The Democratic press. (Eaton, Preble County, Ohio) 1860-1865, 1862-03-13
President Lincoln,s New Message.

WASHINGTON, march 6,-The President to
day transmitted TO Congress the following
message:
"Fellow.citizens Of the Senate and House
Of Representatives: | recommend the adop-
tion of a Joint resolution by your honorable
bodies, which shall be substantially as fol-
lows:
"ResOlred, That the United States ought
TO cooperate with any State which may a.
adopt o gradual adjustment Of slavery, Civ
ing to such State pecuniary aid, to be used
by such State, in its discretion, to cornpen-
safe for the c%onveniences, public and private,
produced by such change Of system.
"lf the proposition contained IN the reso-
luton does not meet the approval Of Con-
gress and the country, there is the end; but
if it does command such approval, deem
it Of importance that the States and people
Immediately interested should be at once
distinctly notified of the fact, so that they
may begin to consider whether to accept or
reject il. The Federal Government would
find its highest interestin such a measure as
one of the most efic ent measures of self
preservation. The leaders of the existing
instruction entertain the hope that the Gov
eminent will ultimately be forced to &C.
knowledge the independence of some part of
the disaffected region, and that all the slave
States north of such parts will then say the
Union for which we have struggled being al.
ready gone, we now choose to 20 with them.
To deprive them Of this hope substantially
ends the rebellion, and the initiation of e
Emancipation ~complely deprives them Of it.
As TO all The States initiating it, the point is
not that all the States tolcrating slavery
would very soon, il at all, infinite emauti
patton, but that while the offer is equally
made IT, all, The more Northern shall by sucl
init make il certain to the more South
crn that in no event shall the former joiI
the latter in their proposed Confederncy.
say initiation, because, in my judgment
gradual, and not sudden emancipation, il
better for all.
an the mere financial or pecuniary viey
any member Of Congress, with the census ia
blss and the treasury reports before him cal
readily see for himself how very soon tn
current expenditures Of the var would pun
chase at a fair valuation all the slaves in All
named State. Such a proposition on tn
part Of the General Government sets up N
claim or right by Federal authority to inter
Cere with slavery within State limits, refer
ring, as It does, the absolute control Of tn
subject IN each case to the State and it's pee
pie Immediately interested. 1t is propose
as a matter Of perfectly free choice wit
them. In the annual message laStDecemhc
I thought fit to say that the Union must b
preserved, and hence all indispensable mean
must be employed. said this, not hastil
hut deliberately. WA has been, and col
tinues to be, an indispensable means to thi
end. A practical acknowledgment Of tn
National authority would render the war VI
necessary, and it woHld at once cease.
IF. however, resistance continues, the wa
must also continue, and it is impossible t
} foresce all the incidents which may atten
and all the ruin which may follow; such a
may seen indispensable, or may obviousl
|, promise great efficiency toward ending ii
struggle, must and will come. The prop,
sition now made, though an offer only,
= hope it may be esteemed no offense to as
whether the pecuniary consideration tende
q ed would not be Of more value to the Stat,
n and private persons concerned than are Il
institution and property in it IN the preae'
aspect Of affairs. While it is trus that Il
. adoption ofthe proposed resolution would
mersly inistiatory and not within itself
e~dpractjeai measure, Il is recommended in I
elhOpe thstit would sooner had to imPorta
raSultS. In full view Of my great respon
? billy to my God and to my country, ear
= estly beg the attention Of Congress and t
Tt people to tho subject
Oh Tsigned,l ABRAHAM LINCOLN"