Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1862-03-15
Special Message oc the President

Special Message oF the President.
Washington, March 6. The Presi-
dent to-day submitted to Congress the
following message:
Felloac Citizens Of the Senate and
House Of Representatives. i:
l recommend the adoption of a
Joint Resolution by your honorable
bodies, which shall be substantially as
follows:
Reso1ued, That the United States
ought to cooperate with any State
which may adopt Il gradual abolition
OF slavery, giving to such State pecu-
mary aid to be used by such State i'll
its discretion, to compensate for the III
convenience, public anl private, inn
posed by such change Of systems:
If the proposition contained in the
resolution does not meet the approval
OF Congress aud the country, there is
an end, hut if it does command such
approval, | deem it of Importance that
the States and people immediately in
terested should be at once distinctly
notified of the fact, So that they may
begin to consider whether to accept or
reject It,
The Federal Government would find
It's highest interest in such measure,
a. one OF the most efficient measures
Of srlt-prcselvation. The leaders of
the existing ln>nrrection, entertain the
hope that the Government will ultl-
mately be forced to acknowledge the
Independence of some part OF the dis
affected region, and that all slave
States north of such parts will then
say, The Union for which we have
struggled being already gone, we now
choose to go with them" TO deprive
Them OF this hope, substantially ends
the rebellion, and the initiation of
emancipation substantially depriveS
them OF ii, as TO al the States Initial
ing it. The point is not that all the
States toleratlng slavery would very
son, it at all, initiate emancipation,
but !hat while the offer is equal made
to all, the more northern shall by such
initiation make 1t certain to- the more
southern, that i'll no event shall the for
mcr join the latter in their proposed
contederacy. say initiation, because,
i'll my Judgment, gradual and not sud
den emancipation is better for all.
In the mere financial or pecuniary
view, any Member Of Congress with
| the Census tables and the Treasury re-
ports before him, can readily see for
himself how very soon the current ex-
penditure of this war would purchase
at :, fair valuation all the slaves III any
named State. Such a proposition on
The part of the General Government
sets up no claims or right by Federal
authority To Interfere with slavery with
Ill the limits Of any State, referring as
it does the absolute control of the sub
ject in each case to the State and its
people Immediately Interested. 1t is
proposed as Il matter of perfect and
flee choice with them.
| In the annual message of last De-
cember | thought lit to say, The I'm
ion must be- preserved, and hence ali
| indispensable means must he employ
Cd" | said this not hastily out DELHI
cra,ely. War has been and continues
to oe the Indispensable means to this
end. A practical acknowledgement Of
the national authority would render the
war unnecessary, and 1t would at once
cease. II, however, resistance contin-
ueS, the war must continue, and it is
impossible IT, toreSee all the incidents
which may attend and all the ruin
which may follow. Snrh means as NAV
seem Indispensable, or may obviously
promise Z eat eiIi~ltury towards end
| llg the stray gle, mast ani will be used.
A. To the proposition now made
though nnntiirlally, | hope, i; may be
esteemed no affenrt to ask whether the
pecunlarv consideration rendered
would not be OF more value 20 the
States ami private persons concerned
than are the institutions OF slavery and
property IN t.
Ii the present aspect of affairs, while
it Is true that the adoption of the pro
posed resolution would be merely initi-
atlve aninnt within itself. 4 practical
measure, II Is recommended IN the hone
that it would sooner lead to important
results. in full view Of my great res
possibility to my God and to my coun-
try, earnestly beg the attention Of
Congress ani the people to the sub
ject.
Signed, ABRAHAMLINCOLN.
- Iit. (S1, 90 lInlA Snrth o..= L.