The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1862-03-07


private, produced by such change of sys
tenn.
!, If the proposition contained in the reso-
/ luton does not meet the approval of Con-
jsgress and the country, there is the end. But
If it does command such approval, Il deem
1t 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 it. The Federal Government would
lind its highest interests in such measure
as one of the most efficient measures for
self preservation. The leaders of the ex=
isting instruction entertain the hope that
the Government will ultimately be forced
to acknowledge the independence of some
part of the disafected region, and that all
the slave States North sof such parts will
then say, the Union for which we have
struggled being already gone, we now
choose to go with them. To deprive them
of this hope substantially snds the rebellion,
and the Initiation of eman cipation com
pletely deprives them of it. As to all the
States initiating it, the point is not that all
the States tolerating slavery would very
soon, if at all, initiate. emancipation, but
while the offer is equally made to all. the
more Northern, should by such Initiation
in no event shall the former Join the latter
in their proposed Confederacy. I say
initiation because in my judgment gradual
and not sudden emancipation is better for
all.
In mere financial or pecuniary view,
any member of Congress, with the census
tables and the treasury reports before him,
can readily see for himself how very soon
the current expenditures of the war would
purchase, at fair valuation, all the slaves
ia any named State. Such a proposition
on the part of the general government sets
up no claim or right, by federal authority,
to interfere with slavery within State linn
its, referring as it does, the absolute control
of the subject, IN each case, to the State and
its people Immediately interested. 1t is
proposed as a matter of perfectly free
choice with them In the annual message,
last December, l thought fit to say that the
Union must be preserved and hence, all
indispensable means must be employed.
said this not hastily but deliberately War
has been, and continues 20 be, an indispen-
sable means to this end. A practical re-
ack nowledgment OF the national authority
would render the war unnecessary, and it /
would all at once cease. If, however, re- /
sistance continues, the war must also con [
tinue, and it is impossible to foreseo all fbe 4
incidents which may attend. and ali the I.
ruin which may follow such as may @--E,
Indispensable, or may obviously promise |
great efficiency towards ending the strug-
gle, must come.
The proposition now. made, though an
offer, | hope it may be esteemed no offence |
to ask whether the peeuniary consideration |
rendered would not be of more value to the |
States and private persons concerned, than
are the institution and property in il in the |
present aspect of AFFAIR." While it is true
that the adoption of the proposed resolution |
would be merely initiatory, aud uotawithin
itself practical measure, it is recommends
ed in the hope that it wonId soon lead to
important results Ia full view of ny
great responsibility TO my God and TO ny /
I earnestly beg the attention Of 1
Congress and the people TO this subject.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.