Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-04-11
anADuAL pmANcIpArIoN.

served for an honest man to inaugurate a
such as tile scheming, dwarf
hearted politician could never see. To
save and perpetuate the Republic and at
the same time do something for humanity,
is work worthy of the best energies and
highest wisdom of the greatest man. 1t
is not as many seem TO think, a matter of
slight importance to have the responsible
ity in whole or in part Of enslaying four or
five millions of human beings and holding |
them in worse than Egyptian bondage -
And this responsibility grows more bur-
dcnsome every year, as the light of ages
eliminates upon us. 1t may suit the con-
venience and satisfy the conscience of men
who know no higher ambition than to get
political prefemnent AT any cost, to cry
out against any movement of man or
panty TO tighten these bonds and rid our
land from the scorn of nations, as the
sentimentasm of fanatics and "aboli.
tioniStS But all this can never conceal
from fIeemen all over the world, the
ghasil ly fact that human nature itself is
shockingly libelled by such Il system of
oppression as has been growing and fes-
tcring in the very heart Of this nation.
and which To-day threatens its utter eN-
tinction Any man who takes the initia-
| tive IN the work of freeing This nation Of
sucl Il ionl blot us slavery, does by that
act prove himself benelaetor Of his race
and record his name high upon the tabltt
Of immortality Mr. Lincoms message
has been yarionsly received and comment
ed upon by The press. BY some it is re
garded as inpracIicable and yaluelcss. -
BY Others it is spoken Of us an abolition
scheme which j, merely put forth AS a
political ircler But lay far the larger
part it is hailed as the beginning of IL
new era Ia England and Europe il is
welcomed with marked and mleientd
satisfaction. Snrluce-readers aud surface,
thinkers and swelling demagogncs will see
nothing in it practical, or wise, or sensi-
blc But thosr who are willing 10 look
at the ease fairly, We think will see some
thing to our advantage
There is class Of emanclpationisl,
who are always in favor ol freedom and
ever proclaim their hope and belief that
in future day, 10y some mysterious pro
cess we are to see the end of slavery il
this land. Bnt their theory is oi,eags toI
Me tat@rc They are no nearer the enc
of their wishes and humane purposes than
in the beginning. Here if we mistake
not is an oar with which TO row them
selves ont of the fatal current. Multitude.
Of those who are now heart and hand il
this barharous rebellion not many year
since proclaimed their desire for gradua
emancipation, but their theory was S,
gradual as never to reach its fmitage.-
Multitudes in the Border States hay
, always spoken of their adherence of th
system of slavery, and desire for its ex
tincton. Such find in the suggestion 0
the President, channel for their bcney0
lent and humane intentions They her
= have the machinery ready to their hand.
+ There has always been a practical dit
= iicnliy in the way Of those whose abhol
II ence of slavery would vent itself. The
e have never been able 10 suggest easibl
II and reasonable method of abolishing i
" without involving greater evil We Sc
II in this plan Of gradual emancipation
way out OF their long g-Standing difficulty
N Those who are honest in their desire t
If rid the nation of tiis incubus will favor.
,r bly, regard the Presidents message Tho.
o who at heart are in favor Of slavery, wi
i, probably oppose this or any other plan
O. compcnsatiyc emancipation. Meanwh
ID the ' irrcprcssible coniicl' will 30 10
lie ward
10 That This is II practicable scheme
r. proved by similar experiments in 9th,
il, lands Whoever has read the history
rt emancipation in the British West Indie
e must admit the possibility Of the SAN
Il. thing here Ii will not do to assume til;
the magnitude Of the enterprise precud,
nj the possibility oi it, We know full WE
q that as the evil is gigantic the effort at i
sl cure must be corresponlingly so. "
Id are ready also to admit the difference b
lc tween the State Of things in British We
al India and here fIle hlack popnlat,
Ia, There was TO great extent educated III
iii prepared for freedom, and the churact
- Of their enslagement was mild compar,
ed with that ul Southern negroes But
% must also he borne in mind that the
in emancipation wa moi graduated OF pr
lie grcssiyc, while We Propose to make
,nt such in this country And yet the orde
Al of free labor has been successful in Il
.as West Indies. Ii has proved that m
II when treated as men, rise in the scale
ast Intelligence and sel-support. Incident
EN- evils we know there are, but we mi
ice own that incidental evils are preferable
er one unbroken system of oppression a
Nh wrongs. We remind such as would
nd fuse an effort for emancipation lest the
he should be incidental evils, that the peol
ed Of this land are bound by the high
.,F, All, 4r .