Year: 1863

!
most carefully avoided by those at the head o
the Government; but unfortunately for the ooun
try, the effect seems to have been used as Tia,
means by which to accomplish the end, the wal
and crisis beng used lever aud favorable
opportunity for abolshing slavery throughout
the country. An appeal has been made to th,
people ofsthe Border States to emnneipate then
slaves holding out the tempting promise OF
pecuniary compensation to be made by the Gene
raj Government, and rs reparaion for the loss
and injury which would result from the consum-
nation Of such policy, It's suggested that all the
slaves, when purchased at the expense Of ti,r
people, those who never owned one bearing the r
prOportionabe share of the tax as well us the
owners, are to be cOlOnized, OF course with q
heavy additional expense.


Colonization is o scheme as wild and visionary
as Abotionism itself, aud as impracticable as it
is old But II is not proposed to colonize them
without their consent, aud apprehend it is per-
fectly safe to say that not more probably than
one in u thousand would be willing to be sent off
to a foreign country aud different climate. And
aside from this difficulty, to purchase all the
slaves in the country, amounting to nearly four
millions, according to the census Of eighteen
hundred aud sixty and by natural increase, no
doubt, much exceeding that number now, at the
very low average of three hundred dollars each
tho sum fixed by the emancipation act of the
District OF Columbia, and greatly below their
average value, would amount to the enormous
sum of twelve hundred millions of dollars, To
which may be added at least five hundred mil
lions more for the expense of colonization, thus
imposing upon the country debt aud tax to the
vast amount Of ut least seventeen hundred mil
lions of dollars to free the negroes, in addition
to the already enormous and daily and rapidly
increasing debt fixed upon it by the exigencies
Of the war under which the Government is now
reeling from utter inability to pay. The now
existing and rapidly accommodating debt is more
than the Government can bear without the un-
necessary and improvident increase thereof he
cessarily to be incurred by tue emancipation OF
the slaves. The proposition fairly stated, il to
deprive the country of about twelve hundred
millions of dollars of aboring property, and to
substitute therefor debt of seventeen hundred
millions, bearing interest.


Besides the objections which | have already
mentioned, such policy would produce a radi-
col change and indeed break up our social sya.
tenn; and, independent of every other cOnsidera
tion, the utter want Of constitutional power ia
the Government, either to proclaim the emanci-
patton of the slaves in any form or by any means
whatever, or to appropriate the public money
for the purchase Of them, constitutes an insui-
mountable barrier to the whole scheme, il the
Constitution is longer TO be regarded and upheld.


confess my inability to appreciate the force
of the argument by which the effort is made to
SHOW that the best interests of the country would
be promoted iu any way whatever by tue Adop-
ton of such measures but how the rebellion is
to be crushed and the war more speedily ter
minated by such policy is to me altogether in-
comprehensive 1t is to argue that coutinua-
tion of the primary cause OF all our troubles, the
agitation OF the slavery question, is the proper
remedy for the existing disastrous and deplora-
BILE condition of the country that the most ef-
tectual means OF extingusbiDg a ieYouring
flame is to add fresh fuel to it that to dsre- =
gaid and violate the Constitution is the best
means by which to protect aud preserve it,


1t is unnecessary, gentlemen, for me to pur-
sue this subject further. The voice of the peo.
pie echoed through the ballot-box throughout
the country at the late elections presents a much
more potent and formidable argument against
the fanatcal doctrine Of Aboltiouism than the
ingenuity of man can devise. The people oil
Delaware have thus spoken, as well as those Of
several of the largest States in uumistakable
tones, and Notwithstanding the intimidation,
shackles, and obstacles which were thrown
around our citizens by the presence Of military
power when in the peaceful aud righlful exercise
OF their elective franchise, the expression of their
will has gone forth, and TO you, rs their Repre-
sentatives, 1t is known and will not be disregard
ed, but the trust they have confded to you will
doubtless be faithfully executed


When entering upon my official duties |, as
all others before me have done, took an oath to
support the Constitution of the United States
and of the State of Delaware and to perform
the duties Of the office Of Governor with fidelity.
These solemn and responsible duties have en-
deavored to perform in all things 10 the full ex-
tent af my ability, and whatever have been my
mistakes were the errors of my judgment. From
the commencement Of our national troubles
felt it my duty as the Executive Of loyal State,
whose citizens were not in rebellion, to exercise
the functions OF the office in accordance with the
authority and mandates of the Constitution and
law Of the land.


To the first call Of the General Government
for a regiment to be furnished by this State to
60 iutO the service of the United States, | re-
sponded by giving the reason OF my inability to
comply with the requislt0n, which was the non
existence Of u militia hw comforting on the Ex-
ecutive authority TO do So l issued "A procla.
nation, however, recommending the formation
of volunteer companies for home protection, in
which adyerted TO the fact that no power ex-
i,ted in me to order such companies, when form
ed. into the service OF the United States /;
but that they could, in their own option,
tender their services to the General Gov
ernment. A number Of such companies
were formed, and their officers oomms-
stoned aud furnished with arms under our
law Some OF them, aud portions Of others,
went into the United States service, while others
remained in the STATE as home guards which
was one ut least Of the oil jects OF their forma-
ton, until certain Of them were by authority OF
the General Government dlsarmed, disbanded,
and II number of the persons belonging to them
arrested and taken out Of the State. The
arsenals were by the same authority furcibly
opened and their entire contents taken away from
the Staie-a State too that is loyal, aud 50
recognized by the General Government, and 50
treated by it in certain respects. We have been
called upon from time to time for our quota OF
troops to uid in the suppression Of the rebellion,
and have promptly responded to each aud every
call, furnishing our iull quota OF volunteers as
evidenced by tie published order OF the Secre-
tary of War, in which he states the fact as
reason for dispensing with the draft in this State
get not only au infringement upon our right,
| but to our shame and mornfcatiOn, it is to he
sald, that we are not even allowed the possession
of our own arms. OF the disposition male Of
the arms taken out Of the State, in the manner
have mentioned, l am uniniormed


ln the exercise OF my constitutional authority
convened the Legislature TO assemble on tue
25th day Of November, A. D. 1861 such al
extraordinary occasion having arisen as, in my
Judgment, justified me in so doing, il not to
make it my duty. had been previously aud
strongly urged by Il portion of the citzeus tC
exercise this power but there being, in my
opinion, no such extraordinary occasion i.
contemplated by the constitution, l declined lC
exercise the power conferred by it upon til
| Executive in this respect. The reasons fol
congening the General Assembly, on the DAY
before mentioned, were announced by the proc


amation and also communicated to Genera
Assembly by my message delivered at the com
mencement Of that special session.


la accordance with the proclamation, ih'
Legislature met on the day designated for tina