The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-11-04
The Abolition of slavery in Georgia.


The Committee Of sixteen, appointed by
the Convention 10 draft q Constitution for
the State Of Georgia, submitted TO that body,
on the 9th ult that portion Of their report
on which they had acted, namely the
two first articles, embraeing a Deelara-
tiOn OF Rights, and providing for the organi
cation Of the Executive, Legislative and Ju-
dicial Departments of the State Government.
| The most noticeable feature Of this portion
of the report, and that which viii be regard
ed with the most general interest," is the
twentieth item Of the Declaration, which is
in the following words
s"rhe Government Of the United States
having, as u war measure, proclaimed all
5 ayes, held or owned in thia S ate, enanei-
| pated from slavery, and having carried that
| proclamation into full ard practical effect
/ there shall hencelorth be, within the State
/ Of Georgia, neither slavery nor Involuntary
sergitude, save as punishment ror crime,
after the legal conviction thereof provided,
/ this acduiescence in the act on Of the Gov
erument Of the United States is not intend
ed 10 operate as a Teiinquishment, or waiver,
| OF estoppel Of such claim for compensation
/ Of loss sustained, BY reason OF the emancipa-
/ zion Of his slaves, as auv citizen Of Georgia,
may hereafter make upon the Justice and
mngnanimity Of that Go, eminent
Il remains 10 be seen what modification
I
The action OF that body, in simply reps aling
the act OF secession, refusing 10 declare Il
| "null and void" as was done by the Con-
vention of Mississippi, and the manifest dis
| inclination 50 repudiatc the debt incurred
| in the rebellion, render il somewhat doubt
| ful whether the Convention will SO modify
| IL a. 20 make the adjustment Of slavery
appear in any light as the act Of the State /;
and we have some iesrs that il will not be
. I I'd
vision Cor subsequent compensation.
Il would, perhaps, be wholesome If the
| President were 10 admonish the Conven-
tion, through Provisional Governor John
son, as he has done respecting the rebc
State debt that compensation for slaves,
made free by the act OF emancipat on, is not
contemplated by the General Government,
nor included as q poss bility in his policy
! OF reconstruction. The emancipation of the
slaves was made final and unconditional,
and their late owners might as reasonably
| anticipate compensation for the cotton burn
ed and property destroyed during the wa-
/ a. expect remuneration for their late human
cha;iels. The destruction of the cotton was
not more a legitimate exercise Of powers
conferred BY the condition Of war, than the
destruction Of the former yet he would be
accounted foolish who should advise the cit
izens OF Georgia that recovery for the value
OF the cotton burned, stock taken, and prop
I erty swept away in war was possible.
/ Il seema that the further the citiaens OF
the Southern States progress toward The re-
! sumption OF civil rights aud innnuuities, the
less are they incliuedtc accept the.precedent
to their full enjoyment and the more dis
posed are they % dispute terms that, at the
, sudden collapse of the rebellon, ami before
they had sscertained the intentions Of the
Administration. they would have gladly ac-
cepted Ia no convent n vet held has this
. spirit manifested itself 80 boldly as in that
now in session In Millodg,vii The advice
ct Governor johnson, IN his message % the
Convention. has been disreCauSed by the
committee that made the report fgom which
| We have quoted. His lsuguage has an EN-
, phhsis that should have bad some weight,
I even ia the committee room, and would
have made its impression there bad there
. not existed a predeterminatiou % Yield
: nothing 10 the demands "a the Federal Gov
5 eminent not absolutely exacted. "Slayery
3 has been abolished in these States" SAYS
F, the Governor, and "Georgis, IN convention,
is called upon 10 put on record an acknowi-
edCmcnt Of the accomplished fact. 90 give
assurance 70 mankind that involuntary ser
vitUde shall not hereafter. in any form, or
s bv rtue OF any device, exisi within her
e borders 10 euioiu on succeeding legislators
that they shali guard BY law, the eonIna-
9 nifty from the evils OF sudden emancipa-
r. ton; shalt secure those emerging from
e bondage, IN the enjo' meut Of their legal
+ rights and shall protect The humble, the
: ignorant aud the weak nom wrong and az
c gression."
Il is possible the Convention NAV be rui-
ded by the advlce Of the Governor il Ger
tainly j. y be hoped il WIZ bnt il tbe
Voice q The CofuniUee On the Constitutfon
controls lie action, IL will be some time he
IL iora Georgia will find herself In fan com
r munlon with her sister States. Half-wsv
!, work vii net answer ID this business.-
= Gin. C0znCIeiaL