Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-03-13
I,rcsiIrnt,s Mcssnnc.

w ASlttNGTON, March u. Inc IrCSl-
dent to-day transmitted to Congress the
following message:
/ Ec,ioc Citizens Qf tic Senate and House
Of Representatives
recommend the adoption of a joint
resolution 10y your honorable bodies,
which shall hc substantially as follows:
Hssolrfd. That the United state ought
to cooperate with any State which may
adopt gradual adjustment OF slavery,
giving to such State pccuniary aid, to-
tC used by such State in its discretion
to compensate for the inconveniences,
public and private, produced by such
change ol system
/ Ii the proposition contained in the
resolution does not meet the approval OF
/ Congress and the country, there is the
end: but il it does command such approv-
al, deem it of importance that the state
and people Immediately interested should
be at once distinctly notified of the fact
so that they may begin to consider
whether to acvcptor ,c'c,tii:
The Federal Government would find
its highest intcIc>is i'm such = measure n
one OF the most efficient mca>uuc> of self
preservation. The leaders o. lhc exist.
ing insurrection entertain the hope that
the Government will ultimately be forced
to acknowledge the independence of some
part Of the disailectcd region, and that
all the slave States north of such parts
will then say, "the Union, for which we
have struggled, already gone, we now
choose to go with them" 70 deprive
them of this hope substantially ends the
rebellion, and the initiation of the enamel
patton completely dcprives them of it.
AS to all the States intending it, the
point is not that all the States tolerating
slavery would very soon, if at all, initiate
emancipation, but that while the offer is
made equally to all, the more northern snail
by such initiation make it certain to the
more southern that in no event shall the
former Join the latter in their proposed
conrcderacy. ! say initiation, because
. in my judgment, gradual, If not sudden,
emancipation is better for all. In the
more financial or pccuniary view, any
member of Congress, with the census
! tables and Treasury report before him,
! can readily see for himself how very soon
the current expenditures of the war would
, purchase, at a fair valuation, all the
u slaves in any named State. Such a prop.
: osition on the part of the General Gov
y, eminent sets up no claim or right by
Federal authority to interfere with slav-
> cry within State limits, referring a' i
. does, the absolute control of the subject
, in each casr to the State and its people
Il Immediately interested. 1t is proposed
as matter of perfectly free choice witt
them
: In the annual mes sage last December
i thought fit to say that the Union must
be preserved, and hence all indispensable
means must be employed. l said this
not hastily but deliberately. War has
been and continues to be an indispensable
r means to this end. A practical ack
& nowledgemcnt Of the national authority
G would render the war unnecessary, and /!
S would soon cease. If, however, resist
= ance continues the war must also contin.
t nc and it is impossible to foresee all the
;, incidents which may attend, and the ruiz
), which may follow. Such as may seen
: indispensable, or may obviously promise
Il great efficiency towards ending the strug
u gle must and will come. The PROPOSE
i ton now made. though an offer only,
= hope it may be esteemed no offence tc
ask whether the pecuniary consideration
p 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 affairs. While
it is true that the adoption Of the propos'
S ed resolutions would be merely initatory
. and not within itself n practical meas
= ure, it is recommended in the hope that il
q would soon lead to important results
e In full view of my great responsibility t'
my God aud to my country. | earnestly
y beg the attention of Congress and the
people to the subject.
y (Signod) ABRAHAM LINCOLN.