New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-11-24
To the Representatives, Press, md People
OF the Northern Sintcs.
From TIE hinos'i Democrat, Nc. 2

To the Representatives,, Press, md Peopl'
of the Northern Sintcs.
From TIE ni'sos'i Democrat Mo- 20
Missouri, in her recent election Of Senators ant
Representatives has declared in favor of Frse Soil
Her people have become convinced that SLAVERY Il
an evil-a weight upon her skirts, seriousy imPsd
ing Der progress in the race she is making with her
sisters Of the Union, and with which she can well
dispense. Hence their decision.
To you il may appear an easy task for q sovereign
State to free heref from a purely local institution,
like Slavery. This you may suppose Missouri Can
do. as other States have done, by legislative act of
emancipation, providing either for its immediate or
gradual abolition. II So you are not advised of the
obstacles to such action contained in the organic law
of this State The Constitution of Missouri contains
the following provision:
The General Assembly shall have power to pas. laws
tho Emancipation Of slaves without the of their
owners without paying them before such emancipation
a full equivalent for such slaves so emsncip,ted"
| 1t will thus be seen that the power Of our Legs
lature to abolish Slavery is limited to the altorna-
tives of rt-procurng the consent Of the owners OF
all the slaves, or, second, Of paying them O full
equivalent for their slaves, before Emancipation.
To procure the assent of all the owners or slave, in
the State, to their Liberation upon any terms, much
less without compensation, may be set down as an
impossibity. The authority Of the Legislature ia
therefore practically reduced TO the passage of
net Of liberation which will become effective, only
upon the means being procured and applied TO pay
ment f2r the slaves Bet free.
Owing to the utter prostration of business in his-
souri, occasioned by the Rebellion, and the heavy
Losses Of properly he citizens have sustained from tho
same cause it is out Of the question for her, either
at the present time, or in any comparatively short
period in the future, to make compensation for all
her slaves out Of her resources Left to herself
therefore, with the public debt already hanging over
her, she is powerless 10 relieve hersef nom the
burden which is weighing her down. Our people
have, nevertheless, not dospaired Of accomplishing
Emancipation, and have by their votes decided in
favor Of employing oil the insrumontalities within
their reach 10 that end. Their Chief reliance he's
been placed upon the promise OF assistance from the
General Government, contained in the special mes
sage OF tie President to the last Congress, and
the favorable action Of that body upon lis recon-
mendston.
The question now IT, whether the people Of the
Free States will, through their representatives. in
Congress, tho President concurring. render such
national aid as will enable us consiuonaly 10 nd
our State Of the incnmbpnce of slavery now Gni
for all time. The opponents Of emancipation among
us deny mat you will. As charity We have no
right to ask such assistance, nor on that ground
alone would we. Have we no claim upon your
literally Missouri has been tte frsi State 10 re-
spond 10 tie generous Offer Of the Preldent and Of
Congress. She bas accepted the proposition they
have made and is not, therefore, without show Of
claim on the ground Of contract. Upon tho score Of
mutually OF interest, however s not her case an
exceedingly strong one
Mssouri, although at no time probably having n
population the majority Of which Las not been loyal
has been cursed with most persslenty rebeI!iouB
element, TO subdue which has cot The nation i'm
meme amounts Of treasure and 10 Keep ii in snb-
lection is likely TO Involve heavy continued cxpsndi
,ure, 10 long the original cause Of tie rebellion
exists in the State. That cause il Slavery. On the
score Of economy, would II not DO wise policy for
the Government 10 remove this source Of eSpendi-
ture by the purchase anu liberation Of The slaves o.
" ssOnn rather than 10 continue ssmes upon her
soil ne che has been doipgl To ssss.Sn the solution
Of this problem, We viii state thst u matter ~
iAc, nom the beet evidence we can gather the uum.
Der % slaves yet remaining IN Missouri does not
exceed $4,000 OF this number, ono-half can safely
b. said 10 belong TO disloyal owners and to be enl
lied 10 their freedom under tie net Of conhscaiion
The slaves now remaining 10 the S.a'e are the leas.
valuable Of their kind general thing, such only
as were not considered sufficiently valuable 10 take
South, or who have not possessed sufficient energy
10 escape North Tie amount requisite, thereio.e,
:. make purchase Of the entire lot, at fair valsa-
ton, cannot be 10 considerable.
The entire nation being interested 10 the res,o-a-
,oI o. permanent peace in Missouri, is interested,
as well ~ her own people in the question Of emafci
palion upon her soil Nor does mutually Of inter-
es stop here. The locality Of Ms,our Il such tls,,
NJ a Slave State, she stands directly IN the path OF
Northern emigration, and tic expansion of Northern
free institutions. How serious an obstacle Save
State located NJ she 10 did become, WAS fairly de-
nonsira,ed in the memorable contest between Free
dom and Slavery, when the soil Of Kansas war the
debatable ground. Every day renders her position
NJ Slave State more formidable obstruction to the
free Moth. a. its free population spreads Westward
for over her soil must run the principal channel Of
communication between the East aud the West.
How essential. then. to tie North that the nstiiu-
tons Of Missouri should assimiate 70 her own.
But these are by 10 means, the only Inducements
Missouri offers tho North for cooperation In her
struggle for freedom. As Free State, Missouri
will furnish in return TO the North for the All sne
may now render millions Of acres OF the richest foil
upon which the sun lookB down, for homes Tor her
children, from which they are now excluded by the
barrier Of Slavery. Thcse alone are worth many
times the entire amount Of treasure necessary to sue
cers in tie present Issue in this State.