Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-11-24
MIR. LINCOLN BREACHES EMAN.
CIPATION.

Early in August-it has been said on
Saturday, and so it was, l think, tie
second of that month-the President
called a special meeting of Che Cabinet.
The meeting was in the library of the
Executive Mansion, and not in the
Council Chamber, where the regular
sessions were usually convened. All
were present except Mr.. Blair, who had
gone TO his country residence in Mont
gOmery county. If l am not mistaken,
Mr.. Chase was also from some cause alb
sent from this first meeting. The
President stated that the object
for which he had called us to-
gether was to submit the rough draft
of a proclamation to emaneipate, after
a certain day, all slaves in the States
which should then be in rebellion.
There were, he remarked, differences in
the Cabinet on the slavery question and
on emancipation, but he invited free
discussion on the important step he was
about to take, and 70 relieve each one
from embarrassment, he wished it I'M
derstood that the question was settled
in his Own mind; that he had decreed
emancipation in a certain contingency,
and the responsibility of the measure
was his, but he desired to hear the
views Of his associates and receive any
suggestions, pro or cOn which they
might make. He had, he said, dwelt
much and long on the subject, and
formed his own conclusions, and had
mentioned the matter in confidence to
n or two of the members. Little
was said by any one but the President.
Mr.. Bates expressed his very decided ap-
prOval, but wished deportation to be
D an1rN1nA NTH apaa naf,oN5,n IL, y~,, -
was well known, opposed to slavery.
Though born in a slave State, and al
ways residing in a slave State and
among slaves, he nevertheless wished
them free, and that the colOred race
should leave the country. 1t was i'm
possible, he said, for the two races to as
simulate but by amalgamation, and they
could not amalgamate with degradation
and decentralization to the white race.
The whites might be brought down, but
the negroes could not be lifted to a much
higher plane than they now occupied.
he had been a close observer of the in
luence of slavery on the enter
prise and welfare of the eoun-
try through a long life, had deplored
Its effects, and himself had given free
dom to his own slaves, and wished them
and their fellows in Africa, or elsewhere
than in the United States. He wa fully
convinced that the two races could not
live and thrive in social proximity. The
result of any attempt to place them on
terms Of equality would be strife, con
tention and a vicious population, as in
Mexico. The whites might be debased,
but the blacks could not be elevated,
even by the disgusting process Of mixed
breeds, which was repugnant to nature
and 10 our moral and better instincts.
He therefore wished a system of depor-
tatiOn to accompany any scheme Of
emancipation. These were also the
Presidents views.
Mr.. Seward, without expressing IN
opinion on the merits of the question,
thought il would be well to postpone the
whole subject to a more suspicious pc
Rod. If the proclamation were issued
now it would be received and considered
as a despairing cry-a shrek from and
for the administration, rather for free
dom. The President instantly felt and
appreciated the force and propriety of
the suggestion. We had experienced
serious disasters Important results
were in the immediate future;
high hopes were entertained from
army operations under Halleek and
Pope, who had just taken the direction
Of military affairs. The President at
once closed his portfolio, and suspended
his proclamation and ali further pro-
ceedings on the subject Of emancipation.
! do not recolect that it vas again al
luded to in the Cabinet until after the
battle Of Antietam, which took place on
theseventeenth Of eptember-six weeks
later" The History Of Emancipation "
by Gideon TYcHes, IN December GALAXY.
"Nigger, I wants to axyOu one Of dem
thunderums.n
"Well, Sam, proceed
Why am & Niger, after eating salt
fish, Ike q celebrated poet 20
"Dno, less be-kas, be-kasesRi
"Well kase what22
"Why kase he's Dry-den.n