Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1862-12-13

as amendments to the Constitution of the United
States, all, or any of which articles when ratified
by three-tourths of the said legislatures or con-
ventions to be valid as part parts of the said
Constitution, namely:
COMPENSATED EMANCIPATION.
ARTICLE g. Every State wherein slavery now ex-
lists, which shall abolish the same therein at any
time or times before the first of January, in the
year of our Lord 1900, shall receive compensation
from the United States in bonds, bearing interest
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 or in one parcel, at the completion
OF the adjustment, accordingly as the shall
have been gradual or at one time within such
State, and interest shall begin to run upon any
such bond only from the proper time of its delivery
as aforesaid and afterwards
Any State having received bonds as aforesaid,
d. i afterwards introducing or toleratipg slavery
t. erein, shall refund to the United States the
Ids so received, or the value thereof, and all in
est paid thereon.
OF SLAVES FREED BY THE WAR.
ARTICLE -. All slaves who shall have enjoyed ac-
tual freedom by the chances of any time
before the end of the rebellion, shall be f0reUer
free; but all owners of such who shall not have
been disloyal, shall be compensated for them at
the same rates as is provided for States adopting
adjustment of slavery, but in such a way that no
slave shall be twice accounted for.
VOLUNTARY COLONIZATION IN THE U. S.
ARTICLE -. Congress may appropriate money or
otherwise to provide for colo lizing free colored
persons with their consent at any place or
places within or without the United States.
THE ARGUMENTS THEREFOR.
| beg indulgence to discuss these pro-
posed articles at some length. Without
slavery the rebellion would never have
existed; without slavery it could not con-
tinue. Among the friends of the Union
there is q great diversity of sentiment and
policy in regard to slavery and the Afrl-
al>o
it suddenly and without compensation,
aud some would abolish it gradually and
with compensation. Some would remove
the free people from US, and some would
retain them with us, and there are yet
other minor diversities. Because of these
diversities we waste much strength in
struggles amongst ourselves. By mutual
concession we should harmonic and act
together. This would be compromise
among the friends and not with the enemies
of the Union. These articles are intended
to embody plan Of such mutual conces
sion. If the plan shall be adopted, it is
assumed that emancipation will follow, at
least in several OF the States
HARMoNIzING DIFFERENCES.
In the first article the main points are
First, The emancipation. Second, The
length of time for concentrating, in years
and Third The compensation.
The emancipation will be unsatisfactory
to the advocates of perpetual slavery, but
the length of time should greatly mitigate
their dissatisfaction. The time saves both
races from the evils of sudden derange-
ment, while most OF those whose habitual
course OF thought will be disturbed by the
measure will have passed away before it's
examination. They will never see it -
Another class will hail the prospect of
emancipation, but will deprecate the
length of time. They will feel that il goes
for little to the now living slaves, but it
really gives them much. 1t saves them
from theavagrant restitution which must
largely attend immediate emancipation in
localities where the circumstances are
very great, aud it gives the inspiring as
surance that Their posterity shall be free
forever
The plan leaves to each State choosing
to act under it to abolish slavery now or
at the end of the century, or ct any inter-
mediate time, or by degrees extending
over the whole or any part OF that period
and 1t oblIges no two states to proceed
alike. It also provides for COMPENSATION.
and generally the mode of making it,
ms, 1t would seem, must further miti
gate the dissatisfaction of those who favor
perpetual slavery, especially OF those who
are to receive compensation.
WHY COMPENSATE.
Doubtless some Of those who are to nav
and not to receive will object to if. That
ha -
is certain. The liberation of the slaves is
the destruction of property acquired by
descent or by purchase, the same as any
other property. 1t is no less true for hav-
ing been often said, that the people of the
South are no more responsible for the in
PRODUCTION OF this property than are the
people of the North; and when it is re-
membered how unhestatiDgly we all use
cotton and sugar, and share the profits of
dealing in them, it may not be quite safe
to say that the South has been more re-
sponsibe than the North tor its continu-
ance. II, then, for a common object, this
property is to be sacrificed, is it not just
that it be done at a common charge 3
And if with less money, or money more
easily paid, we can preserve the benefits
Of the Union by this means, than we can
by the war alone, is it not economical to
do it?
AN ECONOMICAL VIEW.
Let Us consider it then: let Us ascertain
the SUN we have expended in the war
since compensated emancipation was pro-
posed last March, and consider whether, if
that measure had been promptly accepted
BY even some of the slave States, the same
sum would not have done more to close
the war than has been otherwise done. II
so, thu measure would save money and in
that view. would be prudent and econ
omical measure, certainly.
II is not SO easy to pay something as it
is to pay nothing, but it is easier to pay a
large sum than larger one.
The aggregate sum necessary to COM
pensate emancipation of course would be
large, but it would require no ready cash,
nor bonds any faster than the emancipa-
ton progresses.
SHARING THE BURDEN WITH PosTERITY.
This might not, and probably would
not, close before the end of the thirty
seven years At that time we shall prop
abIv have 100 600, 900 people to share the
burden, instead of 81 ,00O,0 900 as now, and
lot only so, but the increase OF our popu-
alton may be expected to continue for a
ong time after the period as rapidly IS