Year: 1863

COMPENSATED EMANCIPATION


Our regular readers will remember that in the
National Inteligencer of the 7th ultimo we recalled
to the recollection of Congress the plan submitted
by the President in his annual message at the open
ing Of the late session, for the purpose of securing
peace and at the same time "saving the Union." "
This plan proposed, as an addition to the funda-
mental law OF the land, certain provisions guaran-
tying compensation in United States bonds to such
States as should elect to abolish slavery at any time
prior to the first Of January, in the year 1900.
The President, however, while giving great elabor-
alton to his general scheme under this head,
earnestly renewed the recommendation that Con-
gresS provide by law for compensating any State
which may adopt emancipation before this plan shall
have been acted upon"


lt is known that the late Congress, comprising
in both Houses large majority of members pro-
Tossing to be the political friends of the President
adjourned without consummating any legislation
Of this kind, either by way Of adopting the
"plan" urged so foroibly by Mr.. Lincoln, or by
providing for the compensation Of any single Sttc
which, it may be, would have been induced to pro-
ceed in the work Of emancipation after such an in
vitation from Congress, offering valuable consi-
deration.


1t was in view Of this result that, on Tuesday
last We felt it just to express the opinion, confirm
ed as We were in that opinion by what we had au-
chemically learned as to the disposition Of Con-
gress in the premises "that the policy of the Pre-
sident, proposing to aid any State in the work Of
emancipation by appropriating money for the pur-
pose Of purchasing slaves, had but very few ZEAL
o4s friends in either House of Congress or in any
party" And in support Of this opinion, authen-
ticated it was by the undeniable fact that Con-
gress had adjourned without passing any act in the
premises, stated that we had been informed that
in the latter days of the session . member from
Missouri, who was exceedingly opposed to the pas
sage of the bill offering compensation to his State,
and who had prescribed to himself the duty of
watching to prevent its passage, "received assu-
RANGES from several leading Republicans that he
need give himself no anxiety on the subject, as it
was not intended to oonsummate this policy Of COM
pensated emancipation by passing any bill making
appropriations for the purpose of ransoming slaves"


Though our statements were thus limited and
guarded, they have been construed by the Hon.
ALBERT s. WHITE, worthy member Of the last
House of Representatives, (who was the chairman
of the committee appointed by that body to carry
out the Presidents policy, into impeachment of
''thc ingenious purposes of the Administration
party in the late House of Representatives who
twice recorded their opinions in favor of the mea-
during the late session. in the case of Missou-
ri, having at former session distinctly endorsed
the same policy of the President on broader
scale" And, replying to the statement we made as
to the information" which had reached us respect
log the disposition of the House on the proposed
passage of the bill for the benefit of Missouri our
respected correspondent speaks of that "informs-
ton" as idle gossip" coming to us filtered
through two or three irresponsible media, and as
hardly authentic enough to furnish ground for dis
putting the Republican record" He also speaks
of the Democratic and soi-disant Union party as
having found willing and able advocate in the
to the only healing measure that God has vouchsafed
us for relief from this terrible nodus and for which
their constituents will, in the day of calamity and
remorse, hold them to strict account"


In reply to the FIRST of these allegations we have
to say that it was part of our purpose to ques-
ton the sincerity of those in the last Congress who
like our correspondent, were the "zealous friends"
of the Presidents policy in this matter. But, 40.
cepting Mr.. Whites own criterion when he says
that "the best evidence of the purposes and inten-
tions of party is its recorded votes, we have
only to point to the ncontestible fact that while the
vote of the Republican party in the last Congress
was so recorded in favor Of many measures enooun-
tering the violent opposition Of Democratic and
Union members as to secure their passage in spite
of that violent opposition" there was no such
party zeal in behalf of compensated emancipation
q, to carry this measure to successful consumma-
tion The bill for the abolition of slavery in the Dis
trict, the act providing for confscation and the
emancipation of slaves, and other similar measures
were able to enlist in their behalf generality and
an earnestness of Republican support which beat
down all parliamentary opposition. If this same
zeal was not seen in the matter Of the bill provid
ing for the gradual emancipation Of slaves in Mary