The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1863-09-18
The Question Of Reconssrucslon

The following extract is from an able al
ticle in the Missouri Democrat Of August
goth:
I'm the settlement Of this question. the
first and chief consideration-the one most
difiult for amicable solution-is, what course
shall be pdksDed with regard TO slavery
Ard al this point it is all important that We
SHOULD baye-a correct understanding Of the
statxs which that institution will hold when
the Union is actively reinstated. :" The
Radicals wish TO make the destruction Of
slavery in the rebel States . condition of
their return to tho Union" say the Conser-
natives. This is not SO. for the best of oil
reasons. viz: that slavery does not now ex-
ist in the rebel States. On the LIST OF jan
uary. 1868, slavery in every one OF the
States, and parts of States. then in rebel
lion against the Federal Government. died.
The proclamation of President Lincoln. the
Commander in Chief OF the army ond navy
of the United States. was its death war
rant. 1t persisted al the hands of the war
power. Legally it can have no existence in
these States, as members o the Federal
Union, until re-established. The question
then is not whether in the revolving States,
upon their resumption Of power rs mem.
loyal members, slavery shall be destroyed.
L, is whether it shall be established--ths
same rs upon soil which had been previous
" free. The question is not whether four
millions of slaves shall be made freemen,
but whether four millions Of freemen shall
be made slaves. The States in question,
in legal contemplation, are now free from
slavery-shall they remain SO. or shall they
by oar action (tor rs We have shown. the
loyal States must settle the question: be
surrendered to slavery? Shall the proclA-
mstion-which is the nations pledge, through
its proper representative, 10 four millions OF
men and women-four millions of men and
women who have been loyal to the Union
in the midst Of treason--bs carried out in
good faith or repudiated Such are the
real, solemn questions which will be pre-
sented TO the American people. and which
they must decide SO soon as the rebellion is
over. In all human probability they will be
called upon to decide in the next Presiden-
tial election.
Upon the issue we have presented We de-
sire TO be understood as holding no equivo-
cal position. We are for freedom. We arc
SO for many reasons. Our hostility to sla-
very--a hostility which after the events of
the last thirty months. needs no explana-
ton, Is one reason. Our regard for the
faith of the Nation, which stands pledged
to the freedmen Of the rebel States by the
most solemn of compacts. and under which
at Port Hudson. at Fort Wagner. at Milf
kin's Bend. and elsewhere. the men Of col
or have furnished the consideration in their
blood poured out as the price of liberty. is
another reason. Another reason, and one
OF no light weight in our estimation. is our
desire to see peace restored with the Union.
This will never be. if slavery is recognized
as an existing institution in the returning
States. AT once. in that case. will arise a
thousand embarrassing questions. which
will render the establishment of order an
impossibility. Hundreds OF thousands Of
negroes, who will in that case be recognized
as slaves, all having legal masters. will be
found living and acting as free men and wo-
men. Some of them will wear the uniform
Of Federal soldiers, and bear the scars of
battles they bad fought for the Union which
would consgn them to bandsge. An in
discriminate slave hunt would follow, lead
ing to scenes of violence and confusion, sur
passing anything Pandemoninm ever saw.
Peace in the Union. we are persuaded. is
at'ainable only upon basis OF uncondition-
al freedom"