The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-12-22

Grated, but fol- many others. for all are to be
liberated. siare,y must die that the nation
may Ipei They will want but little, nor want
that little long. They will want it to start
them, Ia the same manner as a poor man in
the country, who loses his house by fire, needs
little TO begin with. They are all enured to
labor, and being relieved from the burden OF
supporting the furtlvc, periured, murderous,
and rebelious shareholders, and being tracta.
bic, they will readily become selfsupportiug
and steadily advance in education and morals.
The ridiculous idea formerly entertained BY
some, and even by myself thirty years ago, that
they are all to be exported to Africa, when We
need their labor here, is as thoroughly explo-
ded as the threat of the rebels at the begin
ming of the war, that in case emancipation
should be proclaimed, they would prevent it
by shooting them all. They are all to settle
on the forfeited lands Of the rebel shareholders
in the rebel States, and being truly and heart
lily loyal, are soon to become a useful and
thriving agricultural class. have no doubt,
that after new State governments shall have
been organized, and the idea of the nation
actualized In universal freedom, all the
blacks and colored persons of the Northern
States will from choice go South.
They will soon be sclfsustaining, so they
will need comparatively little. What they
formerly needed has been already mainly con-
tributed in the incessant efforts that have been
made by portion of The people within the
last thirty-four years to change public senti-
ment with reference to their condition, their
status, their relation to the constitution and
country, to prepare the people for the present
hour. Though each will need but little. In
the aggregate it will amount to considerable
OF sum.
Ii 1 advance athree-hundredth part as much
as have already done in contributions, In
journies, In speaking, in writing, and in what
| have suffered by the loss of professional
business for doing my duty, in my judgment
1t will be my full share and all that will be re-
quired of me. As near as can estimate it,
that will be about fifty dollars. accordingly
place that sum in your hands, to be used for
the benefit Of the freed men, women and chill
dren, delivered from the house Of bondage by
the present war, whenever you can find re-
liable committee or agent to appropriate 1t.
My means are comparatively small Ifall who
are able to make advances, viii do as much in
proportion to their ability, I think there will
be enough.
One thing must not omit. The Hon. May
or and his worthy associates say: "The great
est event in the worlds history for 1868, is the
Restoration Of the Mississippi to its own true
allegiance" That is matter of opinion. /
think 1t is narrow and mercantile view. No
doubt 1t was a great fact. The taking Of
Vicksburg was grand military feat The re-
newed navigation of the Mississippi by the
vessels Of the Union was a sure presage Of the
downfall of the shareholders confedcraey.
But the ownership and navigation of no
river In the world can compare in moral gran
deur, and live in history with proclamation
that knocked the letters from 8, 10000 human
beings, and from property transmitted them
into men. In my opiaion, the Presidents
Emancipation Proclamation trHl lice in his
tory thousand gears hence, ,chen the open
ing Of the Mississippi is hardly remembered,
as the grdndest fact that has transpired on
the Continent since 1t uas discovered By Co
htmbus. Yours truly,
JADEz G. WooDaAN.
Dec. is, 1865.