Year: 1862

The Abolition OF Slavery In the District OF


Columbia.


The dominant party Of the United States
Senate, by the decisive vote of 20 to IA, have
passed their peremptory bill fer the immediate
abolition Of slavery in the District of Columbia,
every proposition for gradual emancipation
aud for the submission of the question to the
vote Of the people of the District having been
Indignantly rejected.


Practically, the liberation of the slaves of
said District, as provided for in this BILL is q
small matter. There are, perhaps, to-day less
than thousand Of them, against free negro
sand; so that in any case negro slave in the
midst Of this overwhelming free black popula-
ton would be henceforward very slippery
and uncertain article Of property. How, then,
is the fact to be explained that the vote Of every
Senator from every border slave State was cast
against this bill, from first to last and that those
border slave State Senators, from first to last,
fought the bill as if il were measure full of
mischief to slavery in said States!


This question may he readily answered.
Those border slave State Senators regard this
bill as the entering wedge of an abolition pro-
gramme embracing all the slave States II is
feared, for example, that the next experiment
of the anti-slavery league in Congress will be
the abolition Of slavery in all the forts, dock
yards &C., Of the United States, and that the next
will be the repeal of the Fugitive Slave law, and
the next, under the power to regulate com
merce' bill ofaboition pains and penalties con-
cerning the traffic in slaves between the several
States, and SO on until this institution Of slavery
shall become practically outlawed by the
general government. We know, too, that there
is good ground for these apprehensions, con-
siderng the iDplacsble fanaticism of our aboli-
ton demagogues and disorganizers in their
chosen work Of emancipation or separation"
Against their incendiary schemes, however,
we are sure that, during the present
administration, our border slave States
may rely upon the honest and steadfsst Union
principles Of Abraham Lincoln, and that our
loyal conservative people, North and South,
in the next administration, will take care TO
retain these Union principles az the practical
policy Of the government.


Over the District of Columbia Congress, in





the words Of the constitution, has exclusive
power Of legislation in all csses whatsoever :,
and hence there is an express legal justification
for this bill which cannot Le found in behalf of
the other abolition messaIe es we have indicated.
But even upon this measure considering the
well known views Of Presd'n, Lincoln, he may
suggest the expedency aud p,orrie,y Of a rati-
fyng vote Of the people Immediately concerned.
We say now that he msy--not that he will
return this bill to the Senate with this sugges-
ton for should it pass the House ss it has
passed the Senate, by q two-thirds vote, his
views upon the inexpediency of the measure as
1t stands may be overruled by the considera-
ton that his veto would simply lead to a waste
Of time IN Congress which might be more pro.
ftsbly expended upon other subjects


In any event, however, whether this senate
bill for the abolition Of slavery in the District
Of Columbia with OF without any material
modification, is TO become law, we hope The
subject will be ventilated by the President IL
called upon to sign this peremptory measure.
His recorded viows upon the subject are suf-
icient to explain his present position but
oven, If necessary, against twothirds vote Of