Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-08-21


ROEder state COmgre.smtn.
Just before the adjournment of Congress the Repre-
senaves and Senators OF the border slave States By
special invitation Of the President convened at the Ex
ecutlve mansion. Mr. Lincoln addressed them from a
written paper held in his hands. We give synopsis
OF his speech, space preventing anything more:
ala my opinion, if you all had voted for thu resolution
IN the gradual emancipation message OF last March, the
war would now be substantially ended. And the plan
therein proposed is yet # the most potent and
swift means Of ending it, Let The States which are in
rebellion see definitely and certainly that in 10 event
will the States you represent join their proposed
COntederacy and they cannot much longer maintain
the contest But you cannot dives them of their hope
to ultimately have you with them so long a8 you show
determination to pcrpetuate the institution within
your own States Beat them at eectioIs, you have
overwhelmingly done, and, nothing daunted they still
claim you as their own. You and | know what the
ley their power is Break that lever before their
faces and they can shake you no more forever.
eff the continues long, it must if 1.-The object
be not sooner attained, their institution in your States
will be eXtlngusbed by friction and abrason-by
the mere Incidents OF the 1t will be gone, aud
you will have nothing valuable in lieu Of it. Much Of
lis value is gone already. How much better for you
and for your people to take the step which at once
snOrtens the war; and secures substantial compensation
for that which is to be wholly lost in any other
event! How much better to thus save the money
which else we sink forever n the war; How much bet
ter to do it while lest the long render
| US ptcuniarily unable to do it!
"I am pressed with difficulty not yet mention cd
which threatens division among those who, unite d,
are not too strong. An instance it is known to y0u
General Hunter IS an honest He was and hope
still is, my friend valued him none the less for his
agreeing with 10 the general wish that all men every
where could be freed lie proclaimed all men free with
in tain States, and | repudiaed the proclamation
He expected more good and less harm the
than l could believe would follow. Yet in repudatng
it, gave dissatisfaction, if not Ctnce, to many whose
support the country cannot a >rd to lose And this is
not the end OF It, The pressure IN this direction is still
upon me, and is increasing. BY conceding what |
ASK you relieve me, and much more, relieve the
country in tits important point
Upon these considerations have again turned your
attention to the message of March last Before leav-
ing the capital consider and discuss it among yourselves
GU patriots and statesmen, and such pray you
consider this proposition and at least, commend it to
the consideration Of your States and people As you
would pepetuae popular government for the best pe0-
pie in the world, beseech you that you Go n nc wise
omit this Our common country is III great peril, de-
mandng the lOticst views ard boldest action bring
speedy relief"
At the conclusion of these remarks, some couversa-
ton bad between the President and several mem-
bers OF the delegations from the border States Ia which
it represented that these States could not be
pected to in great matter that brought to
their notice III the foregoing address, while yet the
Congress had taken no sep beyond the passage of a
resolution expressive rather of a sentiment than pre-
sentng substantial and reliable basis of action The
| President acknowledges the force of this view The
members then met in council to deliberate on the reply
they should make to the President and the result OF
a comparison OF opinions among themselves they de-
terminad upon the adoption OF ma ority and minority
answer. To the majority report twenty signatures
appended. The minority report is signed by
bers-one of whom is from Missouri, three from West
ern Virginia, from Kentucky, and from Della
ware. AS however, Notwithstanding the known wishes
of Mr. Lincoln, Congress failed to pass law guaran-
teeng compensation to the border States in the event
of providing for gradual emancipation of their Saves
the whole project falls to the ground. The reports
too long to be published in full but axe such eX
tracts from them will give the substance and drift
them:
FROM THE REPLY OF THE MAJORITY
We have not been wanting, Mr. President, In respect
to you and in devotion to the Constitution of The
non. We have not been indifferent to the great diff
fculties surrounding you compared with which all form
national troubles have been but the cloud
and we have freely given you our sympathy and sup
port.
Repudating the dangerous heresies of the secession
ists We believe, with you, that the their par
was aggressive and wicked and the objects for which
was to be prosecuted ours defined by your message
the opening of the present Congress- to be such al
good should approve we have not hesitated to vote
all supplies necessary to carry 1t On vigorously W.
have voted all the men and money you have asked for
and even more; we have imposed taxes Oh Ou
people, and they paying them with cheeruness ane
aacrty we have encouraged enlistments and sent Il
the field many of our best men and some of mum
bers have offered their persons to the enemy pledges
OF their sincerity and devotion to the country. VIZ
have done all this under the most discOuraging circum
stances and n the face Of most dstaSteul tC
Us and furious to the interests represent, and il
the hearing of doctrines aVoWed by those who claim
be your friends most abhorent to constitute It's
A few Of our number voted for the resolution recon
mended by your message of the 9th OF March last, h
greater portion of did not and we will briefly sta
the prominent reasons which influenced cur action.
In the first place, it proposed radical change OF
social system, and hurried through both Houses
with undue haste without reasonable time for consider
alton and debate, and with no time at all for c0nsuta
tCn with constituents, whose interests it deeply in
volYed. 1t seemed like interference by this Govern
ment with question which peculiarly and exclusve
belonged to Our respective States on which they hat
\ not sought advice solicited aid Many OF doubte
the constitutional power of this Government to max
appropriations of money for the object designated,
all OF us thought our finances were in condition t
bear the immense outlay which It's adoption and althfU
execution would impose upon the national treasury
If we pause but moment to think of the debt its az
ceptance would have entailed, appalled, by ii
j. magnitude The proposition addressed TO all th
States and embraced the whole number of slaves AZ
j. c0rding to the of 1860, there were then
nearly four million slaves in the country from natura
n increase they exceed that number now. At th
low average Of three hundred dollars, theYrce fixed
the Emancipation Act for the slaves of this dstric
and greatly 6eow their real worth, their value runs
to the enormous Of twelve hundred millions of do
lars and if to that add the cost of deportation
colonization at hundred dollars each which is bu
t, fraction than is actually paid by the Marylan
t. Colonization Society," we have four hundred million
r more. We were not willing to impose tax upon GU
people sufficient to pay the interest that sum, in az
dition to the vast aud daily Increasing debt already fl
e ed upon them by the exigences of the war and if
had been willing, the country could not bear it, State
in this form the proposition nothing less than the d.