The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-03-20
Emancipation.

Emancipation.
Revelations never move backward. We are
In the midst OF one of those stormy epochs of
change, which have received that name of
terror. Whether we like IL or not, the storm
will exhaust its fury, deaf to all complaints
or expostnafions. THE slowly gathering po-
litical forces, which have burst forth in this
moral tempest, are little subject TO human
control as the elements OF nature. Who would
have ventured TO predict two years ago, that
within twenty-four months slavery would be
abolished In the District of Columbia, the
Government Of the United States pledged to
furnish pecuniary aid to any State which shall
voluntarily free its slaves, an emancipation
legislature elected Ia Missouri on this very
question, an emancipation party openly can
wasting Kentucky, Tennessee. Maryland, Del
aware and Western Virginia, and still more
strange, a proclamation issued by the Execu-
tive Head of the Government, such procla-
nation as the second Adams ioretold, and in
those days no one denied its constitutionality
Ia proclamation OF emancipation throughout
all the South, except in the States just named,
issued as war measure and backed by the en-
tire military and naval force Of the country!
No Abolitionist even,so much as dreamed Of
these great and sudden changes, when the
war began. Only lew men then heard the
doom of slavery on this continent in the
booming Of the first gun fired in anger, saw 1t
In the first plash OF blood shed in civil war,
nd to them its tate seemed still remote. Still
less did the Republican party contemplate
such a revolution. They claimed the right to
elect their own candidate, unmoved by threats
from whatever quarter. They claimed the
right peacefully, at the ballot box, TO throw
their influence in favor OF freedom and against
slavery in the Territories. With their mo-
q YES We have nothing to do. Some of them
believed slavery criminal, many Improbable,
. nd yet others acted with the party in a spirit
of defiance to the noisy threats OF the South
er disorganizers- Wiling, il the peaceful cleo
ion Of Northern President was to be made
q pretext Tor rebellion, to meet the danger
then. They exercised freeman's privilege,
. nd were prepared TO maintain a freeman's
right to vote freely. That was all. And yet,
See whiiher two brief years have brought us!
See how steadily the wind aud current set in
tn same direction still! Slavery" says the
st. Louis MOI Democrat OF the 9th instant,
"is but a minor interest in this State, and it
will not be permitted 10 stand in the way of
"grealer ones. 1t has ridden upon the shout
"ders OF the State too long already. and must
"come down." The appraisers Of the proper
ty OF Charles Carroll, late OF Carroll county,
In Maryland, assessed the value of 1870 slaves
at an average Of only fire dollars. Dealers
are shy OF this uncertain property. Even in
Richmond, the price OF the best servants ex-
hibits but slight advance, while gold COM
mands premium OF $50 per cent, and almost
all other articles OF trade have gone up in pro-
portion.
Tire Republican party is not responsible for
al this. That party was fixed in unalterable
but Constitutional opposition TO the further
extension OF slavery. 1t claims the high praise
Of maintaining firmly and yet temperately that
attitude, fiinching before no threats and ac-
cepting without fear all the consequences.
Most assuredly the party did not seek war,
did not seek TO Interfere with the reserved
right of States to regulate their domestic in
situations; but it did not shrink from war,
hen presented as al alternative to the sur
render OF principles, and it will not shrink
from the apparition OF emancipation, which
looms before us so suddenly. That must also
be accepted, as one of the conseque ces of the
inevitable conflict. That result will he wrought
out, whether we will or not, In some form. 1t
Is the duty of our statesmen, TO see to 1t that
the Republic suffer no detriment from this
great social revolution; to lend an attentive
ear TO the teachings OF history, since the be-
ginning Of this century; TO shorten. so far as
Ia them lies, the journey through the wilder
ness TO this promised land OF peace. The cur
rent OF events drifts irresistibly towards eman-
cipation. We cannot cheek the operation of
the social forces thus at work; we can and we
must bring the ark OF our government TO her
moorings by that lofty summit rising above
the flood, not with rude, disastrous shock,
rending asunder the stout planks and timbers
which carry all we hold dear, but warily, with
anxious care, and safely graduated movement