Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-12-09

may forever ind, their way TO Europe BY
New York; 70 South America and Africa
by New Orleans; and TO Asia by San Fran
cisco. But separate our common country
with nations, designed by the present re-
bellion. and every man In this great inte-
rior regions is thereby cut off from some
one or more of these outlets,-not perhaps
By physical barrier, but by embarrassing
and onerous trade regulations and this is
true wherever dividing or boundary line
may be fxcd-place it between the now
free and slave country, or place it South of
Kentucky. or north Of Ohio, and still the
truth remains that none south of It can
trade to any port or place north of it and
none rorth of it can trade to any port or
place south OF il, except upon terms die
tated to government foreign to them
These oDtlets, East, West and South, are
Indispensable to the well being of the peo-
pie inhabiting and to inbabit this vast in
terror region. Which of the three may be
the best is no proper question. All are
better than either, and all of right belong
to tn 1t people and to their successors r
ever. True to themselves they will not
ask where line Of separation shall be. but
will VOW rather that there shall be no such
line.
Nor are the marginal regions less in
terested in these communications to and
through them to the great outside world.
They DO, and each one of them must have
access to the Egypt of the West, without
paying toll at the crossing OF any national
boundary.
Our national strife springs not from our
permanent part,-nOt from the lands we
inhabit,-not from our national home
stead There is no possible swerving of
this but would multiply, and not mitigate
the evils among us. la nll.its adaptations
and attributes, it demands union, and alb
hors separation. in fact, it wsuli ere long
force reunion, however much Of blood and
treasure the separation might have cost
Our strife pertains to ourselves, to the
passing generation of men, and it cannot
without convulsion, be hushed forever with
the passing Of ene generation.
With this view | recommend the follow
ing resolution and articles amendatory to
the constitution Of the United States.
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS To THEcoSeTITU7ToN
"ReSoired By the Senate aud House of Rep
yssentdtices Of the United States of America
m Congress assembled, fsco thirds of both
Houses conc,~ring. That the following, ar
ticles be proposed TO the Legislatures or
meuts 70 the constitution Of the United
States. All. or any Of which articles
when ratified BY three fourths of the--said
Legislatures or conventions, to be valid
as part or parts OF the said constitution,
namely:
"ARr,CLE-EVery State wherein slave
~ now exists which shall abolish the same
therein at any time or times before the
first day Of January, in the year of our
Lord 1900, shall receive compensation. from
the United States lin bonds), bearing in
terest at the rate of -, for each slave
shown to have been therein BY the eighth
census Of the United States said bonds to
be delivered TO such States by installments,
or in one parcel, at the completion of the
Adjustment, according as the same shall
have been gradual or at any Que time
within such State; and interest shall be-
gin TO run upon any such bonds only from
the proper time Of its delivery aforesaid
end afterwards. Any State having re.
eeived bonds as aforesaid, and afterwards
introducing, and tolerating slavery therein,
shall refund to the United States the bonds
so received, or the value thereof, and all
interest paid thereon.
ARTICLE.-All slaves who shall have
enjoyed actual freedom BY the chances of
war, at any time before the end of the re-
be,lion, shall be forever free; but all own
ers Of such who shall not have beeo disloy-
oil shall be mpensated for them at the
same rates as is provided for States sdopt-
ing adjustment of slavery, but in such a
way that no slave shall be twice accounted
for.
"ARrICLE.-Congres may appropriate
money or otherwise provide for colonizng
free colored people, with their own CON
sent, at any place or places within the
United States"
beg Indulgence 10 discuss these pro-
posed articles OF some length. Withou,
slavery the rebellion would never have e1-
listed. Without slavery it could not con-
tinue. Among the friends of the Union
there is great diversity of sentiment and
policy in regard to slavery and the African
race amongst us Some would abolish il
suddenly and without compensation some
would abolish it gradually and with COM
pensation some would remove the free
people from us, and some would retain
them with us; and there are yes other
minor diversities. Because of these diver
stiles we waste much strength in struggles
amongst ourselves. By mutual concession
W. should harmonic and act together
This would be a compromise among the
friends, and not with the enemies of the
Union. The articles are intended to en-
body plan of such mutual concession
If the plan shall be adopted, it is assumed
that emancipation will follow at least in
several Of the States.
In the first article the NAN points are
first, the ema cipation second, the length
Of time for consummatiDg it; and, third,
the compensation. The emancipation will
be unsatisfactory to the advocates of per-
petaal slavery, but the length of time
should greatly mitigate their dissatsfac-
ton. The time saves both races from tn q
evils Of sudden arrangement, while most
of those whose hsbitual course of thought
will be disturbed by the measure will have
passed. away before its consummation.-
They will never see 1t. Another class will
hail the prospect of emancipation. but will
deprecate the length of time. They will
feel that it gives too little to tho now liv-
ing slaves; but it really gives them much.
It saves them from the vagrsnt destitution
which must largely attend immediate
emancipation, in localities where the cir
cumstances are very great; and it gives
the inspiritiDg assurance that their poster
ity shall be free forever. The plan Leaves
to each State choosing to act under il to
abolish slavery now or at the end of the
century. at any intermediate time. or by
degrees extending over the whole or any
part of that period; and it otliges no two
States u proceed alike. 1t also provides
for compensation. and generally the mode
of making it. This, it would seem. must
further mitigate the dissatisfaction of thVse
who favor perpetual slavery, especially
those who are to receive compensation
Doubtless some of those who are to ray
and not to receive will object; vet that
the measure is both just and economical is
certain. The liberation of the slaves is
the destruction Of property acquired by
descent and by purchase the same as any
other property. 1t is no less true for hav-
ing been often said that the people of the
Smith are no more IAspJnsible far the in