Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-03-18
EMANCIPATION.
REMARKs ON MON. G. z. FIsMER,
or pELAwAnn.

On the joint resolution in relation to the aboli-
ton VI slavery, introduced by MIR. Roscoe
Coukling, Of New Yeik
Mr.. FISHER ! am not placed, Mr. Speaker,
in tine same delicate position IN reference To this
resolution which my excellent friend ami negt
hur from the eastern shore district Of Maryland
has informed this House he occupies lie tells
US -ir. that he is "a stakeholder. (nni may
properly add, perhaps, that he is one among tue
largest Shareholders in this House, VI u0t the very
largest, and that he should feel a deicacy IL
voting for this resolution holding out to the
. ltyeholders the pecuniary MD OF the ueueral
Government, because il might look as though
he had u personal interest in voting money into
his own pocket. lie also says that lie has not
yet Ind an opportunity since the proposition ha-
been before the House u communicate upon tn !
subj 'ct with his constituents ani learn their /
views in reference to this propriety OF its adap- /
hOn by Congress. am not in either category, |
have talked much with those Of iLy constituents /
mare Immediately interested on this subject, |
and although renresentng on this floor slave
holding State, (though she is only nomnally |
slavehalliug,) and one in which, deeply regre
10 say that the Madness Of pro-slavery ssuti
menis with considerable clnss OF individuals
RACES AS yirulently aud as deeply as ii does
anywhere, even in the State OF South Glriliu
Or Virginia, YET | am not myself holder Vf any
slaves, nor do consider myself bouud To stand
here to advocate ercitairslg the interests OF that
small class Of men in my State who hold slaves,
numbering, all told. less than six hundred but
As the Representative of the people of the state
generally While would he watchful to Dee
that the interest Of the slayeholding portion ui
my constituency shall receive no wrong, il IN my
tower to avert that wrong, yet ! feel that the
l highest duty which | owe to those who sent me
here is to look with scrupulous regard and yigi
liant eye to the interest Of the tOlling thousands
who make up the great bulk Of my people and
whose labor after ALL makes up the wealth ot
the State. repeat, sir, that stand not here
to-day as the special Representative Of sMvVl
holders, mud am free from the embarrassment ot
owning ANY slaves myself | once uwDtd some,
but the last OF these, through bill4 OF mann
/ mission, under the operation uf the laws Of our
state, have become einancipated
Sir, / WAS reared aud nurturel in the lar,
upon the very bosom ot slavery have seen il
in all its good and evil forms and phases aud
will here say that they who sac nothing hut uu-
mitgatei wrong amt oppression and nhumunity
in the system, are quite as much al fault Hs ihey
Who regard il as All institution divine in it, or yin
anu chris,ianizng in alllis Influences anl Opei,
tons. think can duly appreciate, therefore
from the position which have occupied that of
gentlemen who represent the more southern ii
what are commonly known a. the border slave
States. know they desire, and they ought 10 have
time to consult the sentiments and views Of their
respective constituencies upon this most grave
aud interesting proposition. | can readily un-
dersland how they should feel an in1isposition
to have the question pushed upon them with
undue haste for believe they desire to meet it
in the same spirit which has prompted the presi-
dent to present il To our considerations Bni
Mr. Speaker with all due respect fuf the situa-
tiuu Of my friends from the other border States
> who have spoken in this debate, AMI with he
! a. A.
ions, | must be allowed TO say that think they
are altogether mistaken in the view which ihel
have taken of the meaning Of this resolution
aud VI the message in which the President ha.
e been pleased to present il.
The venerable gentleman from keniHeky MIR
/ Wickhtr, who ilrst addressed the House II
4 opposition to the resolution, Inns, ia my hunLl,
E judgment, totally miseonceyed it4 spirit All,
mseaculuted its effect aud operation liz
seems TO regard il as the forerunuer Of u serie
Of measures Of confscatiOn aud emancipation h1
> which the institution Of slavery is Suddenly aui
. violently 10 be nprOoted in all the border, mud
! indeed, in all the seeding States and M
venerable aud disting guished friend his colleague
. at whose feet and from whose lips | receive
some of my earliest lessnns in the wholesom
doctrines OF the old Wing party, Mr.. Critten
= den, and to whom have always looked As uluo
as to any man in the country for guidance an
instruction upon all the great questions pertain
q ing to our national affairs, am sorry to see ha
followed III the wake of his colleague and take
ss the came erroneous view relative 10 the tel
dency Of this resolution aud the propIiety of il
Of adoption.
Gehtlemcp over the way, sir, seem to thin
ss That the proposition contained iu this resolution
,g which is word for word the snme as that presel
ted by the President in his message fur ou
consideration, is to he received aud regarded
not as Il matter of qption upon the part of III
savehodng States respeciivey--A proposilo
which they may reject or adopt, just ns the
may choose to determne--but Ms a hreaf upu
the part Of the Federal Government, If adoptc
D. by Congress. a virtual declaration Of intento
that if the slave States do not Of their own nccoi
adopta policy OF emancipation, they will
forced into it by the power OF the General Co
ernmcnt Mr.. Speaker, | am utterly ut lo
Ut To conceive how any such construction can |
? placed upon resolution 80 plain and q messal
'e 30 fairly and honestly worded. To my mind
Vt seems unfair aud really unkind to attempt
place any such strained construction upon eithl
&c the resolution or the message. look upon the
81 in very different light | regard the polit
'u contemplated by the President not as an ente
= ing wedge for series of measures of confsc
ton aud emancipation under the war power
IL the Government, but MS altogether II counter pr
2 yfct to any such series Of measures. regard
Vi sir as but a reassertion Of the principle whiC
h' has been always recognized by both the old VIII
n aud Democratic parties, that the people of eat
II State shall be left free at all times to regula
their own domestic institutions in their own wa
I" lolk upon it as proposition intended to man
~ fest in good faith upon the part of the Preside
70 and his administration, and ull who vote for i
'u adOption an intention to leave the States eI
.,, tiTely free t0 select their own time aud mode
+, emancipation, or to reject the system ntogethe
" mud as pledge of faith On their part to perp
trale no injustice to any southern State. Cou
:. believe that the purpose OF the President
u, those who favor this resolution, was a mere trt
iu or sham--could suppose for a moment that
va means that if we 10 not in each Of the slavelo
70 lug states Immediately or at some early di
VI iuaugurate rapid scheme OF emancipation, til,
'n 'n the whole power Of the Federal Goyernme
W. should he eNeried 10 compel MS to it, State
Smte upon the principle of French elections,
-" m would be among the Inst to give il any cOunle
." auce whatever.
j" But sir, do not thus regard it, | rath
. view it us an olive branch of peace and harmon
, aud good faith presented to the border State
"e aud indeed to all the southern States ho'
Hl which have seeded. see in its adoption n ee
W tltment and final settlement of ali angry di
n cussion and agtat on unon this terrible questil
w Of slavery, which comes up here and in amo
~ all public deEberatiye bodies in this countr
- like Satan among the sons Of God to nilct al
aI ,'i destroy our happiness and prosperity. hea
~ in lts kindly Invitation, the voice of the might
i e North, composed of twenty millions Of free viii
"u men---lnen who labor for themselves having Il
power now to oYerrun md lay waste the eut
southern country and liberate its slaves, spen
ing to US language like this: eve know as "
-, know, that slavery has been the hot.bed in whiC
III treason has been nurtured; we know it is Il
cOckatrct'a egg, the Pandora's box, whence i
All sued this most atrocOus and wicked rebellion