Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1861-12-18
Lincoln and his Cabinet.


It is pretty certain that q serious disa.
greement has sprung up between Lincoln
and his Secretary of War i'll reference to
the radical and pcrilous recommendations
On the question: Of slavery embodied in
his report to Congress. The New York
Herald. in alluding to the subject, says:
1t appears that Mr.. Cameron. III his re.
port, as submitted to the President to be
laid before Congress, recommended, to
its fullest extent. the war policy OF Colo.
mel Cochrane's late extraordinary speech
at Washington in regard to the slaves of
Southern rebels. Colonel Cochranc, it is
thus manifest, did speak like one having
authority, for We are informed from q
source which cannot be questioned, that
Mr.. Cameron's propositions, intended for
Congress, as from President Llncon's
Secretary, comprehcnded, under certain
contingencies, the arming o' Southern
slaves against theV rebel masters, and
em braced this other revolutionary idea,
to wit: that in whatever manner the
slaves of rebels may be used by the Gov
ernment, as contraband of war. they are
in fact liberated by the acts OF lh,ir re-
bellious masters, and should never be re-
stored to bondage.
1t is no wonder that President Lincoln
was brought to stand by these novel
and extreme propositions. No wonder
that he does not like item. We are
advised that General Mcclellan, upon this
vital issue, is 50 earnestly in favor of
the war policy indicated in the late con-
servativc proclamation OF General Dix to
the people of the Eastern Shure counties,
as to hint ofresigning should different line
OF action be declared by the Government.
This is powerful voice from the army,
and it has doubtless had no little inf lence
over the mind of Mr.. Lincoln in his ex-
ceptions to these peculiar slavery PROPOSE
tiol> of Mr. Cameron
The Washington correspondent Of the
New York Herald writes:
Secretary Csmeron's report goes rs far
on the subject of slavery as did John
Cochrane;s now famous speech to his reg.
irnent. and goes further than did Gen.
Frernont's more famous proclamation in
Missouri. He enunciatcs the policy of
the emancipation of slaves in the rebel
States, Of the converting to the Use of the
national government all property, whether
slave or otherwise, belonging to rebels, of
resnrtug to every military means t. put
down the rcbclioli, and even of pllcng
arms i'll the hands ofnegroes for that pur-
pose
An important Cabinet meeting has been
held to day in reference to the subject.
The President seems determined to adhere
faithfully and mswervingly to the line
of policy which he proclaimed in his
inaugural, and ON which he has since con.
Quoted his admniStraton-tha is to put
down the rebellion by using all the nation
al resources, but at the same time to
maintain inviolate the constitution and
laws ofthe United States. Between his
policy and that Of the Secretary Of War
there seelns to be a wide gulf. One or
the other must yield, and need not say
that it will not be Mr. Lincoln.
The Secretary of War is not only at
variance with the President in regard to
the policy under which the war is to be
conducted on our side, but is also, have
reason to believe, at variance with the
commander. r.n.chief In regard to the
disposition to be made of the slaves in
the regions that may be, or have been,
subdued b. our arms, Gen. McClelan's
views seem to coincide with those Of the
President. Mcclellan recognises the ne
cessity Of adopting some well-de(ined and
Uniform mode of treating this subject, but
is decidedly opposed to that proposel by
Secretary Cameron understand that
he has it in contemplation to issue gen.
eral order in few days to the coinnan-
ders of the several military departments,
enjoiuing upon them the observance of the
course Of policy embraced in the recent
proclamation Of Gen. Dix. and also in
that Of General IIalleck. Any attempt
to carry into operation the sentiments of
Secretary Cameron, with reference to
armlng the slaves, would be inevitably at
tended with most disastrous consequences
1t would probably lead to the resignation
Of Gen. AeCIellan, and the general disor.
gauization of the army. The danger is
well known to the President, and is one
of the most powerful motives actuating
him to disapproval Of the views which
Secretary Cameron desired to enunciate
in his report and to make prevail in the
conduct of the war.
An INCIDENT OF THE BATTLE OF LEES.
BuKc.-The following incident of the bat
tie Of Leesburg we do not recollect to
have seen before in print 1t is extracted
from the Federal army correspondent of
the Philadelphia Press:
man named Stokes, who was among
the nest of prisoners, seeing no chance Of