Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1861-11-15
Modification of the military Policy in
regard to Slaves.


The order of the Secretary of War to Gen.
w. 4. Sherman, the commander of the ex-
petition about to sail to the Southern coast,
in regard to the treatment of persons " who
may offer themselves to the National Govern
ment whether or not fugitives from labor" :"
modifies the instructions heretofore given on
the subject. The reception Of such persons
by our army, as ordered by the Secretary, will
deprive the rebels Of these valuable allies eve
~ where in the vicinity Of our troops. The
news Of their kind treatment by our army, and
their employment at what to them will seem
pFincely wages and rations, will spread more
rapidly among them than the telegraph and
the newspapers could spread pny proclamation
among a people who cannot read. Thgir
organization into squads and companies, as or
dPred by the Secretary, will make them valua-
bic nlies to our armies, and thus when our ex-
petitions enter the South, they will be rapid
II reinforced By the natives. These colored
loyalists may be made as useful to our army
as an equal number OF white men, while t. de-
tach them from the rebels will be q much
heavier loss 10 them than the capture of an
equal number of thcfr.whites..
The order Of the Secretary also in regard to
the slaves of loyal masters, is modification Of
the previous policy of the Government. In
stead of attempting to return the slaves of
masters who pretend to be loyal, which has
the effect to make Secessionists loyal only when
their slaves have escaped to our army, and,
which requires Of the army service contrary
to law, and exceeding the Act Of Congress
called the Confscation.Act, this order instrugts
the commanders to assure loyal masters whose
slaves have been received into the service Of
our armies that Congress will provide just
compensation for their loss. This policy is
much more practicable than that which at
tempts to make distinction between the slaves
of rebels in arms, and those Of loyal men, and
to con6scate those Of the rebels, while it pro-
teets and returns those of the loyalists. This
valves all these impracticable distinctions,
and receives all the slaves who come and refers
them TO Congress for Just compensation.
This modification will have a very important
effect on the success Of our SOuther expeditions.
1t will make the slaves the element of weakness
to the rebels in the war, instead of great
strength rs they have been made by our policy
toward them heretofore. Wherever our expe-
ditions land, panic win be spread among the
masters, and a stampede will take place of the
slaves to our ranks. 1t will add vastly to the
success of these undertakings by bringing re-
Inducements TO our troops from the districts
which they enter. Their advance will bring
them constant accession of numbers and the
effect on the masters will be powerful in dis
gusling them with the rebellion, and restoring
them TO loyalty. Another excellent effect Of
this modification, WHICH will as=uage much
anxiety in the North, will be its reducing the
danger of scrviIe insurrection, by drawing the
disafTccted slaves TO our army, and giving them
employment under military control and disci-
pline.
The policy of the Government as now mod.
ifed, although not promulgated by prOclama-
| tion, which would be of no avail, because there
are no means OF circulating Proclamations a
moEg slaves now in the far South, is more
comprehensive than any heretofore tried
either in the East or West.
| The extent of our country enables the Gov
ernment to try different policies in different
sections. If this method Of dealing with this
matter is successful frf the far South, the CO.
vernment will probably make it general Gin
Gazette.