The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-12-09

be brought on by the contemplated rebel
lion, and that boast was accompanied by
the savage threat that Northern towns
and cities would become the victims of ra-
pine and military SPOIL and that "North-
ern men should smell Southern gunpow-
der and feel Southern STEEL No one
doubts the disposition of the rebels TO car
ny that threat into execution. The wealth
of Northern towns and cities, the produce
of Northern farms, Northern workshops and
manufactures, would certainly be seized,
destroyed, or appropriated as military SPOIL
No property in the North weuld be spared
from the hands of the rebels, and their ra-
pine would be defended under the laws of
war. While the loyal States thus have all
their property and possessions at stake, are
the insurgent rebels to carry on warfare
against the government in peace and secu-
rity to their own property eHZ /
Reason and justice and self-preservation |
forbid that such should be the policy of I
this government but demand, on the con-
trary, that being forced by traitors and |
rebels to the extremity of war, all the |
rights and powers of war should be exer-
cised TO bring it to speedy end. r9grl
Those who make war against the gov
eminent, justly forfeit all rights of proper
| ty, privilege or security, derived from the
Constitution and laws, against which they
are in armed rebellion; and as the labor and
service of their slaves constitute the chief
/ property of the rebels, such property should
share the common fate of war to which
they have devoted the property of loyal
| citizens.
While it is plain that the slave property
of the South is justly subjected to all the
consequences of this rebellious war, and
that the Government would be untrue to its
trust in not employing all the rights and
| powers Of war to bring it to a speedy close,
the details of the plan for doing SO, ike all
other military measures, must, in a great
degree, be left to be determined by particu-
lar exigencies. The disposition of other
property belonging to the rebels that be-
comes subject to our arms, is governed by
the circumstances of;the case. The govern
ment has no power to hold slaves, none to
restrain slave of his liberty, or to exact
his service. 1t has right, however, to use
the voluntary service of slaves liberated by
war from their rebel masters, like any other
property of the rebels, in whatever mode
may be most efficient for the defense of the
Government, the prosecution of the war,
and the suppression of the rebellion. It is
as clearly a right of the Government to
arm slaves, when it may become necessary,
as it is to use gunpowder taken from the
enemy. Whether it is expedient to do 80
is purely military question, The right is
unquestionable by the laws of war. The
expediency must be determined by circum-
stances, keeping in view the great object of
overcoming the rebels, re-establishing the
laws, and restoring peace to the nation.
1t is vain and idle for the government to
/ ~
existence against rebellious force, without
employing all the rights and powers of war.
As has been said, the right to deprive the
rebels of their property in slaves and slave
} labor, is as clear and absolute as the right
to take forage from the Geld, or cotton from
the warehouse, or powder and arms from
the magazine. To leave the enemy in the
possession of such property as forage and
cotton and military stores, and the means of
constantly reproducing them, would be
madness. 1t is, therefore, equal TO mad
ness to leave them in peaceful and secure
possession of slave property, more valuable
and efficient to them for war, than forage,
! cotton and military stores. Such policy
would be national suicide. What to do
with that species of property, is a question
that time and circumstances will solve, and
need not be anticipated further than to re-
: peat that they cannot be held by the gov
eminent as slaves. 1t would be useless to
keep them as prisoners of war; and self
| preservation, the highest duty of govern
, ment, or of individuals, demands that they
should be disposed of or employed in the
, most effective manner that will tend most
speedily to suppress the instruction and
restore the authority of the government
If it shall be found that the men who have
been held by the rebels as slaves, are capa-
. BILE of bearing arms and performing eff
! Gent military service, it is the right, aud
may become the duty of the government to
arm and equip them, and employ their ser
vices against the rebels, under proper mill
t tary regulation, discipline and command
2 But in whatever manner they may be
used by the government, it is plain that,
once liberated by the rebellious act of their
: masters they should never again be restor-
ed to bondage. By the masters treason
and rebellion he forfeits all right to the la
Dor and service of his slave, and the slave
of the rebellious master, by his service to
the government, becomes justly entitled to
freedom and protection. cs r.
The disposition to be made of the slaves
of rebels, after the close of the war, can
safely be left to the wisdom and patriotism
of Congress. The representatives of the
people will unquestionably secure to the
loyal shareholders every right to which
they are entitled under the Constitution of
the country.