New-York daily tribune., 1863-03-03
EMANCIPATION IN MISSOURI

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| EMANCIPATION IN MISSOURI.
Next to the bills providing money and mel
for carrying on tho war there is no measure
now pending in Congress more necessary Il
the nations safety than the Missouri EmaDcl
patton bill. Its object has been so persistently
misrepresented by Rebel sympathizers at tn
North, and so imperfectly understood by tn
Governments friends, that it has not received
the earnest support and careful attention which
its Importance demanded. But there is still
time to pass it, and no pressure of business
will excuse its failure. For this bill is pro-
posed and has been urged. and we now urge
il on the attention of the House, purely aud
simply as war measure.
1t is agreed that Missouri is of the utmost
consequence, military and political, to the Ma
ton and to the Rebellion. Its geographical po.
stion makes its possession in case OF Dlsunon
military necessity to the North and the
South alike; while during the war it is OF
hardly less Importance as base of military
operations. How clearly both sides see this
let the desperate struggle within its borders
for the last two years attest. We have spent
not less than One Hundred Millions OF dollars
to conquer and hold it, but wc do not yet hold
it by a secure tenure. We never shall until
we make il a Free State; and this for two rea-
sons:
first: Tho value Of Missouri TO tho Rebels
depends on the continued existence OF Slavery
within it. The Southern Confederacy is built
on Slavery as its corner. stone. Alliance with
q Free State it may court, but to political
union it will never consent Let Emancipation
be accomplished in Missouri and not only the
hope but the desire of the Rebels to possess 1t
will be e1tnguisbed forever
Secondly: BY Emancipation the interests OF
the State will be- severed from the South and
indissolubly identified with the North. large
part of its population arc Rebels to-day, be-
cause they are Shareholders and believe the
existence of Slavery dependent on the success
Of tho South. Undoubtedly it is. But abolish
Slavery and compensate the Shareholders and
they have no longer any motive to side with
the Rebellion. As q FREQ State, Missouri
gravitates inevitably to the support Of the
Union.
1t is evident. then, that until Missouri be-
comes free, there viii be strong party within
her own limits opposed to the Union, and
determined purpose on the part Of tho Rebels
to possess the State. Military occupation will
not conciate Pro-slavery support, nor destroy
the hope of tho Rebels. Emancipation will do
both; in other words, will give the State to
the Union.
The bill which proposes to aid Emancipa-
tion 10 therefore directly and practically
military measure. Ii is also the only measure
which can be adopted. The State constitution
prohibits Emancipation without compensation.
and compensation by the State is out Of the
question. The Rebellion has wasted its prop.
crty, exhausted its resources, and impaired Ito
credit. The National Government must help
the State or Emancipation is impossible.
The Senate bill provided that whenever the
presiden. shall be satisfied that Missouri has
adopted valid and constitutional ordinance
for the gradual and immediate abolition or
exclusion of Slavery thereirom, Twenty Mil
lions of dollars in bonds shall be paid TO the
State. This bill passed the Senate by % yeas
to Is nays. In the House it was sent to
Select Committee who reported a new bill with
limitation of the amount to Fifteen Millions.
That bill now waits the action Of the House.
If passed. it must 90 to the Senate, and in the
crowded haste Of the closing session is more
than likely to be lost. The difference between
the two bills is of little moment. What is Of
great moment is that some bill shall become
law. and since the measure of the Senate can
be- easily substituted for that now before the
House, we urge the real friends of Missouri
Emancipation to waive all disagreements, adopt
the Senate bill and press it to passage. The
failure of this measure will yet cost the coun-
try FIVE times the Twenty Millions it aPpro-
priates, and will seriously imperil the National
cause.
TRRAaO IN INDIANA.