Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1862-03-13

Message from President Lincoln.
WASHINGTON, March 6.-The President
to day transmitted to Congress the follow
ing message:
Fello,o Citizens of the Senate and House
of Representatives.:
l recommend the adoption of a joint
resolution by your honorable bodies, which
shall be substantially as follows:
Resolced, That the United States ought
10 cooperate with any State which may
adopt gradual abolishment of slavery,
giving to such State pecuniary aid, 10 be
used by such State at its discretion, TO
compensate for the inconvenience, public
and private, produced by such change of
system.
If the proposition contained in the reso-
luton does not meet the approval of Con-
gress and the country, there is the end !;
but if it does command such approval, l
deem it of importance that the States and
people Immediately interested should be at
once distinctly notified of the fact, so that
they may begin TO consider whether to ac-
cept or reject it. The Federal Govern
ment would find its highest interests in
such measure, as one of the most eff
cient measures of sef-preservation.
The leaders of the existing nsurrection
entertain the hope that the Government
will ultimately be forced to acknowledge
the Independence of some par: of the dis
affected region and all the slave States
north of such parts will then say, "the Un-
ion for which we have struggled being al
ready gone, We now choose TO 60 with
them.' To deprive them of this hope,
Substantially ends the rebellion, and the in
itiation OF emancipation completely de-
priyes them of it.
As to all the Safes Initiating 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
equally made TO all, the more northern
shall by such initiation make it certain to
the more Southern, that in no event shall
the former join the latter in the proposed
Confederacy. l say initiation, because in
my judgement gradual and not sudden
emancipation is better for all.
In the mere financial point ofview, any
member of Congress, with the census Ia
bles and the treasury reports before him,
can readily see for himself how very soon
the current expenditures of the war would
purchashe, at a fair valuation, all the slaves
in any named State.
Such proposition on the part of the
general government sells up no claim or
right by federal authority to interfere with
slavery within State limits. referring as it
does the absolute control of the subject in
each case to the State and its people i'm
medialely Interested. 1t is proposed as
matter of perfectly free choice with
them.
In the annual message last December, I
thought fit to say the Union must be pre-
served, and hence all indispensable means
must be employed. l said this not hastily,
but deliberately. War has been and con-
tinues TO be, an indispensable means to this
end. A practical acknowledgement Of
the national authority would render the
war unnecessary, and it would at once
cease. If, however, resistance continue; !;
and it is impossible to foresee all the Incl
dents which may attend, and all the re-
suits which may follow. Such as may
seem indispensable, or may obviously
promise great deficiency towards ending the
struggle, must and will come.
l hope it may be esteemed no offence
TO ask whether the pecuniary consideration
rendered would not be of more value to
the State and private persons concerned,
than are the institution and property in it,
in the present aspect of atfairsl
: While it is true that the adoption of the
proposed resolution would be merely ini-
lialory, and not within itself rs practical
measure, it is recommended in the hope
that 1t would sooner lead to important re-
suits. In full view of my great response
bility to my God and 10 my country. |
earnestly beg the attention of Congress and
the people 10 the cubiect.
(Signed) ABRAHAM LINCOLN.