The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1862-03-14
EMANCIPATION BY THE BORDER STATES
prrpivEs TIE nEnxr OF HOPE

WASHINGTON. March 8.
The President to-day Transmitted TO Congress
the following message:
Fsllov citizens Of the Senate and House Of
Rsprsisntatirss:
recommend the adoption Of joint rssOlu-
ton BY your honorable bodies, which shall DO
substantially rs follows:
Rescued, That the United States ought to
cooperate with any State which may adopt
gradual Establishment Of slavery: giving to
such State pecuniary aid 10 be used BY such
State In its direction t0 compensate for the In
conyenisDces, public and private, produced by
such change Of system.
II the proposition contained In the resolution
does NOT meet the approval OF Congress and the
country, there Is the end; but Is u does COM
that the States and people Immediately interest,"
ell should be at once distinctly nstihed Of tho
fact, SO that they may begin to consider whether
to accept or reject II. The Federal Government
would find is highest interest In such meas
ure, ~ one Of the most efficient means OF SELF
preservation.
The leaders Of the existing insurreetion en-.
terrain the hope that the Government will ulti-
mately be forced to acknowledge the indspen-
dence Of some part VI the disaaectsd region,
and that oil the slave States north Of sseh parts
will then say, "The Union for which We have
struggled being already gone, We now choose
to go with the southern section"
To deprive them VI this hope substantially
ends the rebellion, and initiation Of snancipa-
ton completely dspriyes them Of Il TO all tho
States initiating T. The point Is not that all
the States toleratisg slavery would very soon,
IL ut all, initiate emancipation; but that while
the offer is equally made to all, the mere north
ern shall, by such initiation, make II more GER
tain to the southern, that in no extent will tho
former ever Join the latter In their proposed
contederacy. Initiation, because In my judg-
ment. nradual, and not sudden emancipation
Is better for all, In the more financial or pecu-
MARY view.
Any member Of Congress, with the census
tables and the treasury reports before him, can
readily see for himself how very soon the cur
rent expenditures Of this war would purchase
ut fair valuation oil the slaves In any named
State. Such proposition, on the part Of the
General Government, sets up NO claim OF o
right by federal authority, to Interfere with
slavery within State limits referring, as II does.
The absolute control Of the subject In sseA case
to the State. and It's people Immediately inter
estcd. II 10 proposed rs o matter Of perfectly
tree choice with them.
In the annual message last December, 1
thought ft to say the Union must be preserved.
and hence oil indispensable means mast be en-
ployed. I said this, not hastily bat deliberate
~. War has been and continues TO be m indis-
rensabls means TO his end. A practical re-
acknowledg cement Of the National authority
would render the var unnecessary, and IL would
Mt once cease. II, however. resistance ssntin-
ues the war must also continue, and u II impos-
sbls To foresee oil the incidents which may at
tend and oil the ruin which may follow u. such
as may seem Indispensable or may obviously
promise great efficiency towards ending the
struggle. The proposition vas made through
IN oder only. hope Il may be esteemed No
esteemed no offence 70 ask whether the pecuai-
AIRY consideration rendered would not bot be OF
more value to the States and private persona
concerned than are the institutions and prop
erty In the present aspect Of Affairs While IL
Is true that the adoption Of the proposed rsse-
luton would be merely initiatory, and not
within itself practical measure. 10 10 recon-
mcsdsa In the hops that 10 would soon LEAD IN
important results. In full view of my Iespon-
sibility 10 nay God and my country, l earnestly
bsg the attention Of Congress odd the people
to the subject. !. frr.. t..
lsignedl ABRAHAM LINCOLN.