The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1863-04-25
THE EMANCIPATION POLICY.

Some of our tender-fo friends are sc
afraid of div.ling and distractng the Unior
sentiment of this State that they are in con
tinuul trepilation lest the Emancipation
question should be made one of the issue,
of our next election, and are persisently
endeavoring to keep it out of the campaign
Mr.. Richard Chambers Of Greensborough
Nd, who is one Of these timid Unionists,
wrote recently to Post Master General
Blair to know whether it would not be bet.
ter to ignore the question, by pursuing the
same old non committal policy the poll.
ticians of Maryland have been pursuing for
so many years, to which Mr.. Blair replied
thus:
"DrAR Sri have yours of the 23d ask.
ing whether 1t would not be better for us
not to make the question of Emancipation
in our approaching election.
If as you assume, it was in our power to
make or not to make the question, it might
be profitable to debate with ourselves
whether We would or would not make it
But when in point of fact, it is not for us to
say whether the question shall or shall not
be made, it seems to me to be idle to dis
cuss the policy Of making it, The question
is upon US, and all that we can do is to say
on which side We shall range ourselves. -
10 be debating whether it is better or worse
for US to have it, is like debating whether
the rain that is falling is needed.
! know, indeed, that too many of our
friends are so afraid of the slavery question,
or rather so terrified at the Secession howl
of 'Abolitionists,' that they persuade them
selves that they can dodge the issue. and
can even join in the howl. without helping
the Secessionists but the war now drench
ing the land in blood, which is due to this
tmidity, should at least teach us that to
cover before traitors and adopt their slang
IS alike inconsistent with patriotism and self
respect.
No one can doubt that if the men of the
South Who dissented from Mr.. Calhoun 5
monstrous doctrines had stood up boldly
against them we should have extiusushed
ing common cause against the nuliiier they
joined in his war cry against the North,
which utterly drowned the feeble notes they
attempted to utter for the Union.
Such have been the disastrous results of
attempting to dodge the slavery question,
which Mr. Calhoun, as VIC find by his pri
country. Force the issue, IL wrote Mr..
Percy Walker. and accordingly it WAS and
is forced upon US. Let us meet it like men.
Yours truly, NJ. BLAlR.'
And IN this letter, the Substance Of the
whole matter is compressed. Time serving
politicians and tricky demagognes who are
afraid of the slave oligarchy, or whose SYM
pathy are all secretly enlisted in its behalf,
may induce many weak kneed and faint
hearted Union men to believe it impolitc
to agitate the Emancipation question at this
time when we need harmonious and united
party. But who has agtated, or is agiat-
ing the question? The Rebels have forced
it upon US, as they did the Rebellion, and
we must meet it whether or no. Slavery is
either good thing or bad thing. Which?
If il is good thing-good for us as a State
and people let us elevate and defy it.
But il it is a bad thing for US, let us crush
it out and remove the rubbish as speedily as
possible. We care nothing about the
Emancipation policy, as policy; tor we
believe that slavery is doomed, and that a
legion of devils could not save it from utter
annihiation but since it has been forced
upon us we have no desire to dodge it, nor
can we see why any sensible, loyal man
should wish to ignore or evade it. We do
not say that all who are opposed to Eman-
cipation are opposed to the Government,
but we do say that all who are opposed to
the Government are opposed to Emancipa-
ton; and we think there are very few so
blind as not to have seen long ere this, that
whenever men, even though they style them
selves "good Union men," have ceased to
give a hearty support to the Government
they have soon been found in the camp of
the Rebels. The only true course to pur
sue in these times of trouble is an earnest,
strai ght forward, consistent one. Whenever
and wherever we meet Treason we must
wage war against it; and whatever issues
may be forced upon US by this accursed
Rebellion we must face fairly and squarely
eye to eye. and hand to hand. Each issue
as 1t arises must be met and settled, or it
will return in the future to plagne and curse
u.s. And the man who gables at this late
day about ignoring the Emancipation policy,
through fear of distractng the Union SEN
timent or weakening the Union cause,
exhibits ignorance too dense for enlighten-
ment 1t cannot be evaded. 1t is upon us,
and we must meet it. Let US then meet it
like men, and see to it that in the approach
ing campaign we vote for no candidate for
otlice-no matter how unimportant it may
be-wh0 is not willing to throw aside all his
peculiar views and prejulices, and give an
unqualified, unconditional support to each
and every measure the Administration may
deem proper to adopt for vigorous prose
cuton Of the War, and speedy and entire
suppression Of the Rebellion.
Hon Richard Ii. Carmichael.