Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-01-23
Freedom Convention OF the Slave
States to be Held at Louisville,
To the Friends of Freedom in the
Slaveholding States.

TO the Friends of Freedom in the
slayehoIding States.
The war which has now existed for
near three years, taxing all the strength
and devotion of the loyal people of this
republic to suppress the rebellion, has
developed no fact more striking than the
necessity of assimilating all re-occupied
hterritory before peace can be reposed
upon. The intrinsic hostility between com
munities differing so widely in their social
structure reappears constantly in the
rear of our conquests with more viru-
lence from the temporary depressions in
ficted. Assimilation, and with it per-
manent peace, can only take place u pom
the doing away of that institution upon
which the rebellion is predicated, and
from which it derives all of its sympathy
and encouragement in the loyal States.
Nowhere are there now. seen either men
or parties embarrassing the prosecution
of the war who do not connect herewith
an open hostility to all measures that
tend to relieve thescountry Of the slave
system. To suppress by force this re-
bellion, therefore; if suchza course were
more practicable than it has been found
to be, and leave the cause untouched to
breed other rebellions, and enkindle
hereafter constant animosities, ready, as
the present has done, to appeal for solu-
ton to the arbitrament of civil war,
would be national suicide
Its effects upon the several States
would be even more disastrous, antag-
onizing them against each other, neces-
sarily, from tht. presence of that institu-
tion around which would cling SO many
memories Of past conflict, and laying
waste their fields, depopulating their vii
lagos, making all tenures of life and
property utterly insecure in the subse-
quent strife for supremacy that would
result between different classes of the
community. Hence it is that an in
stance upon freedom policies both Ma
tional and State, presents itself as the
supremest duty of the hour-a duty not
to be subordinated to any theory of the
past hesitancy of the present Indeed,
the making of such an issue in the re-
conquered territory and in those slave
States which have adhered to the Union
is one of present seifpreservation to
them, as has been amply demonstrated
by the atrocities perpetrated under the
name of guerrilla warfare throughout
Tennessee, Arkansas Missouri, Mary
land and Kentucky, and demands a
promptitude of action coineident with
the distress entailed by the mere exis-
tence of slave system in our midst.
Changes which, in other days and for
other reasons, might well have assumed
n gradual character now find in Che per
lis of the times no eXcnse for delay, but
every incitement 10 an immediate cor
rective
To iisare, however, the requisite unity
and surpout.to the friends OF freedom in
the slave States, ii is primarily essential
that.the General Government should
adopt in its civil, no less than its militia
ry administration, line of action that
viii recognize, so far as may be author
lied, freedom to be the true basis of 10y
atty, and give to the communities in
volved sufficient guarantees that there
will be no retrogression in the future
but, on the contrary, an effective carry
ing out of the principles embodied in
/ the civil code under the confiScation act,
and in the military direction by the
! Proclamation Of January /, 1863 This
is necessary because few will be dis
1 posed to engage in the work of effeeting
these changes needed for any thorough
assimilation or any positive uprooting OF
slavery, if they are to be left unsupport-
ed to reap their reward from the slave
power, reinstated as dominant in either
States or nation. But it is to be remark.
ed III this connection, that the General
Government has assumed the attitude oil
awaiting a full and further signifcation
Of the popular thought, and this can only
be elected by the friends of freedom
throughout the slave States making such
appeal to the people of the nation a:
viii rivet their attention upon the great
dangers impending, arouse them t.
manifestation of sympathy with th'
cause of human liberty, and leave ne
room for any doubt as to the course tina
should be pursued by rulers solicitous tt
reflect their viii. @
For these reasons; for the promotion
of more cordialunderstandin between
those who concur in the necessity of ad
opting freedom policies fer the more ei
fective institution of loyal State organi
cations to accomplish the work of emar
cipation; and for such mutual inter
change of opinions and experiences a
may make the teachings of the past prof
in the guidance of the present, an invite
ton is hereby extended to the friends {
freedom residing in all the slave State!
|, to meet in mass convention in the city {
Louisville, KY, on the 22d day of Eel
ruary next coming.
Those favorable to such assemblae
are requested to take measures in the
respective districts for an attendenc
which will secure them representation.
, Newspapers approving this call al
requested to give it circulation.
Respectfully submitted:
B. Gratz Brown, s.. H. Boyd,
Fred Moench, Ben. Loan,
: II. r. Blow. ~ = C. E. Moss.