The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1861-11-26
Correspondence of the Guardian.

1
increasing zeal and urgency on the one
side, and corresponding acrimony on
the other. Those of unquestioned loyal
ty, who array themselves absolutely and
Internationally on the negative, are few,
to be sure, but BY no means reticent.
Those who advocate it, either as an i'm
mediate duty or as probable conclusion
Of the logic of events" sooner or later
10 be reached, are not those only who
have heretofore sought emancipation as
an cad, nor even Republicans who desir-
ed nothing of slavery but to let it alone.
Among them are old hard Demo
Gratis, who, still denying all special affec
ton for the Niger" and all affectation
of philanthropy, simply recognize emanci-
patton as an irresistible weapon against
the rebellion, and demand that it be en-
ployed as such. There is scarcely a
doubt that this is the dominant sentiment
of the country. Among millions of 10y
al citizens there is little difference except
as to the time and manner of our resort
to that measure.
Nobody can doubt that, were the Con-
federate States at war with any other ma
ton than the United States, slavery
would be to them an element of weakness.
Through our mistaken fol ca 'ance it is
in the present conflict quite the contra
ry. We have only to deal with them as
any foreign power would TO make their
strength weakness, They would be
Z" hoist with their own petard," if we
would only give their magazine leave 10
explode. Why should we not do it
How else can we hope to succeed a? Let
US look tie facts Of the situation square.
ly in the face.
The fighting strength Of the sections
may be regarded as standing nearly in
the ratio ofthe population. II this is not
a true proportion the difference is in ia
vor of the South. We have nineteen
millions nearly the South has more than
twelve millions. We are about rs three
to two. Is this, under all the circum-
stances, clear working majority ?"
They are community Of fighters, in
spired by sense Of fancied wrong, train
ed to malignant hatred, terribly in ear
nest. vindictive. unscrupulous, desperate,
on their own ground. We are peacable
and peace loving, workers at home rath.
Ier than fighters abroad, inspired BY no
chronic hatred, unmoved to revenge in
dignities, more than careful to respect all
rights, even those which our foes have
clearly forfeited, crippled by constilu-
tonal scrup!es, by misplaced confidence,
by abused forbearance, fighting at arms
length. With these conditions what
avails the slight numerical advantage of
one in three ? Nothing. Till there is
some material change made in these re-
lalions we can not succeed -Four mill
ions OF their population are slaves, now
aiding the cause of the rebellion as eff
GENTLY as any other class of their popu-
lation. The substitution of an equal
number Of free whites Of the average
character would not make good the pla-
ces of these helots. They supply the
sinews ofwar; they support the country
while the whites 90 to war. More than
that, they build notifications, they serve
the camps, they even bear arms. With
breath from the mouth Of the proper
authority these four millions may be con
verted from enemies to friends. We have
only to invite their aid and they will be
our allies-humble and ignorant to be
sure, but willing and efficient, actuated
every one by a personal interest of the
most impulsive kind, at home at the seat
Of war, and able to strike with fearful ef-
feet. Subtract these from one side and
add them TO the other and the relative
strength of the parties becomes as TWEEN
ty. three 10 eight--nearly three TO one
and victory is inevitable.
The contraband" idea was rather
good one in its day il was a step for
ward. But it is out Of date now. See
what contradiction il involves us in
this denial of personality TO The slave,
and recognizing him only as chattel.
\ fugitive comes within the federal lines |
to escape from slavery. He processes to
desire the success Of the loyal cause, and |
TO be willing TO work for it, and naturally |
denies that he has ever done anything TO
its injury. He has been told, You 90
back you have not been used against us,
therefore you are not contraband of war
We confiscale none but contraband prop. !
erty ; we cannot receive you. Go back
and f,uht On tho ION "a a,o,a Ill -.