Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-03-10
The Presidents Emancipation
Scheme.

We find in the Louisville Journal the follow
ing comments upon the Presidents recommends
ton in favor Of encouraging gradual emancipation
by pecuniary aid from the General Government
to those States who adopt that policy:
The President recommends the adoption of the
measure as means of extngushing in the re
voting states the hope that they in any event
will ever be joined out of the Union bv the now
loyal States of the South The end is certainly
legitimate. Is the measure adapted to accom-
pllsh the endI The President is persuaded it is
Herein differ with the President
The whole efficacy of the measure, as the Pres
ident admits, depends on the "free choice" of the
States concerned. But what one even of the
border slavehodng States has in any manner
shown the slightest indication of a wish or will
| ingness to adopt a system of emancipation grad
ual otherwise2 Assuredly not one On the
contrary, the settled opinion of these States,
without exception, appears to be that the present
is of all times the most inopportune for the vol
untary agitation OF the question of emancipation
in any of its aspects We believe this is in fact
the settled opinion of them ALL
Consequently, the measure, If adopted by Con-
gress. would he imperative. 1t would lie inert
upon the statute book As not one of the States
would call for the cooperation the measure
offers, the measure would be not merely ineffec.
tual, but in the line of its purpose absolutely
without results. Nav, it might bv serving to
inaugurate domestic controversy which in the
nature OF things could not be determined one
way or the other for r.Iany years, nourish instead
OF extinguishing the hope at which the President
would strike The casting of an apple of dis
| cord into the loyal ranks of the border slave
holding States at this time could but prove unfa
vorable to the true interests of the country; and
there is danger that the adoption OF this measure
would be such a movement. In Short the mea-
sure, it adopted, could not, as We conceive. pro
duce the effect the President designs and might
produce the very opposite effect
We, therefore. whilst agreeing with the Presi
dent that the measure is in itself lawful and in
nocent, differ with him in respect to its policy
We do not think it is adapted TO accomplish the
end proposed, but rather the contrary. Indeed
| there is. according to our judgment, but one fea
sible mode of accomplishing the end proposed SC
far as it yet remains unaccomplished, and thai
mode is the wise and vigorous prosecution of the
war for the re establishment OF the Government
We believe the hope in the seeding States thai
they will ever be joined out OF the Union by the
BOroer Slaveholdlng States is now exceedingly
SLENDER If it exists at all, and in our opinion, thu
measures that have reduced this hope to its pres
ent dimensions are the best measures to extin
guish it altogether.
We. however, would include in these measures
as we have heretofore suggested in columns
an early proclamation of amnesty TO the deudeC
masses who shall lay down the weapons of rebel
lion and return to their allegiance. Such proc
lamation would prove the most effective of wa
measures. And We own We should have rejoiceC
to it in the place of the measure actually pro
posed. We hope soon to see it in addition to thi
m easure.
We cannot dismiss the message without con
graduating the loyal public on the clearness anC
emphasis with which the President therein recog
nizes the right of each slaveholding State to dea
as it shall think fit with the subject of SLAYER,
without interference on the part of the Fedora
authorities. Amongst the other good effects tina
we may promise ourselves from this importan
feature of the measure is prompt and genera
howl from the whole abolition pack.