Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1864-09-17
THE PRESIDENTS Defense OF THE
EMANCIPATION POLICY.

THE PRESIDENTS Defense OF THE /
EMANCIPATION POLICY.
Judge John 4. Mills of Missouri reports
recent conversation with President Lincoln
upon politics and the war, in which the Pres
ilent stated and defended his position with
great force. The President said to Judge
Mills:
81 don't think il is personal vanity or am
bition, though am not free from these in
ftmities, but cannot but feel that the veal
or woe of this great nation will be decided
in November. There is no program offered
by any wing Of the democratic party but that
must result in the permanent destruction oil
the Union"
But, Mr.. President, Gen. Mcclellan is
in favor OF crushing out the rebellion by
force. He will be the Chicago candidate.
Sir" said the president, "the slightest
knowledge of arithmetic will prove to any
man that the rebel armies cannot be destroy
ed with democratic strategy. IL would sa-
crfce all the white men OF the North to do
it. There are now in the service OF the u
nited States near 200 900 sble-bodied color
ed men, most of them under arms, defending
aud acquiring Union territory. The demo
cratic strategy demands that these forces be
disbanded, and that the masters be couciliat-
ed by restoring them to slavery. The black
men who now assist Union prisoners to es-
cape, they are to be converted into our enc
mics in the vain hope Of gaining the good
will Of their masters. We shall have to fight
two nations instead Of one. You cannot con
eiliate the South il you guaranty to them ul-
timate success and the experience OF the
present war proves their success is inevitable
If you fling the compulsory labor OF millions
OF black men into their side Of the scale
/ VIII you give our enemies such military ad'
/ vantages as insure success, and then depend
| on coaxng, Aattery and concession to gel
them back into the Union Abandon all the
posts now garrsoned by black men, take
/ 200 600 men ltom our side and put them u
| the battlefield OF corufeld against US, md We
would be compelled to abandon the war il
three weeks. We have to hold territory II
Indictment and sickly places ; where are the
democrats tc do this 1t was a free fight
and the field was open to the war democrats
to put down this rebellion by fighting agains
both master sud slave long b fore the presen
policy was inaugura,ed There have beef
men base enough to propose to me to return
to slavery the black warriors Of Port Hud
son and Olustee, and thus win the respect o
the masters they fought. Should do so,
should deserve to be damned 10 time and e
tetnity Come what will will keep my fail
win fliend and foe. My enemies pretend
am now carrying on this war ir the sole pur
pose ofaboltiun. SO long as l am president
1t ,hall be carried on for the sole purpose o
restoring the UniJn. But no human powe
can sutdue this rebellion without the use e
the emancipation policy, and every othe
policy calculated to weaken al the force
Of tae rebellion. Freedom has given u
us 200 900 men raised on southern soil.
will giv3 Us mure yet just 50 much it ha
suostraoted from the enemy, and instead 6
alternating the South, there are now evidence
Of fratetnal feeling growing up betwee
our men and the rank and file of the rebe
soldiers Let my enemies prove to the coun
try that the destruction of slavery is nc
necessary to restoration OF the Union.
will abide the issue"