Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-03-19
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
COMPENSATED GRADUAL EMANCIPATION.
70 n. Editors e5the National In.elligenesr

To the Editors # the National iatsttgsnesr
GENTLEMEN: The summary in your editorial columns
of the action If the Congress just expired during us a
session. though not quite favorable US tha1 ~ o "
York Times was yet marked with that resPech" 'nPa
TALLY and candor which constitute the enSapie poeuaT
of most OF your strictures The Times aep'oies INC
hur, il the Senate Of the bill for compromising the
owners Of slaves in Missouri should their Legislature
saoot the plan Of the President for gradual emancl
nation That plan was approved by Legislature which
oms dsuy 10 be free Legislature, and some mstrust
not express ng the true sentiment Of majority OF
feeboders whilst it has been rejected by almost uhan-
mons vote of the Legislature Of Kentucky with regard to
which no such doubts reasonably DO entertained The
experiment not crucial in Delaware and IN the DIS
ct but in Kentucky and Tennessee 1t is sure to become
80. The test is severe one even IN Missouri Aud.
amidst this diversity of opinion 1t occurred to me- Messrs
Editors that the views of class of persons in Kentucky
neither few nor devoid of Influence made up in part OF
shareholders we'll those who arc not and never have
been might be of interest to your readers and exert con-
servave influence during period when the passions OF
men are oyermasterng their reason.
This class is grati6ed al the failure of the bill it
only that it secures delay and deberaton but the whole
scheme, in their vew obnoxious TO very grave obec
tons Reduce the amount of compensation to minimum,
vet il swes to such enormous dimensions not only TO
appear rightfu when added the expenses of this
awful war; but threaten resistance possibly an armed
resistance on the part of those who feel nothing beyond
philanthopc interest in the Sweed to maxi
num- it will prove but drop the bucket to the broad
and deep stream of disaster and ruin which financially
would attend too sudden emancipation. In the view of
that class of persona whose sentiments am repre-
sentinQ any small allowed for compensation, such as
5000 or $500 head will only bride for hasfy e
qi.iation It can have little other effect long the
of the sum regulated by the al orness of the
time.
When any great and radical change is proposed in the
system of field labor in large agricultural district the
longer the time other things being equal the better and
10 very gradual scheme of uncompensated emancipation
seems best suited to the condition of the Border Slave
States There those in Kentucky who have been the
advocates Of such scheme for thirty forty years So
long, and emphscaly they are of opinion that the
very beet thing be done for Kentucky to bring
about at early day such change in her Constitution
as would enable her declare free certain age all born
after the year 1870 aud that all should be born free after
the year 1900 During this generation the evil would dis
appear SO gradually and impercepby that existing in
terests or vested rights would be impaired TO any such
tent as could equaby be made the ground of award
for damages is to be regretted that at present this is
far from being the general sentiment n Kentucky She
has unisey placed herself 10 such attitude Of defence
against an outside pressure that for while she refuses to
listen to the memorable gc of events and refuses to
that this war has unavodaby naugurated system of gra
dual emancipation 10 all the Border Slave States Better
accept it liked fact but not upon the principle
of compensated emancipation. Lex.