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

transmitted to Congress on Thursday. Snch
message was probably wholly unexpected by
Congress, and will take the whole country by
surprise. II, however, embraces proposition
Of the utmost importance, and opens up for
discussion the whole question of Slavery,
which must sooner or later be considered in
the settlement Of the present national difficult
ties.
The President recommends TO Congress the
adoption ofa resolution substantially as fol-
lows:
Reolued That the United States ought to cooperate
with any State which may adopt Agradua abolshment Of
slavery, gipiNgto such State Pecriary aid, to be used
by such State in is discretion TO compensate for the IN
conyeuiences, public and private produced BY such
change Of system
This is suggested as a mere initiative pro-
position by Congress to any State which may
wish to avail itself Of the benefits Of such a
system Of compensated emancipation, and is
designed by the President as we conceive, to
encourage the growing desire on the part Of
the people Of some Of the border States to rid
themselves of a system which is found to be
no longer profitable as an institution, but in
which so much Of the wealth of the people is
involved as that they cannot abolish it with
out aid from the general government An
attempt on the part Of the border States to
free themselves Of their slaves would result
in the transfer and sale Of larger part of
them to the more Southern slaveholding States
as means of remunerating in part for the
/ large amount Of capital invested in that kind
Of property and would not in the least
ameliorate the condition of the slaves, or res
tore them to the freedom which it is so desir-
able they should enjoy when the system
shall have been broken up in any Of the slave
States. Il is also an acknowledgement on the
part Of the Executive that the system Of slav-
where it exists by local law, but also to the
whole body polite, and that in so far as the
whole country IS to be benefited by its abo-
I lition in so far should the whole country share
in the pecuniary loss incident to its being
done away with
But there is another feature in the message
that will be gratifying to the true Union SEN
timent Of the country, both North and South.
While virtually admitting that Slavery is an
evil which underlies the present rebellion, and
/ should be done away with to prevent future
repetition Of these reasonable revolutions,
the President acknowledges the want of au-
/ thority in Congress to interfere with the local
institutions Of the States without their coop
Grafton or consent. 10 sets up no claim Of a
right by Federal authority 10 interfere toih
Slavery within State limits, referring, as il
does. the absolute control Of the subject in
each case, to the State and its people imme-
diately interested. 1t is proposed as a mat
ter Of perfectly free choice with them"
While making the proposition, it is left to
Congress to adopt or reject it as they see fit.
II they refuse to approve Of such measure
"there is the end, and no further interfer-
ence can be expected from the Executive. But
if Congress does approve of such a scheme for
compensated emancipation, 1.-THE States and
people Immediately interested should at once
be distinctly notified of the fact, so that they mag
begin to consider uhetder To accept or reject It.
1t is left as a matter of free choice with the
States whether they will avail themselves OF
the benefits OF the act, or continue to main
tain the system as one Of their local inAttu-
tions. If Delaware desires to free herself ol
her slaves, here is an offer from the general
government to aid the State in doing so and
the proposition to compensate her citizens for
the pecuniary loss that would result from
such an act must also embrace, on the part oi
the Federal government, guaranty to make
future provision for the slaves which are thus
set free, either by colonization or such other
means as will, while securing to them their
freedom, provide for their maintenance and
support. So also with Maryland, Kentucky
Missouri, Tennessee or any other State which
may avail itself Of the benefits of the propos-
ed act of Congress.
But the proposed act is zone of the most
efficient means of self-preservation" by the
Federal Government. Slavery has always
teen source of strife in the national councils
and has engendered spirit of acrimony be-
tween the two extreme sections of the coun-
try, and the proposed removal by the aid o
of the general government, even though but
partial in its operations, would narrow thc
strife so as to render Slavery as an institution
powerless for evil in the land. Removed
from the border States, and free labor substi
tuted in its stead, and the influence thai
would grow out of such change would soor
extend to the more Southern slaveholdna
States, and the downfall of slavery in the
land is more sure, and this "bone of conten.
ton" would be removed from the country
In the border States the rebellion has already
worked the almost total ruin of slavery. The
shareholders have been compelled to remove
their slaves to the South, away from the i'm
mediate scenes OF the warfare and should
the war for the Union continue, as the Presi-
dent says it must continue unless the nation
al authority is practically acknowledged, "ii
is impossible to foresee all the incidents which
may attend and all the ruin which may fol.
low it," Those States now made the thea,
He of the strife, and being devastated by