Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1861-07-19

gathered around his camp intending to
secure the slaves who had escaped from
them. General Taylor told them that
he had no prisoners but prisoners of
war" The claimants then desired to
look at them in order to determine
whether he was holding their slaves as
prisoners. The veteran warrior replied
that no man should examine his -pris-
oners for such purpose; and he ordered
them to depart This action being re-
ported to the War Department was ap-
proved by the Executive The slaves,
however, were sent West and set free
In 1886 General Jessup wanted guides
and men to act as spies. He therefore
engaged several fugitive slaves to act as
such, agreeing to secure the freedom of
themselves and families if they served
the Government faithfully They agreed
to do SO, fulfilled their agreement, were
sent West and set free. Mr.. V4n
Buren's Administration approved the
contract, and Mr.. Tyler's Administra-
ton approved the manner in which
General Jessup fulfilled it by setting the
slave free.
In December, 1911, Gen. Jackson i'm
pressed large number Of slaves at and
near New Orleans, and kept them at
work erecting defenses, behind which his
troops won such glory on the 9th of
January, 1851. The masters remonstra-
ted. jackson disregarded their remon-
strances, and kept the slaves at work un-
til many of them were killed by the en-
emy's shot; yet his action was approved
by Mr.. Madison and Cabinet, and by
Congress, which has ever refused to pay
the masters for their loss. But in all
these cases, the masters were professedly
friends of the Government; yet our Pres
idents and Cabinets and Generals have
not hesitated to emancipate their slaves,
whenever In time of war it was supposed
to be for the interest of the country to
do So This was done in the exercise of
the "war power" to which Mr.. Adams
referred in Congress, and for which he
had the most abundant authority. But
| think no records of this nation, nor Of
Ianysother nation, will show an instance
in which a fugitive slave has been sent
back to master who was in rebellion
against the very Government who held
his slave as captive.
From these precedents l deduce the
following doctrine:
First: That the slaves belonging to an
enemy are now, and have ever been, re-
garded belligerents; may be lawfully
captured and set free, sent out Of the
State, CT otherwise disposed of, at the
will of the Executive.
Second: That as slaves enable an en-
emy to continue and carry on the war
now wagcd against our Government, it
becomes the duty Of all officers and loyal
citizens to use every proper means to in
duce the slaves to leave their masters,
and cease lending ail and comfort to the
rebels
Third: That in all cases it becomes
the duty of the Executive, and Of all
Executive officers and loyal citizens to
aid, assist, and encourage those slaves
who have escaped their rebel masters to
continue their fl ight and maintain their
liberty.
Fourth: That to send back fugitive
slave to rebel master would be lending
aid aud assistance to the rebellion
That those who arrest and send back flu
gitives identify themselves with the en-
enies of our Government, and should be
indicted and punished as traitors.
j. r. GlDDINGs.
Montreal, jane 6. 1861.