The Opelousas courier., 1896-04-25

he carefully preseI we'd in the archives
of the bureau at Washington, D. C.
| 1t is the intention Of the bureau to
urge upon tho government the impor-
tance of settling these claims at an ear
| ly date. AS soon as sufficient ntim-
Der Of af1idavits have been filed to
form basis of legislation bin Wnl be
introduced in congress praying for the
repeal of or striking out that portion of
section 4 Of the 14th amendment to the
constitution which reads cor any claims
| for the loss or emancipation of any
| slaves. Under articles of the consti-
tuition should two-thirds vote be Sc
| cured in congress, the matter ratified by
the State legislatures, and the clause re-
tered to be stricken out a proper bill
will be introduced praying for the pay
ment of the loss caused to the South
ern and border States as we'll as the
District of Columbia by the proclama-
tion Of emancipation on a basis similar
to the adjustment of the Haytian gov
afpp aaffpFaRt Fai ellaipss by Er88aaGsf Gf, Those who
that the military necessity plea never
originated with Mt. Lincoln or Mr..
Seward, but was trumped up excuse
To cover an act which was influenced by
the extremists.
The conservativqean1 fair minded
people of the North, East and West
never believed iD any other form OF
emancipation, but that ideS1 which Mr..
Lincoln himself so fully promulgated
during the early part of lis admins
tration, and congress actually passed a
resolution that the United States ought
to CO. operate with any State which may
adopt gradual abolisbmment of slavery,
giving to such State pecnniary aid to
be used by such State in it's discretion.
Mr. Lincoln even goes further and de-
clares that there was no possible in
tention or occasion to intefere with the
subject of slavery except in consider
ing the admission of the territories as
States. Mr.. Seward remarks:
Experience in public affairs has con-
firmed my opinion that domestic sa-
very existing in any State is wisely left
by the constitution of the United States
exclusively to the care, management
and disposition of that State, and it it
were in my power | would not alter the
constitution in that respect"
Mr.. Lincoln discussing emancipation
declares himself in no uncertain way.
Says he:
Il believe have no lawful right to
do So"
On September Is, 1869, Mr.. Lincoln
expressed these views:
THE question of Slavery is difficult
and good men do not agree. What
good would proclamation of emanci-
patton from me do? do not want to
issue a document that the whole world
would sec must necessarily be iaope-i
rative."
A few months later, the pressure of
the extremists being more than he could
hold mp under, lie issued his we'll re-
membered proclamation of emancipa-
ton to obtain January 1, 1868. A large
number Of the DOn-slave States were
pronounced against the policy of the
executive, their sentiment being. that
compensated. 1t is equally we'll known
that it was not question of enforced
freedom of the slaves in the South
led up to the differences existing be-
tween the sections in the sixties, but
the admission of the territories as slave
or free States. From the opinions OF
the men who were at the head Of the
Union you readily observe thatthe free
ing of the slaves was only considered
two years after the Kansas Nebraska
bill had done it's work.
The writer ia satisfied that were sec
tiOn of the 14th amendment offered to
Congress to-day on its passage it would
not become part of the constitution.
When these measures we're offered to
Congress it was in the heat of passion
and malevclence and not after that ma
ture and cheerful deliberation which
characterizes the American people.
They did not pause to consider right or
wrong; it was at the moment with
those who enacted the law the tri-
umph of factional and vindictive senti
ment rather than calm desire to make
all men free and to do justice one to
another.
It is fallacy for prejudiced minds to
incline to the opinion that to make an
effort for compensation is impossi BILE.
The creature can never be more Omnipo
tent than the creator. and as Congress
enacted the amendment with only a
partial number of the States represent
ed, there is no reason to doubt the pres
ent concensus Of opinion will, all the
States voting. and the conservative
North. East and West largely in sym
pathy that justice can and will be
obtained at the hands of an impartial
congress. This is the view taken at
least by conservative people who
have given this great question any
study.