The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1861-08-22

practically abandoned them to be swal
lowed up by the winter storm of starvs
ton. If property, do they not becom
the property OF the salvors but we, thei
salvors, do not need and will not holt
such property, and will assume no sucl
ownership; has not. therefore, all propri
etary relation ceased Have they no
become thereupon men, women and chil
drenl No longer under ownership o
sny kind. the fearful relics of fusitiv,
u asters, have they not by their masters
acts, and the state of war, assumed The
condition, which We hold to be the nor
NAL one, of those m ade in Gods image
Is not every constitutional, legal and
moral requirement, as we'll TO the runa
way easter as to their relinquisbed slaves
thus answered 7 | confess that my owl
mind is compelled By this reasoning tc
look upon them as men and women. L
not free born, yet free, maDumitted, sem
forth from the hand that held them never
to be reclaimed.
Of course, if this reasoning, thus in
perfectly set forth, il correct, my duty as
humane man, is very plan. | should
take the same care of these men, women
and children who, for their attach me Mt tc
the Uniou, and had been driven or al
lowed to flee from the confederate States
should have no doubt on this question
had not seen it stated that an order had
been Issued by Geuera! Mcdowell, in his
department., substantially forbidding al
fugitive slaves from coming within bis
lines, or being barbored there Is thai
orier to be enforced in all military de.
tartmeuts II SO, who are to be coDsd
cred fugitive sla'esl Is slave to be
considered fugitive whose master runs a
way aud leaves him
Is it forbidden to the troops to aid OF
harbor within their lines the negro chill.
dren who are therein, or is the soldier
when bis N arch has destroyed their means
of subsistence. to allow them to starve
because he bss driven off the rebel mas
ter! Now shall the comm ander Of re,
gimcnt or battalion sit in judgment upon
the question whether any given black
man has fed from bis master. or his u as
ter fed frou him p? Indeed, how are the
free born to be distinguished Is one
aus more or less a fugitive slave because
be has laboTed upon the rebel eutrench-
mentsl II he has so labored, if | under
stand it, he is TO be harbored. BY the
reception OF which, are the rebels most to
be distressed, By taking those who have
wrought all their rebel masters desired
masked their battery, or those who have
refu,ed to labor and left the battery un-
masked.
l have very decided opinions upon the
subject of this order. It does not become
me to criticize it, and | write in no spirit
of criticism, but simply to explain the
full difficulties that Surround the enfor-
oing it. If the enforcement of that order
becomes the policy of the government. |,
as a soldier shall be bound to enforce it
steadfastly. if not cheerfully. But if left
30 my own discretion, as you may have
gathered from ny reasoning, should
take widely different course from that
which 1t indicates
In loyal State | would put down a
seryile in-urrection In a State Of rebel
lion | would coDf,cate that which was
used to oppose ny arms, and take all
that property which constituted the wealth
of that State end furnis bed the means by
which the war is prosecuted, beside being
the cause of the war; aud if, in SO doing,
it should be objected that humane beings
we're brought to the free enjoyment OF
life, liberty, and the pursuit OF happiness,
such objection might not require much
consideration.
Pardon me for addressing the Sccreta.
ry of War directly upon this question, as
it involves some political consideration as
we'll as Iropriety of military action.
| am, sir, your obcdient servant,
BENJAMIN L. BUTLER. 8