New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-08-04
EKon FORTRESS MONROE.
The Negro Question-A Trnifor-@e"'
bHs @ Correspondent in the forties'
Eu,ier and sIre Withdrawal OF IrSop''
From Our Special Correspondent.

able bodied negroes tDey coui" i'g 49, 1, ,;d |
taken them to Yorktown and other place. " UP
Notifications. They are using negroes wneie'' G
oar, bo tounA ,ybcnt regard to ownership or other
,.;1oro,ions 70 construct batteries. Negroes have
therbv come to be IN element of warfare as muoh as
powder or gunP. 1t there was depot or i"o'''y W
noxvder and uune trat Gen Butler could take or dc
stroy, would he not take or destroy 1t Woed itho'oo
his dntv TO do IT, and thus infct heavy blow ON re-
bellon There cannot lie moments hesitation ABOUT
VIVA, would 30 his duty in sWh a care. What ess&n-
tml difference is there between it and the gooblmg mp
of hndre6s and thou ands Of nsgrOes to construct Dat
teries behind which rebellion will make stand III
there was Rebel depot of heTses, carte, shovels'
wheebarows, other utensils for building iortihca-
tons, withR striking defiance, would there be any
for heslatpg about seicng said horses CARTS
and 80 on, and usine them 10 build batteries for Ma
tional troops Since negroes used in precisely the
same way by the Rebels they ust as much instru-
strumcns and an element Of warfare as powder
guns, horses, Carts and similar utensils, and why
should there be any hesitation about the one than
about the other
The Lite c,nfscation law does no touch the question
in the only shape in whicit il practically presented or
IL likely tocome up We have IT now before precisely
in this shape and in tlis shape IL must he treated
Hitherto the ne gro question has presented itse so 70
sneak. IN mlder form. Gen. Butter has been called
to decide what shall be done with negroes seeking
refuge and pro- ecOn within bis lncs Ii simply
a ouefton whether they should nave it or no.--a
question that vss not dicu to decide. The conisca-
ton law does not touch even lhat question, bOweSr
ii only applies To negroes actually employed on rebel
foriGedions snd must be without practical effect or
value, since the negroes are in the hands OF the
enemy and the Rebels the witnesses. So far, there
fore the law il hule more or less than parchment 10
read usi look at Tie grand question still remains:
Whal shall be done in tue of the great muss Of
negroes W no Are being gathered up and taken oil by
the Rebes to build batteries, from dis,ries that are
equally accessible to our forces, Were, if the effort Is
only made we can obtain willing hOorers 20 build our
batteries say nothing about what shall be done
with the negroes when are zone with them or,
what is perhaps greater question ttill, what shall be
done win tue women and children aud the aged de-
ueDdept on the able-bodied husbands, fathers aud
sons Considerations OF a warlike nature might de-
eide in favor Of taking without ceremony the able
bodied abmers; but humanity iL'crposes strong plea
on beh Il of the women, the children, aud the sick
and aged.
The war has brought us face to face with the negro
question in this respect, aud it 20 another sep
without dealing Sith it practical and mornentous
question, some OF the strong points OF which have
barely hntedat.
Yesterday . private. by the name Of Passe, in
CoInpany - Of the McChesHey Regiment which Is
auattcred inside of the fortress, was detected in
attempting TO forward a letter, which he had written
aud add essed TO Gen. Lee at Richmond. Passe is a
Baavian of cousidsrable intelligence, ard claims
have been educated at military schools in Bavaria, lie
has been in this country about two years. and enlisted
in New-Yo-k. Yesterday morning lie made iuquiry 81
the Office Of the Adams Express whether he couIO send
= letter to Richmond winch be said ~ar about his
brother He YVES ,old that he could but that il would
probably be opened nj Louisville, Ky. Ia tie after.
noon short time before the departure Of the boat, he
Appeared with letter, which in the haste was taken
without observing the supcIscpuon particularly. the
last moment ard us the packages about TO be
sealed aud taken the boat Passie made disappearance
again and demanded the return of the letter. as he had
made mistake. IL was him. and he went out.
Mr.. Saufam, the manager observing by The waybi
that the letter wac addressed to Gen. Lee ran to the
door aad called Pase to sop, and directed Others TO
follow him mp. When oyerhaucd, and demand being
made for tie letter. he sad he rad torn it up pers N
who saw him leave the Office with the letter saw him
throw something away on tie parade ground, ard
ball. 1t was taken to Gen. Butler who Immediately
ordered Passie's arrest. The letter WAS written in
indifferent English, which, however, expressed the
writer's meaning with snlioient cleaners. lie stated
that he was soldier Of the United States, and was
dissatisfied because lie not appreciated; that be
Yves military man. well educated and wished to jcin
the Secession army, there was nothing doing here
He, moreover, assured Gen. Lee that he was writing
h nm 4ias xcbi oh I
friend in the regular artillery would put into English,
and which he offered to the commander of the Conied-
crate forces; that he wished Gen. Lee 10 communicate
with him, Which he could do Z" either by male or
female" The etter was quite lengthy and concluded
with p s., and an N b., expressing the hope that HE
Request would be attended TO-
In the evening Passe was examined by Gen.
Butler when he confessed to writing the letter and
gave excuse, that being dissatisfied with his posi-
ton, and feeling that he was not appreciated, he
adopted that method Of bringing himself into notice
In regard the book tactc he stated that he had
been four days engaged ON it, and gave the name Of
the friend WHO TO translate it, and Of Others with
whom he associated, and in whose casemates be had
written and where nine pages of manuscript in the
German language, wac subs quently found.
IL is probable that Passie is rogue enough to deb-
eaey conceive the idea of deserving to the enemy and
write to the commander Of the Rebel forces but played
the fool in attempting 10 his purpose. He sue
ceeded, however, in bringing himself into notice.
Withou; strong mitigating circumstances, his punish
ment would be death. Whether lie bad confedetes has
not yet been asccrtained.
The Rebels grown bold tince the evacuation of amp-
ton have seized several loyal citizens living few miles
back OF the village, and taken them an prisoners TO
Richmond No stronger proOf Of the necessity for occu