The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1861-06-14
GENERAL ASHLEY AND THE TIR
GINA CONTRABANDS.

GINA CONTRABANDS. )
Gen. ]. M. Ashley, NJ. c. from the
Toledo District, has been visiting Fort
ress Monroe, and has written letter 10
the Blade, in which he describes his adj
ventures there. We make the following
extract:
You will have heard, by the time this
reaches you, of the manner in which he
disposed OF Col MaIleroy, who came it,
to the fort under a flag of truce, to claim
three of his loyal slaves who had fed
from lis kind and hospitable roof, and
taken shelter in Fortress Monroe. among
strangers. Who will say that Gen. But
Ter, SO far as he went, was not righl?--
This Col. Mallory had met Gen. Butler
in the Charleston and Baltimore Conven-
tions, and with that impudence and as
sumption characteristic of the oligarchy, |
he came into Gen. Buffers camp, and
though engaged in open treason against
the Government, demands that he shall
enforce the Fugitive Slave Law upon the
soil OF Virginia, with United States sol
diers, nnd return him his happy and con-
tented slaves.
Gen. Butler says: "You hold that ne
r gro slaves are property, and that Virgin
is no longer a part of the United
States?''
The Colonel then answered, II do
sir?"
Gen. Butler then said, You are a
lawyer, sir, and want to know if YOU
cl i'm that the Fugitive Slave Act of the
United States is binding in foreign na-
ton; and if a foreign nation uses this
kind Ct property to destroy the lives and
: properly of the United States, if that
species of property ought not to be re-
garded as contraband?"
This was too much for the Colonel, and
he knocked under and withdrew.
This was but the beginning at Fort
: Monroe, and is but tile beginning of ii
question which this Administration must
meet and detelmiae, VIZ: What shall be
, done with the slaves who refuse to fight
}, against the government. of the United
/ States, and escape from the traitors and
r come into our camp for rroteclion?"-
If the Administration meets this ques-
ton as It ought--well-if not, it vii
prove its overthrow. It's question OF
more magritude and Importance than the
rebellion itself; and woe TO he pnblic
q man or party who proves false to the de-
:. mands of humanity and ju stice.
d On Sunday eight more stout, able
bodied men came in. Gen. Butler said
to me, "as you went to see John Brown
o hung, and have some claim to contro
Virginia volunteers, authorize Yen t,
4 see who and what those colored men are
"a and decide what is to be done with them
=. He added, "You had better examin,
them separately, and take down in wri
ting the material part of their answers
> Before doing SO, I went out to the fenc,
, where the slaves were standing. .surroun
l.. ded by about tm o hundred volunteers
4 ask d the colored men few question
and was about to so into the house Il
i call them in separately, as suggested b.
the General, when one of the slave
i, said, s:Massa, what's you gwine 10 d
- wild us?'
of told him that | did not know, but W
ed would not hurt him.
he 90, we knows dat" quickly respond
ed another, we knows yuu's our friends
of :.What we want to know is whethe
r. you's gwine To send Us back
al l answered that had no authority c
~ yer them, ard no power to do anything
gh but that my opinion was "it would b
ne some time before their masters would Sc
lot them again." said this in low, cor
on versational tone of voice without noticin
that all the volunteers were eagerly lis
.I ening, but no sooner had the words falle
t ! from my lips than hundred voice
,pe shouted good" good" and some
lis, tears clasped their hands and gave thr'
be rousing cheers. which brought out Il
,ht officers and General who supposed l h,
he been making speech to the troops.
be This little incid enl tells me more plat
the ly than ever, that what said last wint
oli- in The House is tue, when l declar