anti-slavery order which was considered premature and unwise; he
had countermanded and annulled the proclamations of General Hunter
and General Fremont declaring the slaves to be free within the
districts of their respective commands. He now recommended a
measure in the line of his conservative policy, to which he attached
great weight, and from which he anticipated important consequences.
On the 6th of March, 1862, the President sent a message to Congress
recommending the adoption of a joint resolution declaring that "the
United States ought to co-operate with any State which may adopt
gradual abolishment of slavery, giving to each State pecuniary aid
to be used in its discretion to compensate for the inconveniences,
public and private, produced by such change of system." Mr. Lincoln
believed that if the leaders of the existing Rebellion could conquer
their independence, the Border slave States would necessarily join
them from sympathy with their institutions. By the initiation of
emancipation all possible desire or tendency in that direction
would be removed, and thus a severe blow be given to the Rebellion.
He believed in compensation to the slave-holder, and expressed his
opinion that "gradual and not sudden emancipation is better for
all." He asked Congress to consider "how very soon the current
expenses of the war would purchase at a fair valuation all the
slaves in any named State."

When the message reached the House it was referred to the Committee
of the Whole on the State of the Union. Four days later Mr. Roscoe
Conkling moved to suspend the rules in order to bring the resolution
before the House "in the exact form in which the President had
recommended it." The motion prevailed by 86 to 35. Francis P.
Blair of Missouri and the representatives from West Virginia were
the only Border State men who voted to suspend the rules. Mr.
Conkling thought an immediate vote might be taken because he presumed
"every member had made up his mind on the question involved." But
the Kentucky delegation desired time for consultation. They
concluded to oppose the resolution. Mr. Crittenden, speaking the
sentiments of all, asked, "Why do you exact of Kentucky more than
she has already done to show her loyalty? Has she not parted with
all her former allies, with all her natural kindred in other States?
Why should it be asked that she should now surrender up her domestic
institutions?" Against the protest of Kentucky