The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-03-25
Finale on President Lincoln. the Southern
Slaves. and President Jefferson Davis.
nY r II nowIsoN, IT. q

To THE fREE Lance:
In your issue Of March 6, 1902, our re-
spected icllOw-citizen and friend, Judge
t. II Ashton, of King George county.
admits his identity with the person pre-
viously presented only by the mystic
initials G.. II L., and gives To us well
written article seeking To defend his
views But however excellent in rhetoric
and English style his article may be. !
propose herein to show that, in the light
OF history. it is unsound and misleading
and sets forth errors such as a lawyer
and Judge might easily have avoided by
proper research; and that his accusa-
tions against me are unfOunded, and
unjust. and contrary TO the very spirit oi
authentic history.
He actually ventures to assert that
President Lincon's resolution OF March
&. 1862 (which was in these words: " ke-
solved, That the United States ought TO
cooperate with any State which may
adopt gradual abolishment Of slavery,
giving to such State pecuniary ald. to
be used 10y such State, in it's discretion
to compensate for the Inconvenience.
public and private, produced by such
change of SYSTEM, did not meet the
approval of Congress and the country
and never was adopted ~: and that in
the language OF Mr. Lincoln that was
the end of it, ~
Being greatly amazed that a man as
intelligent and we'll informed as Judge
Ashton should have yentured to make
and publish such "a statement, and hav-
ing observed that an inaccurate and de
fective quotation of the words of this
resolution appears in the American Cyclo.
padia for 1862. on page 72O, under the
head OF Public Documents, deter
mined to 90 to the bottom in analyzing
this question. Therefore wrote TO Hon.
John Lamb. a member OF the House OF
Representatives (to whom | was already
indebted forrepeated instances oicourtesy
and kindness), and requested him TO iur-
nish To me references To such Presidential
messages or acts OF the United States
Congress. Cor of their adoption OF this
resolution. or Of such other public docu-
ments as bore on the subject. lie replied
as promptly as possible, and gave me
references to authorities which perfectly
establish historic truth on this question
and annihilate the statements OF Judge
Ashton. The resolution OF March q, lSG2,
was adopted and by large maiorities' IN
both the United States Senate and House
of Representatives. In that same 6th
volume of Messages Of the Presidents
to which our friend OF King George
county refers we have, from page 6o to
page 1856 inclusive, a complete and
authoritative exposition of this resolu'
ton and its sequel. And in the proclaim
alton of President Lincoln (pp. 9l-92),
bearing date May 10, 1862, after giving
his reasons for disappearing and annul-
ling the arrogant and illegal act OF Gen
David Hunter. whereby that officer under
took to emancipate all the negro slaves
in Georgia. Florida, and South Carolina
President Lincoln makes these decara-
tions of fact: 1.-The resolution in the Ian
guage quoted which is identical with
that already given herein] was adopted
by large majoritias in both branches OF
Congress. and now stands as authentic,