Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-07-25
1.-THE PRESIDENT AND THE BORDER
STATE MEN


Perhaps no documents which have been
laid before the country, since the outbreak of
the rebellion can be compared in importance
with those which we have presented to our
readers this week in the form Of an address
by the Presiden' to the border state men,
with the majority and minority replies and
the reply of Mr.. Maynard. There was no
need Of such document az the Presidents
address to convince the country that Mr. Lin
coin heartily and earnestly desires the eman-
cipation of the slaves, and that the country
may forever be freed from the institution
His past political record is unmistakable evil
denco on that point, and nine.tenths II not
nnety-nine one hundfedths Of the people of
the free states agree with him in the desire
that sooner or later-immediately if it could
be--ihis country may be in reality, what 1t is
professedly-a nation Of free men, But how
ever great President Lincolns desire for such
an end may be- he has now to deal, not with
the abstract question Of slavery, but with the
reality. Slavery exists in the border states
which are still loyal to the government, and
exists solely by reason Of local law, over
which neither the President nor Congress can
have the least control. The subject is, as
the President tells the border state men,
" exclusively your own" But the whole
rebellion rests for basis on the institution Of
slavery and SO long as the border states re-
tain that institution, so long do the reyolted
states cling to the hope that eventually they
too will break their allegiance with the ieder
al government and become part Of the
Southern Contederacy. But for this hope,
the weakness Of the seeded states would be
apparent to the world, and the rebellion come
to a speedy end by reason Of the universal
condemnation it would receive from every civ
idzed nation.
But the inducements held out by the Pre-
sident as reasons why the border states es-
peeially should accept Of the proposed offer
for compensated emancipation are, to those
whom he addresses. Of the strongest nature
He asks them to look at the stern facts Of the
case. They profess loyalty to the govern
mont, and prefer that the constitutional re-
latiou of the States to the nation should be
practically restored without disturbance Of
the institution" A Union restored is the chief
: desire Of the President III this were done, 80
be tells them, my whole duty, in this respect,
under the Constitution and my oath Of Office
would be performed, giving them the assur-
ance that bis chief object is the restoration Of
the Union and the maintenance Of the consti-
tuition, and that the subject he urges upon
their consideration is not so much an object
to be attained, as the means of efecting the
perpetuation Of " popular goyernmen, for the
best people in the world" He reminds them
tina, " the incidents Of the war cannot be
avoided - and none know better what these
incidents will be, so far as slavery is concern
ed than the border state representatives
themselves, unless the war can be brought to
speedy close The peculiar institution
will be extiuguisbed by mere friction and
abrasion - it will be FILTERED away little by
, little until its entire value viii be lost to
them. The President therefore, asks Of
them to accept the enormous sums that must
otherwise be expended in prolonged war,
; a. a compensation Tor tho loes Of their intev-
est in an institution whose existence in their
states, the President thinks. can alone be the
means of giving hope to the rebels and thus
! indefinitely proloug the contest There may
be difference OF opinion among the people OF
the free states as to the effect on the seeded
o states of the abolition OF slavery in the border
states but as to the effects Of the war on
3 slavery in those states. and as to the earnest
Z appeal which he makes TO them 20 take the
iniuatory steps for emancipation, and as to
the urgent necessity which induces him TO
make such an appeal there can be little or no
G difference Of opinion.
But these arc not the only considerations
which the President presents to the border
State men. While they are DESTROYS of re-
Z tanning the institution of slavery, and equally
! DESTROYS at the same time OF preserving the
Union, there is another tlass. "whose support
e the country cannot afford to lose, who are
4 urging upon him with increased pressure the
: necessity Of declaring freedom to the slaves
a means of ending the war. He cites the
5 proclamation Of Gen. Hunter, the Reputation
4 OF which gave dissatisfaction to SO large a
= numbes Of loyal men, and urges them to re-
I lieve him and the country by practical and
o constitutional solution Of the question so far
as the border States are interested. What
a course he will pursue with the institution in
T. the rebellous States does not appear from
+ his address but the effects Of the war and
e the operation of the confscaton act, which
j. is really an emancipation act so far as the
T. slaves Of rebels are concerned, will solve tn,
e problem in those States in great measure
IS What little Of loyalty there will be left Il
h claim protection to slavery will be but com
r paratiyely a small burden upon the Nationa
treasury II the border States shall set the ex
ample OF devotion TO the country, sacrificing
10 their interest in the institution by aceeptin,
u the preferred compensation.
The reply of the border State men to thes'
- urgent appeals of the President is frank, ant
we are bound to believe candid, The MAORI
n ty of them do not concur in the opinions o
l. the President: and in substantiation of tbei