Year: 1873

on Saturday, and if so it was, [ think,
the 2nd of that month-the President
called a special meeting of the Cabinet.
The meeting was in the library of the
executive mansion, and not in the
council chamber, where the regular
sessions were usually convened. All
were present except Mr.. Blair, who had
gone to his country residence in Mont
gomery county. III am not mistaken,
Mr.. Chase was also from some cause
absent from the first meeting. The


President then stated that the object
for which he called us together was to
submit the rough draft of a proclama-
ton to emancipate, after certain day,
all slaves in the States which should
then be in rebellion. There were, he
remarked, differences in the Cabinet


on the slavery question, and on eman-
cipation, but he invited free discussion


on the important step he was about to


take; and to relieve each one. from en-


barrassment, he wished it understood


that the question was settled in his


mind; that he had decreed emancipa-


tion in a certain contingency, and the


responsibility Of the measure was his


but he desired to hear the views Of his
associate and receive any suggestion,


pro or con, which they might make


He had, he said, dwelt much and long


on the subject, and formed his own con-
clusions, and had mentioned the mat
ter in confidence to one or two of the
members. Little was said by any one


but the President. Mr.. Bates express
ed his very decided approval, but wish


ed deportation to be coupled with e.


Emancipation. He was, it was we'll


known, opposed to slavery. Though


born in slave State, always residing


in a slave State and among slaves, he
nevertheless wished them free, and


that the colored race should leave the
country. It was impossible, he said,


for the two races to assimilate but by
amalgamation, and they could not a.


malgamate without degradation and


demoralization to the white race. The


whites might be brought down, but


the negroes could not be lifted to a


much higher plane than they now oc-
cupied. He had been a close observer
of the influence Of slavary on the en-
.terprise welfare of the country
through long life, had deplored it's
effects, and himself had given freedom
to his own slaves, and wished them
and their fellows in Africa, or elsewhere
than in the United States. He was
fully convinced that the two races could
not live and thrive in social proximity.
The result Of any attempt to place
them on terms Of equality would be


strife, contention, and a vicious popu-
lation, as in Mexico. The whites
might be debased, but the blacks could
not be elevated, even by the disgusting
process of mixed breeds, which was re-
pugnant to nature and to our moral
and better instincts. He therefore
wished system of deportation to ac-
company any scheme of emancipation.
These were also the Presidents views.


Mr.. Seward, without expressing an
opinion on the merits of the question,
thought it would be we'll to postpone
the whole subject to more auspicious
period. If the proclamation were is
sued now, it would be received and
considered as adespairing cry-a shrek
from and for the Administration, rath-
er than for freedom. The President
instantly felt and appreciated the force
and propriety of the suggestion. We
had experienced serious disasters. I'm
portant results were in the Immediate
future; high hopes entertained from
army operations under Halleck and
Pope, who had just taken the direction
of military affairs. The President at
once closed his portfolio and suspend
ed his proclamation and all further
proceedings on the subject Of emanci-
patton. | do not recollect that it was
again alluded to in Cabinet until after
the battle of Antietam, which took
place on the 18th Of September-six
weeks later.


Before reading the proclamation the
President again said he felt the great
responsibility Of the step he was taking,
both to himself and the country. It
had oppressed him, and not till all
other measures and expedients failed
had he come to the conclusion that
this element, which was arbitrarily
used against us, must be brought into
the Union cause. Having reached that
his decision was fixed and
The act and all it's re-
sponsibilities were his alone. He had
prepared the paper which he was again
about to read without advice or assist
ance-had pondered over it for weeks,
and been more confirmed in the recti-
tude of the measure as time passed on.
There had been moments when he felt
awed and overwhelmed by the gravity
and magnitude of the subject and of
what might follow, but his way was
clear-he knew he was right. Among
other things, he said in a subdued tone,
he had looked to a Higher Power for
aid and direction. He had made VOW
that if God gave us the victory in the
battle he would receive it
as an indication of the Divine Will that
it was his duty to go forward in the