Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-12-25

| Hon. Gideon Welles. IN the GaIa1l. give,
a full, interesting history of Mr.. Lincoln +:
! proclamation of emancipation. The follow
ing are closing paragraphs in summary con
corning the historic document:
| The period when Mr. Lincoln decided to
| give by an executive act leedOm to slaves
has been controvert d question on the part
of biographers. historians, and cpmmcatl-
tors, but no specific day or inf renee can D,
named. Impressed with the importance,
solemuIty, and responsibility OF the measure
| he was slow and deliberate IN adopting il.
For more than year alter his inauguration.
he resisted the appeals and the threats OF
his ultra supporters, who urLei ham to use
the war necessity and strike the fetcers from
the slave, in the conf lent belief that peacs.
would be restored, and the compromises OF
the constitution maintained unmpalred,
without resorting to this nee ssity. But
gradually the conviction dIwned upon hIm
that the cause which led to the rebellion
must be removed before harmony could pre-
vail. For time he INDUCED the hope tha5
the border states would view the subject a.
be viewed it, and come to the same cJnclu-
sion. Ii so, they in the wreck and downtali
OF the institution would he thought gladly
avail themselves of the proposition of grad
ual and compensated emancipation. Dtsap-
pointed after repeated earnest appeals ad-
dressed TO the patrOtims and the pecunary
interest Of the states, and failing to pursuade
them to take the initiative by volun ariIy re-
linquishing slavery he was compelled to
take the other extreme alternative of ad-
dressing himself to the rebels themselves.
and warning them that if they persisted in
rebellion after gwen date, he should adout
the policy of emancipation.
HIS interview with the representatives on
the 18th of July. and his Intellectual appeal
to them to favor scheme for voluntary,
prospective, and compensated emancipation,
forced upon him the conviction that all ar
guments and appc lis in that quarter were
vain and useless, and that different strong
er, and more ultra policy was necessary.
They, and tie constituency on whom they
relied, we're most of them Union men, but
they cluug to the system OF productive slave
labor to which they had teen accustomed
Their secession opponents at the SJuth had
from the beginning taunted them with the
assertion that they adhered TO the Union
cause the Aboltionsts would set free their
slaves and subvert the Industrial and social
system. This they had repeIled, and when
appealed to by the President lelt that they
could not sustain themselves at home If they
gave in the measure. They therefore de-
clined the proposition he made
1t was afrer that last fruitlcss and hope
less interview with the border state repre-
sentatives, on Saturday, the 18th of July,
that he became convinced the government
would be compelled to adopt the principle o 4
emancipation OF the slaves 10 the real estate
in order to c'ose the conflict In this mood,
and with this conviction, after his unsatis-
factory interview on Saturday, July -, he
felt that he must abandon that project, and
on the following day, Sunday, July l3 in a
a carriage ride to a funeral En- intrJ-
dueed TO Mr.. Seward and myself the topic
that engrossed his mind, with a request that
We should give the subject Of emaucipatins
slaves in the Southern States, alter gIvea
date, early and earnest consideration He
had not at that time fully determined on
issuing a proclamation-had not entirely /
given up the hope that the border states
might yet come INTO his scheme, which was
obviously 50 much to their advantage but !
it had become remote and glimmering hope, I
which their written reply on the l4th of /
July extinguished. Not until after that date /
did he write his preliminary proclamation,
which was, | believe, first read to the Cabi- /
net on Saturday, the I'd of August.
The truth is, he had doubted federal +
authority, and therefore labored earnestly /
and with fidelity to induce the border states +
to initiate the milder and practical policy of /
emancipation by state action,
which they clearly had the right to do. To /
them in this movement, he prom
ised the influence of the executive to give |
them peeuniiry aid. Could they have I
been Pursuaded to act, the President would .
have been relieved of embarrassment, for it +
would have been the first step in a move
ment which would have eventuated, in gen.
eral emancipation by the undoubted. right
ful, legitimate state authorities. Not until
the last hope OF voluntary emancipation was
in the interview on the 18th of :
July, did he relinquish his early and f,vorite i
policy, and take up the controverted and