Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-06-05
Wednesday Morning Juue 8 1861
1s Grooly Coins inLo the SAG Trado :

y
FOR years 10 prove that slaves were no
Jrop.ry Ia the eye Of the government o
the United States. Spcnk:pg Of the slave
captured by the federal forces in Virginia
IN a late issue of his y'ibo,t says they must
"bc destroy ed as property" mrd that "such
unanimity Of opinion on this reXed qoes-
ton Is gratifying" that Slaves must bc
treated BY the officers Of Our csrmy as 60"
rakaad GOODS" that is, that slaves nre pro-
pay and not men, as heretofore advocated
Py NJ. Greely and his followers,
The only reason we can assign for this
late and abrupt change Of opinion, is, that
if slaves are men they must be taken and
held as prisoners Of war, and if the present
war shall continue, it may not be long un-
i'll our e.quy, by holding them as such, will
have more prisoners than soldiers. This
would not only bo inconvenicnt, but vast,
ly expensive. But If they are property, as
is certainly the fact under an honest in>
lcrpretaton Of the constitution, they can
BE spilled and i%rced, just like guns, yes
Bels, &C., that cannot be carried OFT Of,
what would be still better as a business,
aud to which we think our government
should keep an eye, in view Of the fact
!hat it is row spending the peoples mo-
ney at the rate of about a million Of dol
lars every four days, these negroes could
be sold to known Union slave-traders, un-
der bonds not 10 be re-sold to rebels. 1t
IS true, this would be novel enterprise
for our government to embark in. But
what OF that2 Circumstances alter cases :;
and il d state Of war can warrant the Pres
ident TO u,,thor8c the suspension Of the
writ of hq5ca5 corpus, as in the case Of Mer-
rimau at Baltimore, there should be no
scrupios at our government going into tho
Slave trade. Nothing could be more prof
table. BY the time we have suRjugated
Virginia--if the Hmg is well managed, and
the stealing kept within reasonable lin
its-tho government might thus indemni,
fy itself to the amount Of perhaps seyen-
ty.fye or an hundred millions of dollars,
and so on in proportion unit! the whole
South is suLjugated. Perhaps there are
Few Abolt onists who might object to this
But not many Of them, There would be
money in the speculation, and if the Chew
aler Forney, or any tinarcier Of his style
is giycn in charge OF its management, but
few complaints will DO heard even from
that quarter. We are quite sure that Mr..
freely, in his present strait, would soon
be able to convince all abolitiondom that
il was in strict accordance with their pro>
Crane Bat let Greedy speak for himself;
.Ir they should become troublesome to
the camp, or cumbersome becaus eot their
numbers, the commanding officer could
furnish them with ratons, a pass, guide,
or, not having one to spare, could point
them to the north star, and tell them to
march
Then, TOO, il the exigencies Of the CAM
psign required so summary proceeding,
these contraband bipeds might be des-
troyed--as property. For example, WREN
cannon are about to be abandoned TO the
enemy, prudent general causes them to
he syiked-and so thoroughly spiked as
10 be forever worthless, as cannon, to the
foe. So, as to negroes who had served in
the Union camp-if our army we're COM
pelied 10 net them fall into the enemy's
hands, they must first make them, as
property, so that they would tie good for
nothing to the Zoe and to make thorough
work OF it, the negroes must be instruct
cd to tell the rebels, who might try to
use them, that they were spiked.
"Of course, in seizing contraband goods,
we take them subject TO all inherent RISKS
and resulting contln9enoies. For exam
rle in seiiinga Pile OF loaded musk cts,
as contraband Of war some of them un- Il
less carefully handled, might go of. Pre- 4
pisely SO with contratTnd negroes
WHEN the war Is over, these contra
oand negroes will have to be treated like 1
other articles coptrabaud of war, taken
rom the enemy. They can never be Civ
IN up to their former owners, nor ever
lad for under any settlement because
contraband of war, taken du- {
ing the contest, is absolutely and hope.
essy forfeited,
ssy' raudom shot, which we felt con- ,
strained 10 discharge al the Wide Awakes, !
n our issue of the 22d alt, intended sole |
y for home consumption, it seems actual. f
y hit, and almost kilt, the editor of TIE S
jefferson Star, aud thus threatening the /
ctal destruction of the School Depart. \
nont OF our sister county, of which he is
uperirtendent. However we may regret O
his misfortune, we see no help for it. If t.
e was off to the war, whore he ought to n
@, and where he no doubt many times p,
wore he would be ifa opportunity offer o
d, when ornlmented with his cap cape ii
nd lamp" he would have been beyond N
he range Of our pep gn, instead Of furn- 81
jhipg practical proof of the correctness Of 7
ur remarks; and we now give him fair !;
otice that unless he make, some exertion Il
= - E.l L.