The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-11-21
w. r,i,seoan sroaches E,nancipasien.

Early Ia August--it has been sata on sat
uriay, aud IL SO Il was, think, the "a o,
that inonth-the President called specsai
meeting OF the Cabinet. The meeting was
in the library Of the executive mansion, anu
not In the council chamber, where tine regu,
lar sessions were usually convened. Al.
ycere present except Mr.. Blair, VINO had
cnna 70 his country residence In montgomery
conntr If ana not mistaken, Mr.. Chase
WAS also from some cause absent from this
first meeting. The President stated tnat
the object for which he had called us together
was to submit the rough draft OF procla-
nation to emancipate, after certain gay.
all slaves in the States which should then DC
in rebellion. There were, he remarked. dinc-
rcnces In the Cabinet on the slavery
question and on emancipation, but ne
invited free discussion on the lh-
por;ant step he was about to take; ana 70
relieve each one from embarrassment nc
wished it understood that the question was
settled in hts own mind that ne had de-
creed emancipation in certain contingency,
and the responsibility OF the measure was
his; but he desired TO hear the views OF MS
associates and receive any suggestion pro or
cor which they might make. He had, ne
said, dwelt much and long on the sup)ect;
mentioned the matter in confidence to one or
two of the members. Little was SAID py any
one hui the President. Mr.. Bates expressed
his very decided approval, but "isneu ue'
portation TO be coupled with emancipation.
lie was. it was we'll known, opposed TO
slavery. Though born in slave Stale, anu
always residing in slave State and among
sioyes, he nevertheless wished them free'
and shas the colored race should leave the
country. It was impossible. he SAID, fof
the two races to assimilate but by ANAL"
pamation. and they could not amalgamate
Without degradation and delnoraiizatlon
70 the white race. The whites might De
brought down, but the negroes couio not
be lifted to q much higher plane than they
pow occupied. He had been close observer
OF the influences Of slavery on the enterprise
and welfare of the country through long
life, had deplored its effects, and himself had
given freedom to his own slaves, and wished
them and their fellows In Africa, or else
where than ia the United States. he was
fully convinced that the two races coulu not
live and thrive in social proximity. Inc re-
sui. of any attempt to place them on terms
of equality would be strife, contention, anu
n 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 repug-
nant to nature and to our moral and better
instincts. He therefore wished system OF
deportation to accompany any scheme OF
emancipation. These were also the Presl-
dents views.
Mr.. Seward, without expressing an
OPINION on the merits of the question,
thought it would be we'll to postpone the
whole subject to more suspicious period.
II the proclamation were issued now, 1t
would be received and considered as de-
splirlng cry--a shrek from and for the adj
nltstration rather than for freedom. 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 opera
tions under Halleck and Pope, who had Just
taken the direction of military affairs. The
President at once closed bis portfolio and
suspended his proclamation and all further
proceedings on the subject Of emancipation:
! do not recollect that it was again alluded
to in Cabinet until after the battle of Ante
tam, which took place on the 18th Of Sep
tember-six weeks later" The History
Of Enumeration" by Gideon Wet(eS.