The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-02-08

y
lsecession) territory slavery shall cease
TO exist practically, as it has already
ceased to exist constitutionally and NOR.
ally" The growing sentiment in the
North ia,ora6ie 10 abolition added TO the
difficulties Of the administration, vet the
President was not prepared to act upon
or admit the rightful authority of the
national government to abolish or inter.
ferc with All institution that belonged
exclusively to the States, though entreat-
ed and urged thereto by sincere party
friends On the 9th of March, 1862, he
sent message to Congress proposing II
plan of voluntary and compensated
emancipation, in which lie suggested
that "thc United States ought to co.
operate with any State which may adopt
gradual abolishmelt of slavery, giving
to each State pecuniary aid" &c. The
policy Of voluntary emancipation, how-
erer, was destined to become n failure.
As the border States through their rep.
rescntatives in Congress would not take
the initiative, although in better posi-
ton to test it's value than any other Sec
ton. Becoming convinced that this plan
would not succeed, President Lincoln
determined to proclaim freedom to all
slaves in the Southern States, if the war
continued to be prosecuted after Il certain
date. This bold and revolutionary meas
ure could not be justified on any other
ground than rs n military necessity, but
it was welcomed by vast majority of
people in the free States, even though it
vas unexpected and startling in its char
acter. The extreme ti-savcry and
pro-slavery men seized the occasion to
create distrust and alarm, and the result
of the election in the autumn of 1862
was adverse to the administration. The
President pcrscvercd, however, in the
belief that this step was iustiGabc and
necessary, and consumma,ed his purpose
by q final proclamation OH the lst OF
January, 1868
On the subject of reconstruction, Pres
;dent Lincoln differed widely and abso-
Iutely from the revolutionary views and
schemes of Senator Sumner, who was
the recognized leader OF the extremists.
Resolutions introduced by Mr.. Dixon
were Numerically opposed TO the prin-
ciplcs and project of the Massachusetts,
Senator, and it was directly known that
the President coincided with the Con-
nccticut Senator in the opinion that all
the acts and ordinances Of secession were
mere nullitieH, and should be so treated +;
that while such acts might subject mdi-
cidadIs To penalties and foriciturcs, they
did not in any degree effect the States M
conlmonwcaltls, and their relations to
the Federal government; that such acts
We're rcbclli0us, insurrcctionary and hos
tile on the part OF the persons engaged in
them, but that the .Staies, notwithstand.
ing the acts and conspiracics of individ-
uals, were still members of the Federal
Union, and that the loyal citizens OF
these States had forfeited none of their
rights, but were entitled to all the protec-
tion and privileges guaranteed by the
Constitution. The theory and principles
set forth in Senator Dixon's resolutions
were the opinions and convictions Of the
President, deliberately formed and con
siatnItIv .,sntn:na,I
cordingto Mr.. Wclles. In his view there
was no actual secession, no Remembering
of the Union, no change in the constitu.
ton and the government; the relative
position of the States and the Federal
government were unchanged; the or
ganic, fundamental laws of neither were
altered by the sectional conspiracy; the
entire people of the two sections were
= .smeTicah ciiizens; each person WAS re-
spOnsible for his own acts and amcnable
to law; and lie was also entitled to tile
protection of the law, and the rights and
privileges secured by the Constitution.
The confiscntion and emancipation
schemes concerning which there was 50
much excitement and anxiety in Con-
gress were secondary in Importance to
the all.absorbing question as to prcscrv-
ing the Union.
The TACT that the administration had
lost ground among the people in consc-
quence of its emancipation policy served
Tor time to promote unity of feeling
among the members when Congress con-
vcned in December, 1862 The shock
accustomed by the measure when first
announced had done its work. The
timid, who hnd doubted the neuessi,y and
legality of the act, and feared its conse-
qaehces, recovered their equipoisr, and
re-actior followed whica strengthened
the President in public Confidence. The
radical extremists, however, especially
the advocates of Congressional suprenn.-
cy, began in the course Of the winter to
rc';sscT. their own peculiar ideas and
their intention OF enforcing ii more cx-
treme policy. Thaddcus Stevens en-.
oTaced iii early opportunity TO declare
his ultra views, which were radically and
totally antagonis;ic to those of the Presi-
dent. yet he made no open, hostile de-
monstntion toward Mr.. Lincoln person
ally. His craitincss and cunning MS u
politician and party tactician taught
him better, and his opposition WAS re.
slricted mainly to contemptuous expires
slons in private conversation against the
executive policy anu general manage.