Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-12-14
Secretary
Cameron and the Pres kaent on the
slavery Quesfione-Camero Over
ruled by thePresidenf.
fFrom the Now York Tribune Of the 4th.l

interest at the Federal etropolis-namely,
the reported disagreement between the
President and the Secretary Of War with
regard to that portion of the Report OF the
latter which treats of the use to be made of
the slaves of rebels. Other journals had
information of this subject; We had none;
simply because, while their Washington
dispatches respecting it we're TO come
through in due course, ours was suppressed
by the Government censor In the Washing
= ton telegraph Office Having received it by
mail, We give it now part of the history
of the times, simply remarking that we
do not understand that it was suppressed
for lack of truth, but rather for excess of
1T. -
THE SUPPRESSED DISPATCH.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 1861.
The call of the roll had scarcely ended
in the House when the temper of the People
was strikingly manifested by their Repre-
seatstiyes Fastening, without delaying
moment for Presidential or other message,
. to pass resolution emancipating the slaves
of rebels within the military Jurisdictions.
Before the vote upon it was recorded,
painful rumor pervadcd the Hall that the
Z q President had taken open issue upon this
very question with Secretary Cameron. and
had recalled from the Philadelphia Post
Office the undeliyered copies of the War De-
partment Report, which the latter had
mailed yesterday for the use OF the news
paper press. The city filled with ru-
nors Of q breaking up of the Cabinet, and
80 the influence Of the revolution we are pass
ing through, in attaching men to principles
while weakening their hold on laws and
forms, was every where strikingly and most
suggestiyely conspicuous. The excitement
occasioned by this Executive opposition to
the necessities of the war and to the popular
viii, tonight sways the hotels and parlors
Of the city. The history of the difference
between the President and Secretary of War
has at last taken this shape. The Secre-
tary presented his report to Mr.. Lincoln on
- Saturday. On Sunday afternoon he mailed
it to the principal papers Of the North and
West, as is customary on the day preceding
.. the reading of the message. On Sunday
night, the President, having found time to
~ read it, found it not in his heart to agree
with the Secretary doctrine of the right and
the duty to make military use Of the slaves
Of rebels-to arm them, If necessary-and in
e. ways to use them as we would any other
property of the rebels to suppress this
bsllon. He sent for Mr.. Cameron, and re-
quired him to suppress this whole portion
of his report, on the ground that its recon-
lilg mendstion was premature and nl-timed.
The Secretary promptly and resolutely re-
81 fused to suppress word of it. The discus
sion between them was protracted. It
ended as it begun, the President insisting
81 upon the alteration, and the Secretary re-
specially but firmly refusing to change
syllable Of his recommendations. A sub
sequent interview In the afternoon had a
similar conclusion of debate, but new and
strange conclusion of Executive win. The
President announced his purpose to strike
out the entire passage about the emancipa-
tion and arming of the slaves before send
ing in the report with his message to Con-
gress. Mr.. Cameron declared he should not
recall or suppress the document in the hands
o. of the Northern and Western editors and
that the printers were at liberty to do with
50 his report what they pleased Which of the
two copies will the people read and the army
prefer?
As Secretary CAMERON wrote his Report
on the Slavery question, it stood thus:
What to do with that species of property
is question that time and circumstance viii
solve. and need not be anticipated further
than to repeat that they can not be held by
the Government as slaves. IL would be use
less to keep them as prisoners of war; and
self-preservation, the highest duty of gov
eminent or of individuals, demands that
they should be disposed of or employed in
the most effective manner that win tend
Z. most speedily to suppress the instruction.
and restore the authority of the Government.
If it shall be found that the men who have
Is been held by the rebels as slaves are capa-
BILE of bearing arms and performing efficient
military service, it is the right, and may
become the duty of the Government to arm
against the rebels, under proper military
~ regulation, discipline and command.
But in whatever manner they may be
used by the Government, it is plain that,
"a. once liberated by the rebelious act of their
- masters, they should never again be restored
- to bondage. By the masters treason and
rebellion he forfeits all right to the labor
and service Of his slave; and the slave of
the rebellious master, by his service to the
a. Government, becomes justly entitled to
freedom and protection.
The disposition to be made of the slaves
Of rebels, after the close of the war, can be
safely left to the wisdom and patriotism of
Congress. The Representatives of the
people win ENTHUSIASTICALLY secure to the
q, loyal shareholders every right to which they
are entitled under the Constitution of the
country. SIMON CAMERON,
- s5sgsis - st-- Secretary Of War.
TO the President
sss1s The President ordered it to read as fol-
xoprrIcATIos OF SECRETARY cAMERoN's RE-
PORT.
-fFeg After the original report had heep printed