good would proclamation OF eman
cipation from me do !; especially as we are no
situated? d. not want to issne docuinen
that the whole world will sec must necessar,l
be inopera.iye, like the Pope's bull agaio=
the comet! Would my cord free the slave;
when I cannot even enforce the consti.utio
III the rebel States? i, there single cour
or magistrate, or Individual that would be ii
luerced hy it there? Aud what reason
there to think. It would have any greater {
Il Ct upon the sllves than the late law of Cor
gnss, which approved. and which on:ss Prt
lection and ffet dom to the slave5 OF reb
masttrf, who come wllhln our lines. Yet
cannot learn that that Law has caused sing
: slave to come over to u. TIE preside1
could not have meant to deny the we'll kuow
fact, that the SLAVES have come to us in va
numbers whenever the way was open; b1
o. IL that he could not trace the influence
that law And suppose they could be induce
BY proclamation OF freedom trom ma,
, throw themselves upon us, w|tat shoasd Dc {
| | 1cifA LMm2 How can we feed and care f
, such multitude? General Batler wrote M
> ! 4 ftw days tince, that be was Issuing more +
iioDs to The slaEts Who have rushed to htt
tfan to all the white troops uudtr his cot
: nard. They cot and that is all: though it
| true, General Butler is fteding the whites ais
by The thousand; for 1t nearly amounts to
tan4ire there. II, now, the pressure Of the r
should call OF our forct from New OrlcaE
to offend come other point, what is to prave
; tie masters from reducing the blacks
= slavery again; for an told tina. whene7
d the rebels take anJ blacks prisoners, free
slave. they Immediately auction them O
, They did 80 with these they took from a be
|, that IVES aground on the Tennessee River,
! ouxly attacked for it For instance, VIII
:, alter tie late battles at and nesr Ball Run.
c1redision went out from Washington uni
d flsg tt truce, to burT The deatt aud briug
Q tie wounded, and the ttbels seized the blac
a who went along to htlr, and sent them 1t
y slavery, Horace Greedy said in his pap
b irg about it. What could 1 do? (Hsrc &
dlN cation suggested, that this was gr;
outrage on t1ag Of truce, which covers a
protects all over which it waves and Il
= latevtr be could do If ,e'Ic men had b
- silni1srly detained, he could do in this case.
l. Now then, tell me, il you please, "
I, possible result'of good would f.llow The
l. suing of ench proclamation as you dcsi1
;, Understand, l raise no objections d9oiast II,
4 |.yof or constitutional grounds; tor as CT
nsnde:-in-chlef of the army and navy,
tine Of war, suppose have 4 right to t
aty measure which may best eubdue
ID tptmy. Nor do urge n6jectioos OF = ulo
:. n:ture, in view Of possible consequences
" i1eu1rcc' ion Hnd massacre at the South.
81 view the ma! ter Us practical var MEASURE
CT d;; advantages it may offer to the supp
), son Of the rthtlltou."
'e Thus invited, your delegation viry Will
II made reply, TO the following effect; it
irg u1de rttcod, that 9 portion ofthc rtu1a
we're intermirg:ed by the way Of converss.s
=, with those Of The president Just given.
nd We obet ryed (takipg up the preside
ideas IN order) that good men indeed diff!
in thtir opinions on this sutject; ne
matter Of solemn moment for him to as
tain 1t; ttst We had not been 90 wantioe
respect alike TO ourselves and to him. q;
come thousand miles to bring merely
ott.tto1a to be set over against tho opinion
o1tcF p rites; that the memorial contA
facte, PRINCIPLES al arguments, whica
peeled to the intelligence Of tho presh
ed ard to his faith in Divine Providence. 7
le could not deny that the Bible denoun
and threatened ciyiue judgments ag1iue-
tions that practice It: that our cou1ts,
'se been exceedingly guilty III this respect. t
ers at the Moth and South that our just +
by 1shment has come by shareholders r
~ lion; that the virus Of secession is fo
p" wEerevtr the virus OF slavery extends
ing no far1htr; so that there fethe amplest re-
$crs n$f fryr $1%r -rrfH it'll