The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-09-22
THE POSITION OF THE ADMINIsTRA-

.
TION on the SLAVERY QUESTION.
The people are constantly told by
the Copporhead press and Copperhead
speakers that the war is prosecuted for
tho destruction of Slavery, and not
for the restoration of the Union. This
they know to be false The Admins
tration has frequently declared its po-
sition upon this veXed and troublesome
question. F-
The confscation law passed by Con-
gress and approved July 18th, 1862,
authorized the President to set the
Slaves of rebels free in the following
words "all Slaves Of such persons (ro-
ferring to those engaged in rebellion)
found, or being withinany place occu-
pied by rebel forces, and afterward
occupied by the forces of the United
States, shall be deemed captivos OF
war, and shalt be forerer free Of then
seruitude, and not again held as slaves. u
August 10Th, following the passage Of
this act, Mr.. Greeley addressed Il letter
to President Lincoln, through the Now
York Tribune, rcaecting upon the Pre-.
sident for refusing to act under the
law. Mr.. Lincoln replied in . letter
dated August 22d. This letter in a
few brief sentences declares the whole
policy Of the Administration, from
which it has never departed. Mr.. Lin
coin SAID:
GAS to the policy seem to be pur-
suing, as you say, have not meant
to leave any one in doubt. ! w0uld Saue
the Union. wOuLd Save it IN the Short
est Wdy uRdcr the Constitution. The
sooner the national authority can be
restored, the nearer the Union will be
the Union as it was IF thero be
those who would not savo the Union,
unless they could at the same time
save slavery, | do not agree with them.
If there be those who would not save
the Union, unless they could at the
samc time destroy slavery, / do not
agree with them. Ny paramount OBJ
Iject is to Sarc the Union, anil not either to
Sare or destroy$larery. UIcoald S0ue the
Union mithOm freeing any Slare, / wOuld
do it. If | could save it by freeing all
the slaves, | would do it. And if
! could do it by freeing some and loav-
ing others alone, | would also do that
What do about slavery and the color
ed race, | do because believe it helps
to save the Union, and what | iorbear
| fOrbear because | do not believe it
would help to save the Union. IshalI
do less whenever | shall believe what
am doing hurts the cause, and shall
do moro whenever | believe doing
more will help the cause. | shall try
to correct errors when shown to be CT.
rors, and IshdU dd0pt Rc;c rieuS so fast
as they ShaHappear to be true riers."
But we have u later cnunciaton oi
the position Of the Administration than
this. Mr.. Seward, u member of the
Administration, in speech delivered
at Auburn, New York, on the Sd inst
said:
although altogether unauthorized
to speak for the President upon hypo.
thetical questions. | think | can give
IN answer upon the subject Of slavery
atthe present day; an answer which
will be explicit, and ! hope not alto
gcther unsatisfactory. While the rc.
bells continue to wage war against the
Government of the United States, the
military measures affecting slavery
which have been adopted from neccs-
sity, TO bring the war to speedy and
succusslul end, will be continued, ex.
ccpt so far as practical experience shall
show that they can be modified advan-
tagcously, with view to tho same
end. When the insurgents shall have
disbandcd their armies, and laid down
their arms, tho war will instantly cease
--dnd all the ,Cdr measures then eristing,
mciuiiag those rhich affect SlarerG udl
ceaSc also, and all the moral, oconomi-
cal andpolitical questions, as we'll ques-
tons affecting slavery as others which
shall be existing, between individuals,
and States, and the Federal Govern
ment, whether they arose before the
civil war began, or whether they grew
out Of it, WILL by force of the Const-
tuition pass over to the arbtrament OF
courts Of law, and to the councils OF
legislation"
This is the position Of the Admins
tration with reference to the destruc-
tion of slavery. What the President
does about slavery he does to save the
Union, and not to destroy the insttu.
ton. Ifby rebellion, the rebels them,
selves destroy slavery, every good man
will rejoice and thank Heaven.
COWARDICE OR TREASON OF
MCCLELLAN.
We publish elsewhere an article
headed Mcclellan at Malvern Hill