The Great Conspiracy, Volume 4 by John Alexander Logan
page 49 of 106 (46%)
page 49 of 106 (46%)
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improperly into our lines, and in some instances they may be enticed
there, but I think the number has been magnified by report. Several applications have been made to me by persons whose servants have been found in our camps, and in every instance that I know of the master has recovered his servant and taken him away." Thus, while some of our Commanders, like Dix and Halleck, repelled or even expelled the Fugitive Slave from their lines; and others, like Buell and Hooker, facilitated the search for, and restoration to his master, of the black Fugitive found within our lines; on the other hand, Fremont, as we have seen, and Doubleday and Hunter, as we shall yet see, took totally different ground on this question. President Lincoln, however, harassed as he was by the extremists on both sides of the Slavery question, still maintained that calm statesman-like middle-course from which the best results were likely to flow. But he now thought the time had come to broach the question of a compensated, gradual Emancipation. Accordingly, on March 6, 1862, he sent to Congress the following message: "Fellow citizens of the Senate and House of Representatives: "I recommend the adoption of a joint Resolution by your honorable bodies, which shall be substantially as follows: "Resolved, That the United States ought to co-operate with any State which may adopt gradual abolishment of Slavery, giving to such State pecuniary aid, to be used by such State in its discretion, to compensate |
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