Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-03-23
AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.

AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
Among the many advocates OF the
emancipation policy, none stood ahead
Of Horace Greeley. The pressure con-
centratcd upon the President TO cause
him to depart from conservative
ground and adopt the wild and iauati.
cal schemes Of Northern d,sunicnsts, wa.
immense, and day after day its force was
augmented by The Tribune. Those who
remember The manner in which that
sheet portrayed the benefits OF that inca
sure, cannot bu, be surprised at the en-
tire change that has taken place in Gree.
ley, Is regards the emancipation scheme.
lie now confesscs that il is q nulli,y.-
And not Greeley alone, but sll OK its ad.
vocates have found tina. Of verify the
proclamation was "hrll against the
comet
Several days since the Tribune stated
that \ State might faye its slaves by .
prompt aud thorough Withdrawal from
the rebellion, or words 10 that effect,
whereupon be was taken TO ,ask by q
mar named Potts, who desired this phil
osopher of the Tribune to explain him
self. Potts is Of that class OF men,
probably. who believe that tie emanc-
patton proclamation was tie FINAL blow
- slavery in the States where it existed.
There are great many OF the same
sort.
The reply is rather lengthy. and We
can only publish that portion thereof
which comes up directly to the point:
WI. Bat suppose the rebels were
tomorrow 10 lay down their arms and
return to unconditional loyalty aud their
several States 10 be theieupon reco.ni-
zed and accepted as members OF the
Fedora! Union, and suppose them there
upon to res.trm and rc-cnhct the laws
under which slaves are now held bv them
respectively, ,chat IS 10 override and sub
cert a.0s, ia'cs Wtthin tie sphere OF their
legitimate action. Suppose, escn, that
ecery sidue roo heldin Gcoryia cere act
uaAy set free, and that Georgia, having
returned to loyalty and bee. again rec.
egnizcd as an equal member Of Tie Onion,
should proceed to reduce Me0. once more
to s!acery, ,chat docs M. PITTS propose
to do about IT. We have not the
smallest doubt that ar ex.slaye, living il
Any Tree St,te, who shoaId b. pursued
as q fugitive, might plead the Press.
dents Proclamation, aud his virtual ac-
ceptance OF ils conditions, BY deserving
the rebels and sdherlng to the Union.
as bar 10 his ex-mas,er's claim. Bu,
that the Union, or any one &C. ny uu der
its authority, could interpose betweeu
two native or natural zsd inhabitants OF
Gsorgis, aud override the constitution
aud laws OF that State-she beng peace
ably, indsputabiy Loyalty within the
Union-and defeat the claim OF the one
to hold tho other as his slave, We
do not understand. The President has
hot assumed to abolish the laws Of any
S.ate-much lees to forbid their re.en
actment after the perfect restoration O.
tie Union.
"Nlll. That tho rebels will pcr.is, in
the rebellion 10 the overthrow aud ex
tinction OF slavery, wo deem morally
certain. That it would be uuwi.e aud
Pehious on their part TO attemp, its re-.
establishment, even were the war TO
END morrow, VIC caInot doubt. But
tnas our government las in any man.
ner pledged itself 10 continue the war
one moment longer than shall be ne.
eessary to bring the rebels hack Ia
loyalty to the Union aud conslitut;op
We emphatically deny. Were the rob.
e. States to say to the Federal Gov.
eminent Tomorrow, .Wi,hdr.w ronr
proclamation Of freedom and We will
each return to loyalty, cleo, member.
TO The next Congress, aud fu,filI eyery
constitutional Obligation" We hold ,bs,
the President would be al pc..cc, iii
city to accept the otf=r it be saw fl
taking care that every one, whe.he
white, black or Of mixed blood, VIII.
had adhered to and served the Uuio,
IN the struggle should be shields,
from persecution therefor. But that Il
e'a1a oo"sfrs.n the State Of Georgia o
any other State, persistenHy 10 syea.
g,tAi" her orn boundaries and jur,s
dsefio", persons as free, rho ale cAoe
70 regard AZ slases, IL not eyideme d
~. Y hsnisht, tome one can ssv IN.
.rIlna u n