第33章

IntheinauguraladdressIbrieflypointedoutthetotalinadequacyofdisunionasaremedyforthedifferencesbetweenthepeopleofthetwosections。IdidsoinlanguagewhichIcannotimprove，andwhich，therefore，Ibegtorepeat：

"Onesectionofourcountrybelievesslaveryisrightandoughttobeextended，whiletheotherbelievesitiswrongandoughtnottobeextended。Thisistheonlysubstantialdispute。Thefugitive—slaveclauseoftheConstitutionandthelawsforthesuppressionoftheforeignslavetradeareeachaswellenforced，perhaps，asanylawcaneverbeinacommunitywherethemoralSenseofthepeopleimperfectlysupportsthelawitself。Thegreatbodyofthepeopleabidebythedrylegalobligationinbothcases，andafewbreakoverineach。This，Ithink，cannotbeperfectlycured，anditwouldbeworseinbothcasesaftertheseparationofthesectionsthanbefore。

Theforeignslavetrade，nowimperfectlysuppressed，wouldbeultimatelyrevivedwithoutrestrictioninonesection，whilefugitiveslaves，nowonlypartiallysurrendered，wouldnotbesurrenderedatallbytheother。

"Physicallyspeaking，wecannotseparate。Wecannotremoveourrespectivesectionsfromeachothernorbuildanimpassablewallbetweenthem。Ahusbandandwifemaybedivorcedandgooutofthepresenceandbeyondthereachofeachother，butthedifferentpartsofourcountrycannotdothis。Theycannotbutremainfacetoface，andintercourse，eitheramicableorhostile，mustcontinuebetweenthem。Isitpossible，then，tomakethatintercoursemoreadvantageousormoresatisfactoryafterseparationthanbefore？Canaliensmaketreatieseasierthanfriendscanmakelaws？Cantreatiesbemorefaithfullyenforcedbetweenaliensthanlawscanamongfriends？Supposeyougotowar，youcannotfightalways；andwhen，aftermuchlossonbothsidesandnogainoneither，youceasefighting，theidenticaloldquestions，astotermsofintercourse，areagainuponyou。"

Thereisnoline，straightorcrooked，suitableforanationalboundaryuponwhichtodivide。Tracethrough，fromeasttowest，uponthelinebetweenthefreeandslavecountry，andweshallfindalittlemorethanonethirdofitslengtharerivers，easytobecrossed，andpopulated，orsoontobepopulated，thicklyuponbothsides；whilenearlyallitsremaininglengtharemerelysurveyors’

lines，overwhichpeoplemaywalkbackandforthwithoutanyconsciousnessoftheirpresence。Nopartofthislinecanbemadeanymoredifficulttopassbywritingitdownonpaperorparchmentasanationalboundary。Thefactofseparation，ifitcomes，givesuponthepartofthesecedingsectionthefugitive—slaveclausealongwithallotherconstitutionalobligationsuponthesectionsecededfrom，whileIshouldexpectnotreatystipulationwouldeverbemadetotakeitsplace。

Butthereisanotherdifficulty。ThegreatinteriorregionboundedeastbytheAlleghenies，northbytheBritishdominions，westbytheRockyMountains，andsouthbythelinealongwhichthecultureofcornandcottonmeets，andwhichincludespartofVirginia，partofTennessee，allofKentucky，Ohio，Indiana，Michigan，Wisconsin，Illinois，Missouri，Kansas，Iowa，Minnesota，andtheTerritoriesofDakota，Nebraska，andpartofColorado，alreadyhasabove10，000，000

people，andwillhave50，000，000withinfiftyyearsifnotpreventedbyanypoliticalfollyormistake。ItcontainsmorethanonethirdofthecountryownedbytheUnitedStates——certainlymorethan1，000，000squaremiles。OncehalfaspopulousasMassachusettsalreadyis，itwouldhavemorethan75，000，000people。Aglanceatthemapshowsthat，territoriallyspeaking，itisthegreatbodyoftheRepublic。Theotherpartsarebutmarginalborderstoit，themagnificentregionslopingwestfromtheRockyMountainstothePacificbeingthedeepestandalsotherichestinundevelopedresources。Intheproductionofprovisions，grains，grasses，andallwhichproceedfromthemthisgreatinteriorregionisnaturallyoneofthemostimportantintheworld。Ascertainfromstatisticsthesmallproportionoftheregionwhichhasyetbeenbroughtintocultivation，andalsothelargeandrapidlyincreasingamountofproducts，andweshallbeoverwhelmedwiththemagnitudeoftheprospectpresented。Andyetthisregionhasnoseacoast——touchesnooceananywhere。Aspartofonenation，itspeoplenowfind，andmayforeverfind，theirwaytoEuropebyNewYork，toSouthAmericaandAfricabyNewOrleans，andtoAsiabySanFrancisco；butseparateourcommoncountryintotwonations，asdesignedbythepresentrebellion，andeverymanofthisgreatinteriorregionistherebycutofffromsomeoneormoreoftheseoutlets，notperhapsbyaphysicalbarrier，butbyembarrassingandoneroustraderegulations。

Andthisistrue，whereveradividingorboundarylinemaybefixed。

Placeitbetweenthenowfreeandslavecountry，orplaceitsouthofKentuckyornorthofOhio，andstillthetruthremainsthatnonesouthofitcantradetoanyportorplacenorthofit，andnonenorthofitcantradetoanyportorplacesouthofit，exceptupontermsdictatedbyagovernmentforeigntothem。Theseoutlets，east，west，andsouth，areindispensabletothewell—beingofthepeopleinhabitingandtoinhabitthisvastinteriorregion。Whichofthethreemaybethebestisnoproperquestion。Allarebetterthaneither，andallofrightbelongtothatpeopleandtotheirsuccessorsforever。Truetothemselves，theywillnotaskwherealineofseparationshallbe，butwillvowratherthatthereshallbenosuchline。

Norarethemarginalregionslessinterestedinthesecommunicationstoandthroughthemtothegreatoutsideworld。They，too，andeachofthem，musthaveaccesstothisEgyptoftheWestwithoutpayingtollatthecrossingofanynationalboundary。

Ournationalstrifespringsnotfromourpermanentpart；notfromthelandweinhabit；notfromournationalhomestead。Thereisnopossibleseveringofthisbutwouldmultiplyandnotmitigateevilsamongus。Inallitsadaptationsandaptitudesitdemandsunionandabhorsseparation。Infact，itwoulderelongforcereunion，howevermuchofbloodandtreasuretheseparationmighthavecost。

Ourstrifepertainstoourselves——tothepassinggenerationsofmen——

anditcanwithoutconvulsionbehushedforeverwiththepassingofonegeneration。

InthisviewIrecommendtheadoptionofthefollowingresolutionandarticlesamendatorytotheConstitutionoftheUnitedStates：

ResolvedbytheSenateandHouseofRepresentativesoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica，inCongressassembled，(twothirdsofbothHousesconcurring)，ThatthefollowingarticlesbeproposedtotheLegislatures(orconventions)oftheseveralStatesasamendmentstotheConstitutionoftheUnitedStates，alloranyofwhicharticles，whenratifiedbythreefourthsofthesaidLegislatures(orconventions)，tobevalidaspartorpartsofthesaidConstitution，viz。

ART。——EveryStatewhereinslaverynowexistswhichshallabolishthesamethereinatanytimeortimesbeforethe1stdayofJanuary，A。D。

1900，shallreceivecompensationfromtheUnitedStatesasfollows，towit：

ThePresidentoftheUnitedStatesshalldelivertoeverysuchStatebondsoftheUnitedStatesbearinginterestattherateof___percent。perannumtoanamountequaltotheaggregatesumof______

foreachslaveshowntohavebeenthereinbytheEighthCensusoftheUnitedStates，saidbondstobedeliveredtosuchStatebyinstalmentsorinoneparcelatthecompletionoftheabolishment，accordinglyasthesameshallhavebeengradualoratonetimewithinsuchState；andinterestshallbegintorunuponanysuchbondonlyfromthepropertimeofitsdeliveryasaforesaid。AnyStatehavingreceivedbondsasaforesaidandafterwardsreintroducingortoleratingslaverythereinshallrefundtotheUnitedStatesthebondssoreceived，orthevaluethereof，andallinterestpaidthereon。

ART。——Allslaveswhoshallhaveenjoyedactualfreedombythechancesofthewaratanytimebeforetheendoftherebellionshallbeforeverfree；butallownersofsuchwhoshallnothavebeendisloyalshallbecompensatedforthematthesameratesasisprovidedforStatesadoptingabolishmentofslavery，butinsuchwaythatnoslaveshallbetwiceaccountedfor。

ART。——CongressmayappropriatemoneyandotherwiseprovideforcolonizingfreecoloredpersonswiththeirownconsentatanyplaceorplaceswithouttheUnitedStates。

Ibegindulgencetodiscusstheseproposedarticlesatsomelength。

Withoutslaverytherebellioncouldneverhaveexisted；withoutslaveryitcouldnotcontinue。

AmongthefriendsoftheUnionthereisgreatdiversityofsentimentandofpolicyinregardtoslaveryandtheAfricanraceamongstus。

Somewouldperpetuateslavery；somewouldabolishitsuddenlyandwithoutcompensation；somewouldabolishitgraduallyandwithcompensation；somewouldremovethefreedpeoplefromus，andsomewouldretainthemwithus；andthereareyetotherminordiversities。

Becauseofthesediversitieswewastemuchstrengthinstrugglesamongourselves。Bymutualconcessionweshouldharmonizeandacttogether。Thiswouldbecompromise，butitwouldbecompromiseamongthefriendsandnotwiththeenemiesoftheUnion。Thesearticlesareintendedtoembodyaplanofsuchmutualconcessions。Iftheplanshallbeadopted，itisassumedthatemancipationwillfollow，atleastinseveraloftheStates。

Astothefirstarticle，themainpointsare，first，theemancipation；secondly，thelengthoftimeforconsummatingit(thirty—sevenyears)；and，thirdly，thecompensation。

Theemancipationwillbeunsatisfactorytotheadvocatesofperpetualslavery，butthelengthoftimeshouldgreatlymitigatetheirdissatisfaction。Thetimesparesbothracesfromtheevilsofsuddenderangement——infact，fromthenecessityofanyderangement——whilemostofthosewhosehabitualcourseofthoughtwillbedisturbedbythemeasurewillhavepassedawaybeforeitsconsummation。Theywillneverseeit。Anotherclasswillhailtheprospectofemancipation，butwilldeprecatethelengthoftime。Theywillfeelthatitgivestoolittletothenowlivingslaves。Butitreallygivesthemmuch。

Itsavesthemfromthevagrantdestitutionwhichmustlargelyattendimmediateemancipationinlocalitieswheretheirnumbersareverygreat，anditgivestheinspiringassurancethattheirposterityshallbefreeforever。TheplanleavestoeachStatechoosingtoactunderittoabolishslaverynoworattheendofthecentury，oratanyintermediatetune，orbydegreesextendingoverthewholeoranypartoftheperiod，anditobligesnotwoStatestoproceedalike。

Italsoprovidesforcompensation，andgenerallythemodeofmakingit。This，itwouldseem，mustfurthermitigatethedissatisfactionofthosewhofavorperpetualslavery，andespeciallyofthosewhoaretoreceivethecompensation。Doubtlesssomeofthosewhoaretopayandnottoreceivewillobject。Yetthemeasureisbothjustandeconomical。Inacertainsensetheliberationofslavesisthedestructionofproperty——propertyacquiredbydescentorbypurchase，thesameasanyotherproperty。ItisnolesstrueforhavingbeenoftensaidthatthepeopleoftheSoutharenotmoreresponsiblefortheoriginalintroductionofthispropertythanarethepeopleoftheNorth；andwhenitisrememberedhowunhesitatinglyweallusecottonandsugarandsharetheprofitsofdealinginthem，itmaynotbequitesafetosaythattheSouthhasbeenmoreresponsiblethantheNorthforitscontinuance。If，then，foracommonobjectthispropertyistobesacrificed，isitnotjustthatitbedoneatacommoncharge？

Andifwithlessmoney，ormoneymoreeasilypaid，wecanpreservethebenefitsoftheUnionbythismeansthanwecanbythewaralone，isitnotalsoeconomicaltodoit？Letusconsiderit，then。LetusascertainthesumwehaveexpendedinthewarSincecompensatedemancipationwasproposedlastMarch，andconsiderwhetherifthatmeasurehadbeenpromptlyacceptedbyevensomeoftheslaveStatesthesamesumwouldnothavedonemoretoclosethewarthanhasbeenotherwisedone。Ifso，themeasurewouldsavemoney，andinthatviewwouldbeaprudentandeconomicalmeasure。Certainlyitisnotsoeasytopaysomethingasitistopaynothing，butitiseasiertopayalargesumthanitistopayalargerone。Anditiseasiertopayanysumwhenweareablethanitistopayitbeforeweareable。

Thewarrequireslargesums，andrequiresthematonce。Theaggregatesumnecessaryforcompensatedemancipationofcoursewouldbelarge。Butitwouldrequirenoreadycash，northebondsevenanyfasterthantheemancipationprogresses。Thismightnot，andprobablywouldnot，closebeforetheendofthethirty—sevenyears。

Atthattimeweshallprobablyhaveahundredmillionsofpeopletosharetheburden，insteadofthirty—onemillionsasnow。Andnotonlyso，buttheincreaseofourpopulationmaybeexpectedtocontinueforalongtimeafterthatperiodasrapidlyasbefore，becauseourterritorywillnothavebecomefull。Idonotstatethisinconsiderately。Atthesameratioofincreasewhichwehavemaintained，onanaverage，fromourfirstnationalcensus，in1790，untilthatof186o，weshouldin1900haveapopulationof103，208，415。Andwhymaywenotcontinuethatratiofarbeyondthatperiod？Ourabundantroom，ourbroadnationalhomestead，isourampleresource。WereourterritoryaslimitedasaretheBritishIsles，verycertainlyourpopulationcouldnotexpandasstated。

Insteadofreceivingtheforeignbornasnow，weshouldbecompelledtosendpartofthenativebornaway。Butsuchisnotourcondition。

Wehave2，963，000squaremiles。Europehas3，800，000，withapopulationaveraging73personstothesquaremile。Whymaynotourcountryatsometimeaverageasmany？Isitlessfertile？Hasitmorewastesurfacebymountains，rivers，lakes，deserts，orothercauses？IsitinferiortoEuropeinanynaturaladvantage？If，then，weareatsometimetobeaspopulousasEurope，howsoon？Astowhenthismaybe，wecanjudgebythepastandthepresent；astowhenitwillbe，ifever，dependsmuchonwhetherwemaintaintheUnion……

[apageoftablesofprojectedstatistics]

ThesefiguresshowthatourcountrymaybeaspopulousasEuropenowisatsomepointbetween1920and1930，sayabout1925——ourterritory，at73personstothesquaremile，beingofcapacitytocontain217，186，000。

Andwewillreachthis，too，ifwedonotourselvesrelinquishthechancebythefollyandevilsofdisunionorbylongandexhaustingwarspringingfromtheonlygreatelementofnationaldiscordamongus。Whileitcannotbeforeseenexactlyhowmuchonehugeexampleofsecession，breedinglesseronesindefinitely，wouldretardpopulation，civilization，andprosperity，noonecandoubtthattheextentofitwouldbeverygreatandinjurious。

Theproposedemancipationwouldshortenthewar，perpetuatepeace，insurethisincreaseofpopulation，andproportionatelythewealthofthecountry。Withtheseweshouldpayalltheemancipationwouldcost，togetherwithourotherdebt，easierthanweshouldpayourotherdebtwithoutit。Ifwehadallowedouroldnationaldebttorunatsixpercent。perannum，simpleinterest，fromtheendofourrevolutionarystruggleuntilto—day，withoutpayinganythingoneitherprincipalorinterest，eachmanofuswouldowelessuponthatdebtnowthaneachmanoweduponitthen；andthisbecauseourincreaseofmenthroughthewholeperiodhasbeengreaterthansixpercent。——hasrunfasterthantheinterestuponthedebt。Thustimealonerelievesadebtornation，solongasitspopulationincreasesfasterthanunpaidinterestaccumulatesonitsdebt。

Thisfactwouldbenoexcusefordelayingpaymentofwhatisjustlydue，butitshowsthegreatimportanceoftimeinthisconnection——

thegreatadvantageofapolicybywhichweshallnothavetopayuntilwenumber100，000，000whatbyadifferentpolicywewouldhavetopaynow，whenwenumberbut31，000，000。Inaword，itshowsthatadollarwillbemuchhardertopayforthewarthanwillbeadollarforemancipationontheproposedplan。Andthenthelatterwillcostnoblood，nopreciouslife。Itwillbeasavingofboth。

Astothesecondarticle，Ithinkitwouldbeimpracticabletoreturntobondagetheclassofpersonsthereincontemplated。Someofthem，doubtless，inthepropertysensebelongtoloyalowners，andhenceProvisionismadeinthisarticleforcompensatingsuch。

Thethirdarticlerelatestothefutureofthefreedpeople。Itdoesnotoblige，butmerelyauthorizesCongresstoaidincolonizingsuchasmayconsent。Thisoughtnuttoberegardedasobjectionableontheonehandorontheother，insomuchasitcomestonothingunlessbythemutualconsentofthepeopletobedeportedandtheAmericanvotersthroughtheirrepresentativesinCongress。

IcannotmakeitbetterknownthanitalreadyisthatIstronglyfavorcolonization；andyetIwishtosaythereisanobjectionurgedagainstfreecoloredpersonsremaininginthecountrywhichislargelyimaginary，ifnotsometimesmalicious。

Itisinsistedthattheirpresencewouldinjureanddisplacewhitelaborandwhitelaborers。Ifthereevercouldbeapropertimeformerecatchargumentsthattimesurelyisnotnow。Intimeslikethepresentmenshouldutternothingforwhichtheywouldnotwillinglyberesponsiblethroughtimeandineternity。Isittrue，then，thatcoloredpeoplecandisplaceanymorewhitelaborbybeingfreethanbyremainingslaves？Iftheystayintheiroldplaces，theyjostlenowhitelaborers；iftheyleavetheiroldplaces，theyleavethemopentowhitelaborers。Logically，thereisneithermorenorlessofit。Emancipation，evenwithoutdeportation，wouldprobablyenhancethewagesofwhitelabor，andverysurelywouldnotreducethem。

Thusthecustomaryamountoflaborwouldstillhavetobeperformed。

Thefreedpeoplewouldsurelynotdomorethantheiroldproportionofit，andveryprobablyforatimewoulddoless，leavinganincreasedparttowhitelaborers，bringingtheirlaborintogreaterdemand，andconsequentlyenhancingthewagesofit。Withdeportation，eventoalimitedextent，enhancedwagestowhitelaborismathematicallycertain。Laborislikeanyothercommodityinthemarket—increasethedemandforitandyouincreasethepriceofit。

Reducethesupplyofblacklaborbycolonizingtheblacklaboreroutofthecountry，andbypreciselysomuchyouincreasethedemandforandwagesofwhitelabor。

Butitisdreadedthatthefreedpeoplewillswarmforthandcoverthewholeland。Aretheynotalreadyintheland？Willliberationmakethemanymorenumerous？Equallydistributedamongthewhitesofthewholecountry，andtherewouldbebutonecoloredtosevenwhites。Couldtheoneinanywaygreatlydisturbtheseven？Therearemanycommunitiesnowhavingmorethanonefreecoloredpersontosevenwhites，andthiswithoutanyapparentconsciousnessofevilfromit。TheDistrictofColumbiaandtheStatesofMarylandandDelawareareallinthiscondition。TheDistricthasmorethanonefreecoloredtosixwhites，andyetinitsfrequentpetitionstoCongressIbelieveithasneverpresentedthepresenceoffreecoloredpersonsasoneofitsgrievances。ButwhyshouldemancipationSouthsendthefreepeopleNorth？Peopleofanycolorseldomrununlesstherebesomethingtorunfrom。HeretoforecoloredpeopletosomeextenthavefledNorthfrombondage，andnow，perhaps，frombothbondageanddestitution。Butifgradualemancipationanddeportationbeadopted，theywillhaveneithertofleefrom。Theiroldmasterswillgivethemwagesatleastuntilnewlaborerscanbeprocured，andthefreedmeninturnwillgladlygivetheirlaborforthewagestillnewhomescanbefoundforthemincongenialclimesandwithpeopleoftheirownbloodandrace。Thispropositioncanbetrustedonthemutualinterestsinvolved。Andinanyevent，cannottheNorthdecideforitselfwhethertoreceivethem？

Again，aspracticeprovesmorethantheoryinanycase，hastherebeenanyirruptionofcoloredpeoplenorthwardbecauseoftheabolishmentofslaveryinthisDistrictlastspring？

WhatIhavesaidoftheproportionoffreecoloredpersonstothewhitesintheDistrictisfromthecensusof1860