Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-12-13
VOLUME 26.


necessity of any derangehent, while
most OF those whose habtua course Of
thought will be disturbed by the measure
will have passed away before its con-.
summation. They will never see it.
Another class will hail the prospect Of
emancipation, but will deprccate the
length of time. They will feel that IL
gives too little to the now living slaves
But it really gives them much. 1t saves
them from the vagrant destituton which
must largely attend immediate emanci-
ton in localities where their numbers are
very great, and it gives the inspiring as
surance that their posterity shall be free
forever.
BENEFITS OF THE PROPOSED PLAN.
The plan leaves to each State choosing
to act under it, to abolish slavery now or
at the end of the century, or at any inter-
mediate time, or by degrees, extending
over the whole or any part of the period,
and it oblges no two States to proceed
alike. 1t also provides for compensation
and generally the mode Of making it.
This, it would seem, must further nit.
igate the dissatisfaction of those who fa-
vor perpetual slavery, and especially of
those who are to receive the compensation.
Doubtless some of those who are to nav.
and not to receive, will object; vet the
measure is both just and economical. In
certain sense, the liberation of slaves
is the destruction of prorerty-property
acquired by descent or by purchase, the
same as any other property. 1t is no
less true for having been often said, that
the people of the South are not more re.
sponsibH for the original introduction of
this property than are the people of the
North and, when it is remembered how
unhesitatingly we all use cotton and sugar,
and share the profits of dealing in them,
it may not be quite safe to say that the
South has been more responsible than tie
North for its continuance.
1t then, for common object, this prop.
orty Is to be sacrificed is it lot lust that
1t be done at common charge? And if.
with less money or money more easily
paid, we can preserve the benefits of the
Union by this means than we can by the
war alone, is it not also economical to do
1t Let us ascertain the sum we have ex.
pended in the war since COMPENSATED
emancipation was proposed last March,
and consider whether, if that measure
had been promptly accepted by even some
OF the Slave States, the same sum would
not have done more to close the war than
has been otherwise done. If so. the
measure would save money, and in that
view would be prudent and economical
measure. Certainly, it is not so easy to
pay something as it is to pay nothing, but
1t easier to pay large sum than it is to
pay larger one. And it is easier to
pay any sum when we are able than it is
to pay before we are able. The war re.
quires large sums, and requires them at
once. The aggregate sum necessary for
compensation emancipation, of course,
would be large, but it would require no
ready cash, nor the bonds even, any fas-
ter than the emancipation progress. This
might not, and probably would not, close
before the end of the thirty-seven years.
AT that time we shall probably have a
hundred millions of people to share the
burden instead of thirty-one millions, as
now. And not only SO, but the increase
of our population may be expected to
continue for long time after that period
as rapidly as before, because our territory
will not have become full. do not state
this inconsideratey. AT the same ratio
'of increase which we have maintained on
an average from our first National Cen
sus, in 1890, until that of 1860, We should
in 1900 have population of l03 ,20S,4l5
and why may we not continue that ratio
far beyond that period? Our abundant
room, our broad National homestead, ia
our ample resource.
Where our territory as limited as are
the British Isles, very certainly our pop.
ulation could not expand as stated. In
stead of receiving the foreign born as
now, we should be compelled to send part
of the native born away. But such is
not our condition. We have 2,963,O
square miles. Europe has $500 900,
with population averaging 735 persons
to the square mile Why may net our
country at some time average as manyf
Is it less fertile Has it more waste sur.
face by mountains, rivers, lakes, deserts,
or other causes? Is It inferior to Eu.
rope in any natural advantage If then
we are at some time to be as populous as
Europe, how soon? As to when this NAV
be we can judge by the past and the pres.
ent. AS to when it will be, if ever, de-
pends much on whether We maintain the
Union.
Several of our States are olre ady above
the average of Europe, 73b to the square
mile. Massachusetts has l57, Rhode
Island 1873, Connecticut 80, New York
and New JERSEY each 80. Also the two
other great States, Pennsylvania aud
Ohio, are not far below, the former hav.
ing 63, and the latter SO.
The States already above the European
average, except New York, have increas-
ed in as rapid ratio since passing that
point as ever before, while no ore of them
is equal to some other parts of our coun,
try in natural capacity for sustaining a
dense population. Taking the nation in
the aggregate, and we find its population
| and ratio of increase for The sovnral do