The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1862-06-13
Abolition Troubles.

The difficulties which beset Lincoln on
the Abolition question are pressing and
must be solved. Shall the South be slave
or free? is question which must be an
swered.
The proclamation Of Gen. Hunter gave
every slave freedom, but it startled That
section Of the North that fights to re-
store the profits of trade. This must be
appeased by n proclamation setting forth
that the President reserves the right of
lberating the negroes in his own way and
ct his own time TO conciliate the Abo-
litionists the border slave States are af-
fectionately admonished to accept the
terms offered in the joint resolutions of
Congress, as the best terms, they can
hope for. At the same time u conven-
ton of the friends of border abolition is
called in Kentucky.
The whole conservative world is more
interested in this question, perhaps, than
ourselves. With the preservation Of our
liberties, the Institution of negro slavery
forms condition of society most favora-
BILE to public justice and national pros
perity, but if we may be subjugated upon
the empty and infamous pretences pro-
fessed by the North, why should we care
to preserve institutions which may be
perverted to our destruction. To us,
stripped of freedom, the Institution of
slavery becomes dangerous burden
Its successful operation depends on the
undoubted control of the master over
his own property. When the lnterven-
ton of another is admitted, the master
becomes the agent of that other, incur
ring the charges and meeting the dan
gers of such condition and subject to
the deprivations of property at any mo
ment. The conservative world is greatly
interested in the commerce of slave pro-
auctions. With us the evils which threat
en- are so far beyond any pecuniary con-
sideration, that we should lose sight OF
both the mode of labor and its profits
For can any one suppose the abolition OF
1880
of Congress? The history of this wal
shows that, wherever the authority Of
the local law has been suspended by the
presence of an army, the slaves have
adopted freedom or slavery according tc
their individual discretion We have
known instances where the male slaves
! ,ro,,l1 To tho on1 -, Il,
time would return, take all the carriages
ard horses of their masters and remove
the women and children within the Yam
kee lines, Washington City is filed Will
slaves. The Abolitionists have opened
schools for negro instruction-they have
taken the lands nf private citizens, EN-
ployed slaves as free laborers, and pro
poses to cultivate cotton with a colony Of
negroes who have fled from their masters
Why then need Hunter liberate slaves
by military order? All that are within
his control are already free; those beyond
it will continue in bondage. Why should
Lincoln abolish slavery by proclamation
They will be as effectually freed by sue
cesstul war.
The proclamation of Lincoln, revokinl
the order of Hunter, is intended for eff
feet in Europe and at home. We SHOULD
scarcely suppose it can impose upon an,
one. The subjugation of the South il
inevitable abolition, and the world haC
as we'll so regard it. If we cannot Sc
ourselves free, we cannot keep the slave
in bondage.