Delaware State journal and statesman., 1864-02-23

ing IN his military capacity in time OF war, he
| mas the right TO cripple the enemy by depriving
him of any species Of property which helps him
to continue the struggle He has the same right
to take his slaves aud put them in the ranks as
freemen, as to seize his horses TO mount our cav
airy, and his grain 10 feed them. By the law Of
war he had right to do this without notice or
warning. But before using his war-right in the
case Of slaves, with that cOnsiderate moderation
for which the President is distinguished, be gave
the enemy notice Of his intention, unless in the
mean time they should return to their allegiance.
The only proof which he required Of their loyal
~, aud the only condition Of amnesty, was the
appearance Of their senators aud representatives
in their seats in Congress.
That was their time to restore the Union us il
was, and the Constitution as il is, slayerJ and
all. But they laughed at the warning, and
scorned the offered concession God turned the
counsel Of their Ahthophels into fOoshness
that he might destroy them and slavery together
II is now too late to save the Union aud slavery
both. That Being who causes the wrath of man
TO praise him, made the madness Of tho slave
holders bis instrument to snap asunder the links
OF union Of liberty with slavery. Such union,
had the shareholders accepted it, would have
been but new Inauguration Of the 'trreprSssi-
BILE conflict" and its path Of infamy would have
been Through ires concealed beneath deceitful
ashes" The Union which. is now promised us,
aud which trust God will vouchsafe to us, is a
union Of fraternal States, of mutual interests Of
compatible civilizations; common history,
destiny, and glory nation one and indivsible,
with liberty inscribed on every fold Of its ban
ner, such Union as fred the soul and tongue
Of Webster: "Liberty and Union, now and for
ever, one and inseparable." | pity the man
the Northern man-WhO in the present stage Of
our great conflict disregards the plain intima-
tious Of Providence, ignores the great opportuni-
y " irh ~ crime of the shareholders has offered
.b.lsn such q Union, and still shouts ''slavery
hrsl and Union RfterWards-savery and Union
now aud forever-but without slavery, no Union"
II is too late for that. When the hundred
days grace 10 slavery expired, the irrevOcable
word was pronounced, aud since that moment |
every slave Of every traitor has legal, as we'll |
as natural right to freedom. He is freeman |
by the law of war, and no power exists in this
government to reduce a freeman to bondage.
There is another answer to the s'aye-worship
per's argument. The rebels have committed
felony, the most atrOcious felony known to the
law-tTeasoH. By that crime they have not only
forfeited the right to liberty aud property but
the right TO life. The !eon incendary, who ap
plies the torch to your dwelling at midnight, is
not restored to his forfeited rights the moment
he surTenders himself TO the sheriff and shall
the felon traitor who has applied the torch to our
glorious temple OF liberty, and kindled the flames
VI civil war III pehceiul anu prosperous nhtlOn,
be received as good citizen, and nolle prosegui
entered on the record, the moment he lays down
the weapons of his rebellion? The government
eau never permit that but il may offer oond-
tions Of amnesty. This is what the President
has done; and the entire form and substance,
body, soul, and spirit Of the conditions which he
proposes, are simply this that slavery shall be
destroyed, root aud branch, and swept from the
land forever
But there are certain States in which slavery
exists, to which the proclamation of emancipa-
ton did not extend. What is TO be done with
these The border States arc becoming as Iadi
cal friends of emancipation as New England it
self The term abolitionsl has lost the terror of
its ancient opprobriun there. There are, to-
day, more abeitionists in West Virginia, in pro.
portion to Its population than in Massachusetts,.
The same will soon be true in Delaware, Mary
land, and Missouri and Kentucky will not lag
far behind her sisters Of the border. The border
States may be safely trusted to themselves 10
this matter. They will finish up the work Of
emancipation more effectuaily and in less time
than the government can do ii for them. The
change Of opinion in those States on this subject
is rapid and radical. 1t is one of the revolu-
ti0ns which never go backward.