The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1862-10-01
Administration Policy.

Administration PC
| We publish below
that our readers ms
| portant documents .,
the reply of Presiden
| 18th ut. to the Chi
went to urge the Pre-
raj emancipation, a
of emancipation whit
on the, 22d ult. r
The tenor of these
men,s is diverse, and
the executive mind
can only hope that it
tations of those who
urged 1t upon the |
are momcntous, and :
cast all upon the iss'
sue will be- for good.
pr EsIDrNT's REPLY.
Sept. Is, 1862.
The subject pres snted il
the memorial is one upoI
which I have though
much for weeks past, ant
may even say for months
l am approached with thu
most o,'posit c opinions ant
advice. AID that by rclig
ious men, who are equal,
certain that they represent
the Div ne will. l am sur,
that either the one or tn
other class Is mistaken ~
that belief. and perhaps il
some respects both. ! hop,
it will not I've irreverent io'
me to say that, ii it j. prot
able that God would revra
his will TO others Oh n l,oisI
so connected with mydut,
it might be supposed b,
would reveal 1t directly I,
me. For, unless ! am NOR,
deceived in myself than
often am. II l. my carneS
desire to know the will o
Providence in this matter
And If I can learn what |
is, | will 90 il. Thee ar
not however. the days o
miracles, and l suppose !
will be granted that | an
not to expect II direct rev
elation. l must study tn,
plain, physical facts OF th'
case, lScer,n ain what is pos
sible, and learn what ap
pears to be wise and right
The subject j. difficult
and good men do not a:re'
For instance, the other ia,
four gentlemen ofstandini
and Intelligence from NeV
York cal ed, rs a deiega
ton, on business connect
ed with the war !; but, be
fore leaving, two Of then
earnestly beset me to pro
claim general emancipa
ton upon which the oth,l
two Immediately attacked
them.
| You know. al 10, that tn,
last session of Congress!
had a decided majority o.
anti-slavcry men, yet the,
could not unite on thi
policy. And yet the SANE
Is true Of the religious PEG
pie. Why, the rebel sol
dierS are praying with ,
great deal more earnest
ness, I fear, than cur ow,
troops, and expecting Coo
TO favor their side /; for on,
Of our soldiers, who hat
been taken prisoner, toll
| Senator Wilson u few day
since, there was nothing 81
discosraging rs the evioen
sincerity of those lie wa
among in their prayers. =
But we will talk ovcr tn,
merits of the ease. -r
| What good would &
proclamation OF emancipa
ton from me do, e-Eecial'
ly as we ars now situated
l do not want to issue +;
document that the Who'll,
world will see must neces
sarilv be imperative lik,
the Pope's bull against tn,
comet. Would my ror,
free the slay-s, when | can
not enforce the Constit u
ton in the rebel states ,
Is there a single court, O
magistrate or individual
that weuid be influence,
by 1t there! And wha
reason l. there to think j
would have any greater eli
feet upon the slaves tina,
the late law OF Congress
which I approved, ant
which offers protection ant
freedom to the slaves oI
rebel masters who com,
within our lines. Yet
cannot learn that the Law
has caused a single slav,
to come over to US.
And suppose they coul'
be Induced, by proclania
ton offreedom from me, 4
throw themselves upon us
uhat sh0uid Ue do scit,
/ th,m! How can we fee
and care for such \ multi
tude of them :. Genera
Butler wrote he a few day
siuce, ehot he was issuin!
more ra,ions to the slave
who had rushed to hin
than to all his white troop
under his command. The,
eat and that is ali tho
it Is true, Gen. Butler j
feeding the whites also b.
the thousands, for it neai
ly amounts to a famin
there.
Ifnow, the pressure q
the war should call of GU
forces from New orleans {
defend some other poin,
what is to prevent the ma.
tiers frouI reducing tn
blacks to slavery again
for | am told that whene,
er the rebels take au
blacks prisoners, free c
slave, they immediatel
auction them of. The
did 20 with those they too
from a boat that wa
aground on the Tenues.e
river a few days ago. An
then l am very ungenei
ou.ly attacked for it.
For instance, when afte
the late battles at aad nes
Bull Run. an expedi'io
went out from Wasbiugto
under the flag OF truce, I
bury the dead and woun1
ed. aud the rebels seize
the blacks who went
help, aud send them int
slavery. Horace Gre.le
said IN his paper that til
government would prot
ably do nothing about il
What could l do!
Now then, tell me. yol
please, what possible r.
suit OF good would folio
the issuing of such a pro,
lamatioa a. you desire =
Understand, I raise no OF
jections against it, ON leg;
or constitutional ground
for, as commander -in-chi'
Of the army and navy, ]
the time OF war. ! have
right TO take any meaSuI
which ma, best subdue III
enemy. Nor do I urge oil
jections Of a moral Datur
in view Of the possible col
sequence of insurrectio
and massacre at the Soutl
! view the matter a.
practical war MEASURE,
be decided upon accordi.
to the advantage. or di
advantages IL may offer
tie suppression Of the 7
, beliion."
.
sa- s.