Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-07-15
The Uour for Decision.

He HNOuE
A deep and thrilling sense of impeDd-
ing peril pervades the public mind of the
whole country. The result Of the recent
battles before Richmond and the state of
our public affairs generally. present ques-
tions ot immense magnitude, and warn ms
of the approach of a great crisis.
Our failure to take Richmond will nerve
the Abolitionists to renewed zeal IN urg-
ing their emancipation policy. And for-
eien nations, it is feared. will interfere ard
recognize the independence of the South
ern Confede: acy. The Administration. we
trust, viii meet both these issues with firm
ness.
We are aware that Sumner, Wade, Love
Joy, and, perhaps, the controlling influence
in c, ngress, have for months been urging
the President to proclaim emancipation to
the slaves. They have strenucusly advo>
Gated it as a war measure aud duty We
owe to humanity and freedom.
Now in reference to the emancipation Of
the slaves being a needful war measure it
would be the very best thing that could
hammer. tho -ai~} -eeu.rIIarIbfI' Ir5eIng the
slaves of the Southerners, it would cause
the rebel army to swell with recruits and
weaken the army Of the Union. Who does
not know that this would be the result?
Why, even the apprehension that has
risen in the minds of the people in rega,
to the position Of the President on the oues.
ton of emancipation, since his approval
of the i'll aboiishing slavery in the Dietrics
of Columbia and the recommendation of his
famous emancipation resolution, has been
the means of retarding inlistments in the
loyal States. The friends ofthe Union and
the constitution as interpreted by the lead
ing statesman of this country for the last
seventy years, do not want to engage in
the war, if it is to be turned into a conflict
for the liberation Of the slayes-inte John
Brown raid On a grand scale. Therefore,
emancipation as war measure, would
prove suicidal to cur cause and would make
our enemies fight with greater despera-
tior.
In reference to the argument in favor Of
emancipation as duty and right we owe
to humanity, we will say that the Aboli-
tionists, as usual, are in the wrong.
1t is an axiom in politics as we'll as morals,
that whatever change in the condition of a
man that has tendency to make his moral
and social condition worse, is not a blessing
but curse. We know that greater curse
could not be inflicted upon the four mill>
ions of slaves in the south, than by eman-
cipating them. They would be loose with
out restraint and without care-an inferior
and degraded class, denied all the social
privileges and intercourse with the superi.
or end elevated one, they would lead life
OF sloth, of misery ard of crime, and die
and rot like beasts of the field. To prove
this, we need but point to the emancipation
experiment in the West Indies, and to the
squalid misery Of the free negroes accumu
lated in some Of our Northern cities since
this war commenced. Emancipation thore.
fore, while it would be 10 opposition to the
plainest provisions of the constitution,
would be against the dictates of humanity,
philanthropy, christianity and common
sense.
And even If the President should declare
all the slaves of the South free. it would
take some time, and much blood and treas
ure to make them SO. The undertaking.,
indeed, would be perilous one.
But we have hope yet that the President
will meet the issue as becomes true man
and patriot. Let him stand by the consti-
tuition and the Union, and the people of the
loyal States will stand by him to man.
But if he takes the other course, if be de-
clares in favor of emancipation, we fear,
the consequences will be most terrible and
destructive.
And in regard to foreign intervention,
we hope that the Administration will be
found true to our country. We are oppos-
ed to the interference Of foreign nations in
our affairs. a recognition of the Southern
Confederacy would have the tendency to
render the disruption of the Union pcrma-
nent. This should be avoided, by all
means. Let our Government give foreign
powers to understand that we will submit
t. no interference from abroad. We can
settle our own affairs, If the Abolitionists
he discarded.