Year: 1862

The president on Thureday transmitted to
Congress the following message -


Fellow citizens of the Senate and House of
Representatives ! recommend the adoption of
a Joint resolution by your honorable bodies,
which shall be substantially as follows: Ore
solved, that the United States ought to &C. op-
crate with any state which may adopt a grad
ual adjustment of slavery, giving to such state
pecuniary aid, TO be used by such state in its
discretion to compensate for the inconvenience.
public and private, produced by such change of
SYSTEM" If the proposition contained in the
resolution does not meet the approval of Con-
gress, and the country, there is the end but
if it does command such approval, deem it of
Importance that the states and people immedi-
ately interested should be at once distinctly
notified of the fact, SO that they may begin to
consider whether to accept or reject it. The
federal government would find its highest in
terest in such a measure as one of the most
efficient means OF preservation. The lea
ders of the existing insurrection entertain the
hope that the government will ultimately be
forced to acknowledge the independence of
some part of the disallected region, and that all
the Slave States north of such parts will then
say, "the Union for which we have struggled
being already gone, we now choose to 90 with
the southern section" To deprive them of this
hope substantially ends the rebellion, and the
initiation of emancipation completely deprives
them Of it, And to all the states initiating it,
the point is not that all the states tolerating
slavery would very soon, if at all, initiate eman-
cipaton, but that while the offer is equally
made to all, the Northern shall, by such intia-
ton, make it certain to the more Southern that
in no event will the former ever join the latter
in their proposed confcderacy. l say initiation,
because, in my judgment, gradual AID not
sudden emancipation is better for all.


In the mere financial or pecuniary view, any
member of Congress with the census tables and
treasury reports before him, can readily see for
himself how very soon the current expenditures
OF this war would purchase at fair valuation
all the slaves in any named atate. Such pro-
position on the part of the general govern
ment, sets up no claim of right by federal au-
thority to interfere with slavery within state
limits, referring as it does, the absolute control
of the subject in each case to the state and its
people Immediately interested. 1t is proposed
as matter of perfectly free choice with them,


In the annual message last December, thought
fit TO say the Union must be preserved, and
hence all Indispensable means must be employ
ed. | said this not hastily but deliberately
War has been and continues to be an indispen-



Acknowledgement of the national authority would
render the war unnecessary, and it would al
once cease. If, however, resistance continues
the war must also continue and it is impossible
to foresee all the incidents which may attend
and all the ruin which may follow it. Such as
may seem indispensable or may obviously
promise great efficiency towards ending the
struggle, must and will come.


The proposition now made is an offer only
l hope it may be esteemed no ofIcnse to ask
whether the pecuniary consideration rendered
would not be of more value to the states and
private persons concerned, than are the insti
tuition and property in it, in the present as
pect OF affairs While it is true that the adopt
ion of the proposed resolution would be merely
iniliatory, and not within itself a practica
measure, it is recommended in the hope that i
would soon lead to important results.


In full view of my great responsibility to my
God and my country, earnestly beg the at
tention of Congress and the people to the sub
ject.


(Signed,) ABRAHAM LINCOLN.