h of the United
States, that the suggestion of saving expenses to the people by
compensated emancipation was a bribe, and that Delaware would abolish
slavery of its own volition at a time when its lawmakers would deem it
advisable. But these resolutions did not fare much better than
Lincoln's bill, for in spite of the fact that they passed the House
they were lost in the Senate.[23]

Although disappointed over the failure of his plans for compensated
emancipation in Delaware, Lincoln, encouraged by the victories of
Thomas and Grant in the West took his next step through Congress to
the States.[24] Accordingly, on March 6, 1862, he sent to that body a
special message, recommending the adoption of the joint resolution
that the United States would cooperate with any State which might
adopt gradual emancipation, giving such State compensation for all
inconveniences produced by the change of any system within its
confines.[25] Lincoln had figured out that less than the cost of the
war for a half day would pay for all the slaves in Delaware at $400
each, and that less than eighty-seven days' cost of the war would
compensate the slaveowners of Delaware, Maryland, the District of
Columbia, Kentucky, and Missouri for all the slaves at the same rate.

The next step took the form of Roscoe Conkling's joint resolution to
this effect recommended by Lincoln in his special message of March 6.
At the same time Lincoln assembled the Congressmen from the border
slave States of Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, and
Missouri at the Executive Mansion, where a prolonged discussion of the
subject ensued.[26] Lincoln tried to convince these Congressmen of the
good faith of the administration, and suggested to them that they take
this question of gradual abolition into serious consideration, for the
Government of the United States had no right to coerce them. He
asserted that emancipation was exclusively a State affair; and that
his purpose was simply to present the proposition. Yet probably one
reason for the failure of these Congressmen of the border slave States
to make a favorable reply or to commit themselves in any way was that
they were well aware of Lincoln's determination, according to his
special message of March 6, to use all means to save the Union; and
they, furthermore, understood the hint that necessity might force him
to resort to extreme measures. While this proposition gained no
headway with the border slave State