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VOLUME 3.
S. HOWARD, Publisher.
" (luocuiiique me For tuna ft rat, lbo hospes."
the presidents message. , ; many free Americans of African descent,
Washington. Monday, Deo.,1, , to favor their emigration, with a view to
Fellow-citizens of the Senate and , . such colonisation as Was contemplated ' in
House of Representatives : recent acts of Congress. Other parties at
Since your last annual assembly another home and abroad, some from interested
yeirof health and bountiful harvest hvs motives, others from patriotic considera
Lssed, aud while it has not pleased the tions, and still others influenced, by phi.
Almighty to bless us with a return of lanthropio sentiments, have suggested sim
peace. wc can but pass on, guiJed by the Hur measures; while on the other hand,
beat slht He gives us, trusting that in several of the Spanish American republics
His own good time and wise way, all will have protested against the sending of such
le well. colonies to their respective territories., ITn-
roBEioN kblations. ; dcr these circumstances I have declined to
The correspondence touching foreign af- move any such colony to any state, with
fairs, which has taken place during the out first obtaining tho consent of its gov
lastvear. is herewith submitted, in virtual ernmcnt. with an asrecraent on its part
compliance with a request to that effect
made by the House oi ueprcseiuaiivcs
near tho close of the last session of Con-
gross. If the condition of our relations
with other nations is less gratifying than
it has usually been at former periods, it
is certainly more satisfactory than a na-
tion so unhappily distracted as we arc,
might reasonably have appreheuded. In
the month of Juno last there were some
grounds to expect the mariliue powers,
which at the beginning of our domestic
difficulties, so unwisely aud unnecessarily
as we think, recognised the insurgents as
a bclligerant, would soon recede from the
position, which has proved only less inju
rious to themselves than to our own coun
try. But tho tern pory reverses which af
terwards befel the national arms, and
which were exaggerated by our own dis
loyal citizens abroad, have hitherto delay
ed that act of simple justice. The civil
war which has so radically changed for
the moment tho occupations and habits of
the American people, has necessarily dis
turbed the social condition, and affected
very deeply the prosperity of the nations
with which we have carried on a com
merce, that has been steadily increasing
throughout a period of half a century.
It has, at the same time, excited political
ambitions and apprehensions, which have
produced a profound agitation through
out the civilized world. In this unusual
agitation, we have forborne from taking
part in any controversy between foreign
states, and between parties of factions in
such states. We have attempted uo prop
agandism, and acknowledged uo revolu
tion. Bui wc have left to every nation
the exclusive conduct and management of
their uwu affairs. Our strujn'lo has of
ourse been contemplated by foreign na
tions, with reference less to its own merits
than to its supposed and often exaggerated
effects, and the consequences resulting to
those nations themselves ; nevertheless,
complaint on the part of this government
even if it were just, would certaiuly be
unwise.
The treaty with Great Britain for the
suppression of the African slave trade,
has been put into operation, with a good
prospect of complete Buccess. It is an oc
casion of special pleasure to acknowledge,
that the execution of it, on the part of her
raagcsty'g government, has been marked
with a jealous respect for the authority of
the Uuitcd States, and the rights of their
moral aud loyal citizens. The convention
with Hanover for the abolition of the state
dues, has been carried into full effect, un
der the act of Congress for that purpose.
A blockade of 3000 moles of sea coast
could not be established and vigorously
enforced in a season of great commercial
activity like tho present, without commit
ting occasional mistakes and inflicting un
intentional injuries upon foreign nations
and their subjects. A civil war oocuring
in a country where foreigners reside, and
carry m trade under treaty stipulations,
is necessarily fruitful of complaints of the
violation of neutral rights. All such col-
lisions tend to excite misapprehensions!
and frequently to produce mutual reclam-!
-t:, tL; ;.,. t..... . !
mon interest in preserving peace nnd
friendship. In clear cases of these kinds j
t t, - ;v.i ...i
eed complaints which have been presented j d,rcct',n wou,d havo, tof lm:
v ..!. ii n i. : V ..'prove the revenue of the government an
hv fritntlv nnwers. I'horf. is. however, i
. i j - .. , . . i
-j ... .j , --
ting o
IUI bUKO UL7VU KUIbll uic uuvliijujcu io
upon which the government
i,nntl .m, witk fhA Mammon,
whose protection is demanded by tho
claimants. There are. moreover, many
cases in which tho United States, or their i
citizens, suffer wrongs from the naval or
military authorities of foreign nations,
whioh the governments of these states aro
not at once prepared to redress. I have
proposed to some of the foreign states
thus interested, mutual conventions to ex-
n ihi ilo aim auciucuuiii; uuiuuer oi uuuut-1 . .. . j
f. i ? .k X- , .lis worthy of your serious consideration
amino and adjust such complaints. This J"' moHt diligcut consideration, lbe
proposition has been made especially to st expenditures incident to tho military
Great Britian, to France, to Spain and to ' naval operations required for tho sup
Prussia. In each case it has been kindly Piession of the rebellion, have hitherto
received, but has not yet been formally becu met with a promptitude and certain
adopted. 1 deem it my duty to icoora- y unusual in similar circumstances, and
ruend an appropriation in behalf of the public credit has been fully main,
owners of the Norwegian tark Admiral taiucd. The continuance of the war,
Pardons Riola, which vessel was, in May, however, and the increased disbursments
18G2, prevented by the commaudcr of the mde necessary by the augmented forces
blockading force off Charleston from lcav- now in tu flclJ- demand your best rcflce
ing that port with a cargo, notwithstand- t'on M t0 the DC8t modc of Povding
ing a similar privilege had shortly before the necessary revenue, without injury to
been granted to an English vessel; I bujincss, and with the least possible bur
bave directed the socrctary of the state to na upon labor. The suspension of spe
cause tho papers in the case to be com- c paymouts by the banks soon after the
municated to the proper committees. j commencement of your last sea: ion made
African coLomaATion. ' largo issues of United Spates notos uua-
Applieations have been made to tot by I voidable. In no other way could the
to receive and protect such emigrants in'
all their rights of freemen, and 1 have at
the same time offered to the several states
situated in the tropics, or having colonies
there, to negotiate with them, subject to
the advice and consent of the Senate, to
favor the voluntary emigration of persons
of that class to their respective territories,
upon conditions which shall be equal, just
and humane. Liberia and Hayti arc as
yet the only countries to which colonists
of African descent from hero could go
with certainty of being received and
adopted as citizens. I egret to say that
such persons contemplating colonization do
not seem so willing to emigrate to those
countries as to some others, nor so willing
as I think their interest demands. I be
lieve, however, the opinion among them in
this respect, is improving, and that ere
long there will be an augmented and -considerable
emigration to both these count
ries from tho United States.
TREATIES MADS. .
The new commercial treaty between the
Uuitcd States and the sultan of Turkey,
has been carried into execution. A com
mercial and consular taeaty has been ne
gotiated, subject to the Senate's consent,
with Liberia, and a similar negotiation is
now pending with the republic of Hayti.
A considerable improvement of tho na
tional commerce is expected to result from
these measures. Our relatious with Great
Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, Russia.
Prussia, Denmark, Sweden, and Austria,
the Netherlands, Italy, Rome and the oth
er European states remain unbisturbed.
Very favorable relations also continue to
be maintained with Turkey, Morocco, Chi
na and Japan. During the last year
there has not only been no change of our
previous relations with the independent
states of our own continent, but more
friendly scntiracntj than have heretofore
existed are believed to be entertained by
those neighbors whose safety and progress
are so intimately connected with our arms.
This statement especially applies to Mex
ico, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras,
Peau and Chili. The commission under
the convention with the republic of New
Grenada, closed it session without hav
ing audited and passed upon all the claims
which were submitted to it. A proppo
sition is pending to revive tho convention
that it may be able to do more complete
justice. The comraision between the
United States and tho republio of Costa
Rica, has completed its labors aud sub
mitted its report. I have favored the
project for connecting the United States
with Europe, by an Atlantic telegraph,
and a similar project to extend the tele
graph from San Francisco, to conuect by
a PaciGc telegraph, with the wire which
is being extended across the Russian em
pire CONDITION OF THE TERRITORIES.
The territories of the United States,
with unimportant exceptions, have remain
ed undisturbed by the civil war, and they
arc exhibiting such evidence of prosperi
ty as justifies an expectation that some of
inera 7" T, w ' iT
S"11 " B4tatc an ,be WMWutionallj
admitted into the ledcral I uion. ihe
them will soon be in condition to be or
jmraense mineral resources of some of
territories, ought to be developed as
rapidly as possiblo. Every step m that
V. .
government and
unuimnu me uurueus oi lue iicuuiu. i
jr t.-i .1 .1 l. t
I . ,
wucww HOiue hu uo, uiuury u w , w
promote that end cannot bo adopted 1 ho
means which suggests itselt as most likely
? lo c.ffoct,.vc' 18.a 8c,f ?C Plora. 10
the mineral regions of these territories,
with a view to tho publication of its re
sults at home and in foreign countries,
results which caunot fail to be auspicious.
TUB FINANCIAL PROBLEM. '
Tho condition of the finances will claim
: payment of the troops and the satisfac
tion of other just demands, be as econ
omically or as well provided for. The
judicious legislation of Congress, securing
the receiv ability of these notes for loans
I and internal duties, and make them a
" legal tender" for other debts, has made
I them universal currency, and has satis-
I ficd. partially, at last, and for the time,
the long felt want of an uniform circulat
ing medium, saving thereby to the peo
plo immense sums, in discount and ex
changes. A return to specie payments,
however at tho earliest period compatible
with due regard to all interests, should
ever be kept in view. Fluctuations in
the valuo of currency are always injuri
ous, and to reduce these fluctuations to
the lowest possible point will always be a
leading purpose in wise legislation. Con
vertibility, prompt and certain converti
bility into coin, is generally acknowledged
to bo the best and surest safeguard against
these fluctuations, aud it is extremely
doubtful whether a circulation of United
States notes, payable in coin and suffi
ciently large for the wants of the people,
can be permanently, usefully, and safely
maintained.
Is there, then, any other mode in which
the uneasy provisions for the public wants
can be made, and the great advantages of
a safe and uniform currency secured ? I
know of none which promises so certain
results, and at the same time so unobject
ouablc, as the organization of banking
associations under a general act of Con
gress, well guarded in its provisions. To
snch associations the government might
furnish circulating notes on the security
of United States bouds deposited in the
treasury. These notes, prepared under
the supervision of proppcr officers, being
uniform in appearance and security,
and convertible always into coin, would
at onco protect labor against the evils of
a vicious currency, and facilitate com
merce by cheap and safe exchanges. A
moderate reservation from the interest on
the bonds would compensate the United
States for the pieparation and destribu
tion of the notes and a general supervis
ion of the system, and would lighten the
burden of that part of the public debt
employed as securities. The public cred
it moreover would be greatly improved
and the negotiations of new loans be
greatly facilitated by the steady market
demand for government bonds, which the
adoption of tho proposed system would
create. It is an uditioual recomendation
of the measure, of considerable weight in
my judgmeut, that it would reconcile as
far as possible all existing interests by
the opportunity afforded to existing insti
tutions to re-organize under the act, sub
stituting only the secure, uniform nation
al circulation for the local and various
circulation, secured and unsecured, now
issued by them.
STATE OF THE TREPCRY.
The receipts into the treasury from all lources
including loans and balance from the preceding
year, tor the (kcitl year ending on the auth ol
June 1862, were .j3,885,84T,o, of which sura
4U.U50 auT.tSO were derived from cutttoins ; $1,
IitO.331.T3 from direct tax; from the public bonds
$15J,203.Tf i from niUcclliineouH (sources $'.3L,
T8f. 64 ; fiom loans in all forma $.Wl),C'J2,4tM).50.
Ihe retnuinoer, 2, 25T,Ui3 80, wax the balance
from last year. The diaburtiinent during the
same period were : for congret-uional, executive
and judicial purposes $5, IKlU.UUy.Ky ; for foreign
intercourse $l,83y,y 10.35 ; for uiirccllanoon ex
pensefi, including the nilutu, loans, postollice de
ticieuces, collecting of revenue, and other like
charges $14, 129,171. 60 ; for expenses nuder the
interior depaitment, 13, 102,9-. 02 i under the
war department, $3li4,Jlii8,40T.3(i ; nnder the
navy department, $42 6T4, Stilt. UU ; for Interest
on the public debt, $L3,lU0,32t.45 ; and for the
payment of the public debt, including reimburse
ments of the temporary loan and redemptions,
$!tti.O(J6,92J.OD makinganagregatco!$.-j70,841,.
TOO. 23, and leaving a balance in the treasury on
the 1st of July I8U2, of 13.043,546.81. It should
be observed that the sum of $U.0W, 922.09, ex
pendedor reimbursements aud redemption of the
public debt, being Included also in tho loans
made, may be properly deducted both from the
receipts and expenditures, leaving ine actual re
ceiptH for tho year 48T, 888,324.97, and the ex
penditures $474,744,788.16, Other information
on the subject of the tiuaqces will be found in the
report of the secretary of ths treasury, to whose
statements and views 1 invite your most candid
and considerate attention.
TRH ARMY AND NAVY.
The reports of the secretaries of the navy and
war are herewith transmitted. These reports,
though lengthy, are scarcely more than brief ab
stracts of the very numerous and extensive trans
actions and operations conducted through these
departments: nor could I give summary of them
here upun any principle which would admit of
its being much nhorter than the reports them
selves. I th re fore content myself with laying
the ro ports before yon, and asking your attention
to them. .
TflB TOST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
It gives me pleasure to report a decided improve
ment in the financial condition of the post office
department, as compared with several proceeding
yearn, lbs receipts for the fiscal year '01 amount
ed to $8,349,296.40, which embraced the revenue
from all the states of the Union for tbree-quar.
ten of that year, notwithstanding the cessation
of revenue from the so-called seceded states during
the last fiscal year. The increase of the corres
pondence of the loyal state has been sufficiently
to produce revenue during the same year of $8,.
299.820.00, being only 90,000 loss than was de
rived from all the state of the Union during the
nrevlons rear. The expenditure show t still
more favorable result. The amount expended in
1801 was lia.ouv.ion.u. rorme last year wis
mount bo been reduced to $11. i25. 804. 13 show
ing a decrease of ebont $2,481 ,000 In the expen
ditures as compared with the fiscal year i860.
The deficiency in the department for the previous
year was $4,551, WHI.08. For the last tiroal year
U was reduced to $2.113. 8U.07. These favora
ble results are in part owing to (he mall servloe
in the Insurrectionary atates, and in part to a
thorough review of all expenditures In that de-1
partment In the interest of economy. The effici
ency of the postal service. It is believed, bos also
been much Improved. The postmaster general
baa also opened a correspondence, through the de
partment of atale. witu foreign governments,
frnplej convention of potsl rprcw;ntttvfs.
for the purpose of simplifying the rate of for
eign postage, and to expedite the foreign mails.
This proposition, equally important to our adopV
ed citizens and to the commercial interest of this
country, has been favorably entertained and
agreed to by all the governments from whom re
plies have been received. I ask the attention of
Congress to the suggestions of the postmaster
general In his report respecting the further legis
lation required, In his opinion, for the benefit of
the postal service. , ,
THE PUBLIC LANDS.
The secretary of the Interior reports as follows
in regard to the publio lands : The public lands
have ceased to be a sou roe of revenue. From the
1st of July 1861 to the 30th of September 1862,
the entire cosh receipts from the sale of lands
were $137,476.26, a sum much leu than the ex
nense of our land system during tho same period.
The homestead law, which will take effect on the
1st of January next, offers such inducements to
settlers, that sales for cash cannot oe expected to
an extent sufficient to meet the expenses of the
general land office, and the cost of surveying and
bringing the land into market The discrepancy
between the sum here stated, as arising from the
sales of the public lands, and the same derived
from the same source as reported from the treasu
ry department, arises, as I understand, from the
fact, that the periods of time, though Apparently,
were not really a coincidental the beginning
point, the treasury report, including a consider
able sum now, which had previously been report
ed from the interior, sufficiently large to greatly
overreach the sum derived from the three months
now reported upon by the interior, and not by the
treasury.
T1IH INDIANS.
The Indian tribes upon our frontiers have, dur
ing the past year, manifested a spirit of insubor
dination, and at several points have ranged In
open hostilities against the white settlers in their
vicinity. The tribes occupying the Indian coun
try sonth of Kansas renounced their allegiance
to the United States and entered Into treaties with
the insurgents. Those who remained loyal to the
United States were driven from the country. The
chief of the Cherokees has visited this city for the
purpose of restoring the former relations of the
tribe with the United States. He alleges that
they were constroined by superior force to enter
into treaties with the insurgents, and that the
United States neglected to furninsh the protection
which their treaty stipulations required.
In the month of August last, the Sioux Indians
in Minnesota attacked the settlements in their vi
cinity with extreme ferocity, killing indiscrimin
ately men, women and children. This attack was
wholly unexpected, and therefore no means of
defense bad been provided. It is estimated that
not less (ban 800 persons were killed by the Indi
ans, and a large amount of property destroyed.
How this outbreak was induced, is not definitely
known, and suspicions, which may be unjust,
need not be stated. Information was received by
the Indian bureau from different sources, about
the time hostilities were commenced, that a sim
ultaneous attack was to be made upon the white
settlement by all the tribes between the Mississip
pi river and the ifocky Mountains. The State of
Minnesota bos suffered gieat injury from this In
dian war. A large portion of her territory bos
been depopulated, and a very severe loss has been
sustained by the destruction of property. The
people of that state manifest much anxiety for
the removal of the tribes beyond the limits of the
state, as a guarantee against future hostilities.
The commissioner of Indian affairs will furnish
full details. I submit far your especial consider
ation whether our Indian system shall not be re
modeled. Many wise and good men have been
impressed with the belief that this can be profita
bly done.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT.
I submit a statement of the proceedings of the
commissioners, which shows the progress that
bos been made in the enterprise of constructing a
Pacific railroad, and this suggests the earliest
completion of the road, and also the favorable ac
tion of Congress upon the piojects now pending
before tbem, for cnlargeing the capacities of the
great canals in New York aud Illinois, as being of
vuai ana ropioiy increasing importance to t lie
whole nation, and especially to the vast interior
region hereinafter to be noticed at some greater
length. I propose having prepared and laid be
fore you, at an early day, some interesting and sta
tistical information upon this subject. He mili
tary and commercial importance of enlarging the
Illinois and Michigan canal, and improving the Il
linois river, is oresented in the report of Col Web
ster to the secretary of war, and now transmitted
to Congress. I respectfully ask attention to it.
THE DEPAKTUEKT OF AGRICULTURE.
To carry out the provisions of tho act of Con
grcsssof tho 15th of May last, I have caused the
department of agriculture of the United State
to be organized. The commisioner informs me
that within the period of a few months, this de-
partment has established an extensive sj stem of
correspondence ann exenanges, both at home and
abroad, which promises to effect highly beneficial
results in the development of a correct knowledge
of recent Improvements in agt (culture, in the in
troduction of new products, and in the collection
of the agricultural statistics of the different states;
also that it will soon be prepared to destribute
largely seeds, ceieals, plants and cuttings, and
has already published and liberally diffused much
valuable information In antipation of a more elab
orate report, which will indue timebd furnish
ed, embiacing some valuable tests in chemical sci
ence, now in progress in the laboratory. The
creation of this department was lor the more im
mediate benefit of a large class of onrmost valu
able citizens, and I trust that the' liberal basis
upon which it has been organized, will not only
meet your approbation, but that It will realize at
no distant day all the fondest anticipation of its
most sanguine friends, and become the fruitful
source of advantage to all our people.
COMPENSATED EMANCIPATION.
On the twenty-sccond day of Septem
ber last, a proclamation was issued by
the executive, a copy of which is here
with submitted. In accordance with the
purpose expressed with the second para
agroph of that paper, 1 now respectfully
recall your attention to what may bo
called compensated emancipation." A
nation may be said to consist of its territory-,
its people, and its laws. The terri
tory is the only part which is of certain
durability. "One generation pasncth
away and another generation comcth, but
the earth abideth forever." It is of the
first importance to duly consider and esti
mate this ever-enduring part That por
tion of the earth's surface which is owned
and inhabited by the people of the Uni
ted States is well adapted to bo the heme
of our national family, and is not well
adapted for two or more. Its vast extent
and its variety of climates and pro
ductions are of advantage in this
age for one people, whatever they
might have been in former ages. Steam
and tclnuranh. in promoting intelligence.
have brought these to be an advantageous
combination for cue united people. In
the inaugural address I ' briefly pointed
out the total inadequacy of disunion as a
remedy for the differences between the
pcoplo of the two sections. I did so in
language whioh I cannot improve, and
which therefore I beg to repeat:
, "One section of our country believes
slavery is right and oughttobeextcuded,
whilo the other believes it is wrong and
ought not to be extendeS. This is the
only , substantial dispute. ; The fugitive
slave clause of tho constitution, and the
law for the suppression of the foreign
Blave trade, are each as well enforced per
haps, as any law can ever bo in a commu
nity where the moral sense of the people
imnerfectlv surmorts the law itself. The
great body of the people abide by the le
. . i
gal obligations in both cases, and a few
break over in each. This I think cannot
be perfectly cycd, and it would be worse
in both cases after the separation of the
sections than before. The foreign slave
trade, now imperfectlj suppressed, - would
be ultimately revived without restriction
in one section; whilo fugitive slaves,
now only partially surrendered, would
not be surrendered at all by the
other. Physically speaking, wo can
not separate. ; We cannot remove our re
spective sections from each other, nor
build an impassable wall between them.
A husband and wife may be divorced and
go out of the presence and beyond the
icach of each other, but the different
parts of our country cannot do this.
They cannot but remain face to face, and
intercourse, either amicable or hostile,
must continue between them. Is it pos
sible, then, to make that intercourse more
advantageous or more satisfactory after
seperation than before? Can aliens
make treaties more easily than friends
can mako laws? Can treaties be more
faithfully enforced between aliens than
laws can among friends? Suppose you
go to war, you cannot b'ght always, and
when, after much loss on both sides and
no gain on cither, you cease fighting, the
indentical questions as to terms of inter
course are again upon you."
THE DIFFICULTIES OF DISUNION.
There is no line, straight or crooked,
suitable for a national boundry, upon
which to divide. Trace through from
east to west upon the line between the
free aud slave country, and wc shall find
a little more than one-third of its length
are rivers easy to be crossed, and popula
ted thickly tn both sides; while nearly
all of its remaining length arc uicrly sur
veyors' lines, over which pcoplo may
walk back and forth without any con
ciousness of their presence. No part of
this line can be made any more difficult
to pass by writing it down on paper or
parchment as a national boundry. The
fact of separation, if it comes, gives up,
on the part of the seceding section, the
fugitive slave clause, along with all other
constitutional obligations, upon the section
seceded from, while I should expect no
treaty stipulation would ever be made to
take its place. But there is another diffi
culty. The great interior region, boun
ded east by the Alleghanics, north by the
British dominions, west by the Kocky
Mountains, and south by the line along
which tho culture of corn and cotton
meets, and which includes part of Vir
ginia, part of Tennessee, and all of Ken
tuck, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wiscon
sin, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Jowa,
Minnesota, and ohe territories of Daco
tub, Nebraska, and part of Colorado, has
above 10.000.000 of people, and will
have fifty millions within fifty years, if
not prevented by ony political folly or
mistake. It contains more than one mill
ion of square miles. Once half as pop
ulous as Massachusetts . already is, it
would have more than seventy-fivo mill
ions of people. A glance at the map
shows that, territorially speaking, it is
the great body of the republic. The
other parts are but marginal borders to
it, tho magnificent region slopiug west
from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific
being the deepest and also the richest in
undeveloped resources, in the production
of provisions, grains, grasses and all which
proceed from them,
This great interior region is naturally
one of the most important in the world.
Ascertain from the statistics the bmull
Donulation of the region which has not
yet been brought into cultivation, and al
so the large anu increasing buiouuv oi us
products, and wo shall be overwhelmed
with the magnitude of the prospect pre
sented ; and yet this region has ho sea
coast, touches no ocean onywhere. As
part of one nation, its people now find,
and may forever find, their way to Europe
bv New York, to south America ana Af-:
nca by New Orleans, and to Asia by San
Francisco. , 13 ut separato our common
country into two nations as designed by
the present rebellion, anu every man ot
this groat iuterior region is thereby cut
off from some one or more of these out
lets, not perhaps by a physical barrier,
but by embarrassing aud onerous trade
regulations. And this is truo wherever a
dividing or bonndary lino may lbe fixed.
Place it between the tree and slave coun
try, or place it south of Kentucky or north
of the Ohio, and still the truth remains,
that none south of it can trade to any
port or placo north of it, and nono north
of it can trade to any port or place south
of it, except upon terms dictated by a gov
crnnicnt foreign to them. These outlets,
cast, west and south, aro indispensable to
the wellbeing of the people inhabiting and ,
to inhabit this vast interior region. Which
of the three may be the, best, is no' prop- '
er question. ' All are better than either,'
and all of right belong to ' those people .
and to their successors forever.' True to
themselves they will )iot ask where a line "
of separrtion shall be, but will vow rath
cr that there shall he no such line. . ' V
, Nor are the marginal, regions less in
terested in these communications to and ,
through them, to the great outside world.
They, too, and each of them ' must have'
access to this Egypt of the WeBt, without
paying toll at the crossing of any nation
al boundary. Our national strife brings, '
not from our permanent past,' not from
the land we inhabit, not from our national
homestead. There is no possible severing
of this ; we would multiply and not miti
gate evils among us. All its adaptations ,
and aptitudes demand union and abhor
separation. In fact they would ere long
force reunion, however much of blood and "
treasure the separation might have cot.
Our strife pertains to ourselves, to the '
passing generations of men, and it cannot
without convulsion be hushed forever with
the passing of one -generation.'
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS PROPOSED. "
In this view I recommend the adoption
of the following resolutions and articles
amendatory to the constitution of the
United States. ' -
Kesolved.by the Senate and Hoar of Repro.
sentatives of the United State of America, ia
Congress assembled, two thirds of both bouses
concurring, that the following articles be pro.
fosed to the legislatures or conventions of the !
nitcd States, all or any of which articles, when
ratified by three-fourths of the said legislature
or conventions to be valid as part or pait of the '
said constitution, vii
Article Every state wherein slavery now
exists, which shall abolish the same therein at
any time or times before the first day of January .
in he year of our I-ord one thomand nine hun
dred, shall receive compensation from the Uni
ted States a follows, to wit : The president of
the United States shall deliver to every such ,
sttte, bonds of the United States, bearing inter
est at the rate of for each slave shown to have
been therein by the eighth census of the United
States, said bonds to be delivered to such state '
by installments, or in one parcel at the comple
tion of the abolishment, accordingly as the same
shall have been gradual or at one time within
sncb state, and interest shall begin to run on
any such bond, only from the proper time of it ,
delivery, as aforesaid and afterwards. Any .
state having received bonds as aforesaid, and af
terwards introducing or tolerating slavery there- :
In, shall refund to the United States the bonds so
received or the value thereof, and all interest
paid thereon. '
Article All slaves who shall have enjoyed ac
tual freedom by the chances of the war. at any
time before the end of the rebellion, shall be for
ever free, but all owners of such who shall not .
have been disloyal, shall be compensated for
them at the same rates as Is provided for atates
adopting the abolishment of slavery, but in such
a way that no slave shall be twice accounted for.
Article Congress may appropriate money and
otherwise provide for colonizing free colored per
sons, with their own consent, at any place or
places without the United States. ( ,
DISCUSSION OF TUB SLAVERY QUESTlOX.
I beg indulgence to discuss these pro
posed articles at some length. Without
slavery the rebellion would ucver have
existed ; without slavery it could not con
tinue. Among the friends of the Union, ,
there is great diversity of sentiment and
of poliey in regard to slavery, and the
African race among us ; some would abol- .
ish it suddenly and without compensation;
some would abolish it gradually and with ,
compensation; somo would remove the
freed people from us, and some would re
tain them with us, and there are yet oth
er minor diversities. Because of these
diversities we waste much strength in
struggles among ourselves. By mutual
concession we should harmonize and act
together. This would be a compromise
among the friends, and not with the eno
raics of the Uuioa. Theso articles are
intended to embody a plan of such mutu
al concession. If the plan shall be
adopted, it is assumed that emancipation
will follow, at least in several of the -states.
, : , ,, -
As to the first article, tho main points
are: first the emancipation; second, tho
length of time for consummating it, thirty
seven years ; and third, the compensation. -The
emancipation will be unsatisfactory
to the advocates of perpetual slavery, but
the length of time should greatly mitigate
their dissatisfaction. The time spares
both races from tho cvtli of sudden de
rangement. In fact, from the necessity
of any derangement, while most of those
whose habitual courso of thought will be
disturbed by the measure, will have pas
sed away before its consummation. They
will never see it. Another class will hail
the prospect of emancipation, but will
deprecate tho length of time. , They will
feel that it gives too little to the now liv
ing slaves. But it really jrivca tLem
much. It saves them from the vagrant
destitution which must largely attend ira.
mediate emancipation in localities where
their numbers are very great, and it gives
the inspiriting amurance that their pos
terity shall be free forever. The plan
leaves to each stato choosing to act under
it, to abolish slavery now or at the end of
the century, or at any intermediate time,
or by degrees extending over the whole or
any part of the period, and it obliges no
twe states to proceed alike. It also pro
vides for compensation, and generally ths
modo of making it. This, it would seem,
must further mitigate tho dissatisfaction
of those who favor perpetual slavery, and
especially of those who are to rcccivo com
pensation. Doubtless somo of those who
are to pay and not to receive, will object.
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