The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-01-27

ROADS resolved TO commit nlfnSeIf 10 tnat
proposition. lie did, according to the Of
fetal reports. refer To IL In specific terms.
having already formulated a plan OF pro-
cedure. This plan requires no verifca-
tion. IL exists and may be seen in his
own handwriting.
1t embraced a joint resolution to be
submitted by the president TO the two
houses OF congress, appropriating H00. .000,-
900 to be distributed among the Southern
states on the basis OF the slave popula-
tion OF each according TO the census OF
1860. and a proclamation to be Issued by
himself, as president when this joint
resolution had been passed by congress.
There can be no possible controversy
among honest students OF history on this
point. That Mr.. Lincoln said to Mr..
Stephens: Let me write Onion at the
top of this page and you may write below
IL whatever else you please. Is referable
10 Mr. Stephens statement made TO many
friends and attested by number of re-
liable persons still living. But, that he
meditated the most liberal terms, includ-
ing payment for the slaves, rests neither
upon conjecture nor heresay, but on in
disputable documentary support.
1t may be argued that he could not have
secured the adoption OF any such plan
but of his purpose. and its genuineness.
there can be no question and there ought
TO be no equivocation.
Indeed payment for the slaves had
been all along In mind He believed the
north equally guilty with the south for
the original existence OF slavery. He
clearly understood that the irrepressible
conflict was a conflict OF systems. not
merely sectional and partisan quarrel.
lie was just man, abhorring proscrp-
tion. He was a Conscience Whig, who
stood in awe OF the constitution and his
oath of office.
He wanted TO leave the south no right
, 10 claim that the north finding slave
labor Improbable, had sold its negroes
10 the south and then turned about and
by force of arms conflscated the property
II had thus traffcked. lie fully recog-
nized slavery as property. The procla-
nation OF emancipation was issued az a
war measure. In his message to con-
gress OF December. 1862 he proposed paw
ment for the slaves celebrating a scheme
In detail and urging 1t with copious and
cogent argument
NORTH EQUALLY GUILTY.
The people OF the South" said he. ad-
dressing q war Congress at that moment
IN the throes OF a bloody war with the
original Introduction OF this property
than arc the people OF the North and
when ~ Is remembered how unhesitat-
ingly we all use cotton and sugar and
share the profits of dealing i'm them il
may not be quite safe to say that the
south has been more responsible than
the North for It's continuance"
The years are gliding swiftly by. Only
| q little while. and there shall be no man
living who saw service on either side Of
| that great struggle OF systems and ideas.
It's passions .'ong ago vanished from
manly boSomS. That has come TO pass
within a single generation I'm America
! which I'm Europe required ages TO accom-
! plish. There Is no disputng the verdict
! OF events. Let uS relate them truly and
/ interpret them fairly.
| II we would have the North do Justice
| 20 our heroes. we must do Justice TO It's
! heroes. I here render unto Caesar the
| things that are Caesars. even as | would
| render unto God the things that are
| Gods. As living men standing erect I'm
have grown gray without being ashamed
! and we need rot fear that history will
/ fail 10 vindicate our integrity
When those are gone chat fought tho
| battle. and posterity comes 20 strike the
! final balance sheet II vii be shown tina
| the makers OF the constitution left the re-
| lation OF the states 20 the Federal gov
ernment 10 the states open To n double
| II will be told how the mistaken notion
! that slave labor was requisite to the prof
| liable cultivation of sugar. rice and c1t'
ton raised paramount property inter
est In tho Southern section Of the Union
| whilst iu tho Northern section, respond
| ing - the trend of modern thought and
tho outer movements Of mankind. there
arose a great moral sentiment against
| slavery.
Tho conflict thus established. gradually
hut surely sectionalizlng party lines. was
| as Inevitable as IL was irrcprcsstble. II
! was fought out 60 It's bitter and logica
1 conclusion at ADpomattoN. " found us
| a huddle 81 petty sovercignties. held to,
ge,her by a rooe Of .air sand ~ made and
Mr.. Russell replied 10 the toast 10 JET
fcrsOn Davis.