The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-11-05
SLAVERY DESTROYED 10 SAVE T,Tr
GNaON.

by those politically opposed to him. ba,aus,
Of bis emancipation policy. He can afford to
20 before the country upon that policy. and
abide It's verdict on the 9Th instant. It Is no |
torious that he had no design TO ntermeddla |
with slavery in the Southern States, if he |
could avoid it. His great purpose in assuming
the high executive trust he now holds was to |
maintain the authority of the Government, by |
putting down the Rebellion. In order to
accomplish that end, he desired to use no
more power than was absolutely necessary.
BE would have preferred to bring the seeded |
States back to their allegiance by the mildest |
practicable means. He proved this by the |
eminently earnest and afIectionate persuasion
which, in his inaugural speech, he addressed
70 the people of the South. No person could
have pleaded with the enemies of the Govern
ment in kinder terms.
But the Southern leaders would not heed
his paternal eXpostulations. They were bent
on secession and independence, and, thinking
they had found the favorable opportunity for
carrying out their long-cherished scheme, they
withdrew from the Union, and affected to set
up confederacy outside of the national iuris. |
dicton. Even after that high act of treason
had been eonsummated, the President still
tried conciliation to recover the fugitves and
avert civil war. He gave repeated assu-
RANGES that he sincerely deprecated coercion
as remedy for the terrible exigency with
which he was confronted, and would not resort
to 1t until all other peaceable measures were
hrst exhausted.
Before gun was fired, Mr.. LINCOLN sought
10 provision the gallant little garrison in Fort
Sumter, and sent a vessel on that inoiIensive
mission. That was objected to by the Rebels
rs an act Of hostility and they declared that if
twas persisted in they would resist it, The
steamer Star Of The West was fired on while
in Charleston harbor, and was compelled to
retreat from those waters. Afterwards, Colonel
ANDERSON, then in command of Fort Sumter,
was required 10 surrender that fortress, and
when he declined to comply with the request,
the Rebel cannon were opened on the fort
and 1t fell
The war was fairly initiated by that bonn
hardment, and the President called ior seventy
hse thousand volunteers to oppose the Rebel
Hon. Even then the President could not and
did not give up his wish and hope to prose-
cute the war without interfering with the in
stituton Of slavery in the States where it
existed. lie was urged by the friends of the
Administration to yield his scruples on that
point 70 the obvious necessities, "a well as the
legal rights and powers Of his Office under the
circumstances. But he stil hesitated Time.
however, wore on, and it soon became appa-
rent that the Rebellion was not to be con-
quered by forbeafance; while it assumed SO
formidable a shape that the shrewdest states
men and generals saw that II could not be
crushed unless a strong and straight blow
was aimed at slavery, which had beoa the
root Of the insurrection, and formed one Of it
most powerful aids and supper 3.
Then the pressure on Mr.. LINCOLN wa
renewed with increased energy and persist
ence. He came at last TO recognize the fore,
and justice Of the argument in favor Of ,
Proclamation Of Emancipation, although II
still doubted the practical efficiency of tn
measure. In one OF his discussions OF the sab
ject, he made use OF the memorable remarl
about the "Pope's bull against the Comet.
Yet In the end his resolution had TO give way
and he issued his celebrated edict dccllrin
slavery abolished in all the Rebel Sltta,
Under that edict thousands of colored mHu
women, and children have been reclaimed q
freedom. Nevertheless, his policy was ossljle,
as unwaTanted by law, even if necessary in
military point Of view.
But he had taken the step which his con
scientiOus sense OF duty told him he Wa, bJun
to take as an indispensable measure for IN III
ing the insurgents and saving The Union. apt
he felt himself constrained to yiRdiclti hj
action against censure. He finally did 40 il
abriefand characteristic letter 10 Mr.. HJRAo'
GREELEY, of New York; and IN that letter h
placed his official conduct in raiercn- % tn
Emancipation Proclamation and 10, kiulrG,
measures in so clear a light that every cndi.
mind could not fail TO give MIN credit for hav
ing been actuated In the whole matter, from
first to last, by single and earnest desire Il
preserve the Union. The time has come Il
reproduce that letter, and we give it below =
"ExEoUTIyE MANSION, WAsHINorON, August
lS62.-Hon. HORACE GREELEY.-D3lr Sir
have Just read yours Of the 18Th instant, ll
I" dressed 70 myself through the New Orl{ IFtbnya
If there be in IL any statements or asslnp
V tons Of fact which may know 70 De erroneous
do not now and here conroyert them.
II there be any differences which / may Deilcy,
" 70 be falsely drawn, / do no. now ana her,
argue against them.
II there be perceptible in IL an impatient ana
ctalorial tone, waive 10 in Difference 10 an old
hlsnd whose heart I have always supposed 70
AS 70 the policy seem TO be pursuing, as
Sc aoa,tay, ,say, have not meant 10 leave any one IN
% ~ siss III would save the UniOu. / would save
.s I'm ns shortest way under the Constitution.
ny sooner the national authoUty can be
as II was. ~Ni'A VIA Dc~-IAo O4ilO-l
"Ifthere be those who yvorld 40. ,,,. r7-,.-
unless they could at the same titoe 500 sj ,.-
al do not agree with them '''S '+'S si"' 9IJ' ,
{" II there be those who would not save the
Union unless they could at the same line
My paramount object Is 70 save mo VDior
" and not either 10 save or destroy slavery ''-
al / could save the Union without freeinp
any slave, would do it: IL / could save Il by
freeing an the slaves / would DO it aud II !