Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1862-12-16

officials of the English Government, in refer
encc to numerous questions that have arisen
between the two governments during the
! past year:
SECRETARY stwASD's OPINION or EAlANclr.rioN
| pErAgTMENT nr !'-.rE, WAsHIsGTnN Feb
Ii, lSC2.-ar: It is represented to us that
equally III Great Britain and III France The
cause of the Union is prejudiccd by the as-
sumption that the Government which main
tams 1t Is tavOrable-or, at lcsst, not uIl-
tayo,able--to The pnlpctuation Of slavery
ms incident Is clc of lie most curious
and instructive ones which has occurred
III the of this cont roversy.
The Administration wss elected and came
into its trust upon the ground Of its declared
opposition To The eXtention of slavery. The
party ot slavery, for this reason, arrayc,l
itself against, not only the Administration
but the Union itself, and inauguratei civil
war lor the overthrow Of the uniGn and the
establishment Of an exclusive Giaycholding
con'edoracy.
Without surrendering the political principle,
wa meet them in the battle field and in de-
fence Of the Union. The contest for life ab-
sorbs ell thcinte,est that .ha q existed, grnW.
iug nut Of Il epfofi5us contest 81 ideas: But
what mnst be the effect If the Cuniedela
cy prevails, slavery will have constitutional,
legitimate and acknowledged state, devoted
tu itself az the paramount object Of the ia
lional existence. If tho Union prevails,
the Government will be administered by u
majority hostile to the fortiicaton and per-
| petnatlun uf slavery. Slavery in tho slave
holding States will there be left in the care
Of tho people Of those States, just as it was left
al the organization Of the Government in all
Of I'll" StalcS@xcept Massachusetts. 1t mig ght
admit Of doubt whether it would not have
been able to recover it's former strcnth, had
The slaveholding States acquiesccd in the cleo
tiOn and avoided civil war. But W hat ground
is there To fear such renewal of strength,
| after having been defeated in anus against
| tho Union
What is the operation OF the war We
have entered Virginia, and already i've tildu.
sand slaves emancipatcd simply by lie ap-
pearance Of our forces. are upon the hands of
the Federal Government lhcrc. We have
landed Oh the coast OF South Carolina, and al
ready rine thousand similarly einuncipa!cd
slaves hang upon our camp.
Although the war has not been wagcd
against slavery, yet the army acts immedi-
stely as an cmancipatiug crusade. 10 pro-
claim Ilc crusade IL uEneceaHary, and 1t would
even be cxphdirnt, because it would de-
rrivn US Of The necdfu and Legitimate sup
port of the fricrd4 of the Union, who are not
opposed TO slavery. but who prefer Uulon
without slavery to Disunion with slavery.
Does France or does Great Britain want to
SEQ social revolution here, with all It's hor-
rurs, Ike the slave revolution in ST. Domingo:
Are these Powers sure that the country or
the world is ripe Tor such a revolution, Sc
that il l4'lst certainly liz succrss!ui What,
# inansurating such o revolution. saNrry,
protesting against its ferocity ana inllumani
ty, should prove The virtnr?
Who SAYS this administration is (n!sc 10
human freedum Does il not ach nUwcdgp
the citizenship as well rs the n.anhcod al
mun without respect 10 color.
Has it not made effective arrangements
with Great Britain TO auPprcsa the slave trad
OF the cost Of Africa Has il not brought
into life the Federal laws against the African
slave trade, and Is It not executing their Sc
vercst penalties Besides, is it not all object
worthy Of practical men to conino slavery
within existing bounds, instead Of suffering it
To he spread over the whole unoccnpin p"r-
lion 0f this vast continent
II is not fayoring emancipation in the Frde-
eral district, to be accomplished AT the Gov
ernment cost, and without individual INJUSTICE
or oppression
Does it not receive all who colne into tie
Federal camps to offer their services TO the
Union, and hold and protect them against dis
loyal claimants? Does it not favor the recOg-
milton of Hayti and Liberia;
The tale that MIR. Cameron was required 10
give up his place because of his decided oppo-
sition to slavery is without foundation; that
distinguished gentleman resigned his place
only because he could be useful in diplo-
matte situation, while the gentleman appoint
ed his successor, it was expected, would be
more efficient in administration. His sue
cessor has no more sympathy with slavery
than Alr. Cameron. These facts and thoughts.
are communicated to you coniidentlally for
such use in detail as may be practicable hui
not to be formally presented in the usual way
TO tho Government to which you are accreli;-
ed. ain, sir, your obedent servant,
MILAN II. SEWARD.
CHARLES FRAscls ADAMS, Esq. &c., &c, &c.