The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-04-06
KEEP The RECORD STRAIGHT
By ]. Cotton Lynes.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
in character and was clearly devel-
cped as early As 1908. 'efc-e the
+, ar and during the wac Mr. Lin
coin said that its purpos" was no; 10
free the slaves but 20 restore the
union. The emancipation proclana-
,ion. which when it wa: issucd. he
humerously admitted 70 be Duiity.
had to be validated by the action o:
the highest authority known L our
institutions-the people assembled Ia
their several state conventions.
II has been asserted. and it is BY
many still believed. that the south
was fighting TO- maintain slavery.
In this proclamation Mr.. Lincoln
stated that in all the southern states
which might re-en;er the union by
January l. 1853. the institution Of
slavery should remain under the con-
troll Of those states and be retained
or relinQuished as they might gee
fit. But. said the proclamation. II
you do not re-enter the union by that
date / shal' then declare yous slaves
free. You will find this IN the stat
utes at large OF the United Sites for
IS62-s3. appendix. page l. 1t Is an
express and unmistakabie offer that
IL the south would renounce inde-
pendence it might retain slavery.
The south declined the oSer. II
was fighting for Independence and
not slavery, and it would no: re-
nounce independence. Then Mr:
Lincoln carried out his threat and
issued his famous proclamation. This
has been glowingly represented as the
sun Of righteousness arising, IS the
genius Of liberty shattering every
fetter. and so on and so on in many
hign-aown plati:dde. bat the proc
lamation speaks for itself. Mt. LIN
coin never sclaimed TO be doing
philanth-opic or benevolent thing.
He was q plain. direct man. and he
tlurted out the real truth Of the
matter in a blunt. unvarnished hon-
est way. He said he issued the
proclamation by virtue OF the power
IN me invested as commander-in-
chief OF the army and navy o! the
United States in time OF actua: armed
rebellion against the authority and
government OF the United States. and
as a III and necessary war measure
for sup2ress!ng said rebellion. and
then he proceeded to justify his act
as one warranted upon military
necessity"
The military necessity" vas that.
at tha. time. the Confederate forces
stood before him i1rinctble, a se;-
ried wall Of steel. HIS best COM
ma1ders had been oat-senersled: his
finest armies had been overcome: the
roar Of the southern guns. the rattle
OF the southern sabre. the tramp OF
the southern infantry were resonant
upon the air. Behind these masn!i-
cant troops were millions Of content
ed slaves who titled the fields and
furnished the troops food and for
age. The slave must be reused to
mutiny and turned loose upon the
rear OF the southern army. just as IN !
the Revolutionary war Great Britain
had stirred up the Indians ard then
launched them at the back Of the
colonists.
The fields must remain fal!ow. so, !,
that the armies should remain IN
fed. The internal peace Of the south
must be broken so that troops must
be Withdrawn from the front to re-
store order This was the military
necessity which led to the eman-
cipation proclamation. II was cruel
and shrewdly derived thunderbold
OF war. but. to the credit OF the
southern slave. and for which he
should have a nonument-!t failed.
He remained quietly at home tt!l!us
he field and supporting the soldiers:
.e scs the happies;. the mos, con-
ea,ed the best fed. and longest-!iv-
ID !at ring class the world has ever
inow'
BY the terms Of this celebrated
emancipation was s2e-
iGcaliy restricted to 50 much o. the
'ou;h as was in arms. The slaves OF
Maryland. OF Delaware. Of Wes. Vir-
ania. OF Kentucky. OF Tennessee. OF
iissouri. Of ;iGe-water Virginia. and
i half Of Lc1isiana were TO remain
!aves. or. as the document itself puts
I. were left precisely as j. this
reclamation were not issued" il
When anyone hereafter tells you :
hat the Confederate soldiers died /
. an effort 20 maintain slavery.
o!nt to the federal statute book ard
ay. here is the proof that he fought
or independence. and not slavery. :
or. here Is .he promise that II he {
;ould renou1ce independence be !,
,i:ht retain slavery. !
The truth remains !a;ac, and IN J
oave-tib.e. that the existence OF AZ {
icao seTvitude was IL 40 wise the I
ause OF the conflict. 5a: only an !,