The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-06-12
From che y. Ir hnne.
GEN. BVILER ON CoNrRaBt> ID GOODS.


breast
From the y. Y Tribune
GEN. BV LEIsON CONrRaBN>D GOODS.
Among the evidences which meet us At every
turn, of the unauimty of sentiment In the North
in regard TO the war none Is more gratifying or
conclusive than the hearty approval hy al, classes
ot citizens, ot Gen Buffers conduct at Fortress
Monroe, IN reiaSing To- return runaway slaves 10
their masters but retaining them as eontrabaud
f war
Ever, body telt that slavery, and its relations
Ia the contest, would prove To be one of the most
embarrassing features Of the suugsle, unltss il
Vas managed with rare prudence. All knew
that Gen Butler ~as too good n hWver ever 10
dream that lie, oili in the United States
army, had anlthug 10 do with the execution ot
tie Fugitive slave la~. That act twaivng all
questions a. o. is cou>tituiioualvl specially de-
sIRnsfsS aud In faIt creates the officers W ~ are
10 enforce il. Ii i needless Ia say that officers
IN the army aud TaNy do not b, long ia thus cat
egory. oi course Gen. Bgicr knew that il Was
80 more his duiy "a seize and return ruuawa,
negroes in Virginia than - catch aud sea q home
runaway ho-sos; no more lis business Ia enforce
the law against fugitive slaves in the counties
! contiguous 60 folt Monroe. thau 10 enforce ihe
law Ia regard to collecting taxes or supporting
paupefs.
Still, knowing that some negroes might think
this contest had good deal 20 DO with them,
and knowing that the negro idea or the subject
OF Freedom l. rather loose aud literal it
naturally TO be anticipated many slaves in the
Rebel States would get within our camp and ON
board our ships Under such circumstances,
the disposition 10 be made of this peculiar spe
cies OF property would be a puzzlms question
tor scrnpul' us men like Gen Butler. Ia deter
mining this question think the General has
precisely hit the public sentiment. Those Who
regard saves a. absolute property. and Who hail
the Drod Scott aicfd as the perfection Il judicial
wisdom, seem to be specially delighted with the
Efficient manner in which Gen. H. > disposed to
carry out that decision. Looking at Lis act from
their stand point, he is right Negro slaves, be-
longing to Scccssionis,s and Rebels. are contra
band commodities. Those who might be dspo.
-ed to dispute the soundncss ct his premises are
content to abide 10y his conclusions. Such una
nimliy oi opinion, ON this vcxed question, is
gratifying
| Gen. Buffers doctrine involves two or three
| obvious consequences, viz: l. Slaves who es-
! cape into the Federal camp or on board Federal
ships, IN seeded States are never Ia he returned
to their rebel masters, but are to hc treated as
contrahand of war-as really as if they were, in
common phrase, what they are in reality, imple-
| meI.ts or munitions, used hv traitors to carry ON
| the war against the loyal States Like other
contraband articles, they may be used 10y the
captors; or, ii abandoned, made valuel,ss tn
the enemy; or they NAV be sent home as troph-
/ les OF the capiors.
Q. They NAV he used in the csmp-subiect, Of
| course, to the requirements OF Justice and fair
| dealing. We need not say how valuable the
services of this peculiar hind Of con'rahand
would be to our army ia the South. H. the trcn-
| ches, in the culinary department., guides in 4
country and through dangerous passes, as gath
ercr, of provisions and forage, e., scOut- to sc"ur
the plantations ard woods and roads in the
neghborhood of the camp, aud, when hard
pressed, to take hand ia the fight in their rude
way, they would he very useful In the sunny
cline below the Potomac, and along the N'-sis-
sippi and the Cult with the mercury at a fearful
pitch, how grateful would be their services To
our loyal troopsl Then, too, in the long An-
tumn evenings, when our weary sons were s'-
ting around their camp fires, how these sable
minstrels" would begue the tdum ot the hour
by their bewitchiug melody,
3. II they should become troublesome 20 the
camp, or cumbersome because of their numbers,
the commanding officer could furnish them with
rstions, a pass guide, or, not having one Ia
spare, could point them "a the north star, and
tell them 10 march
4. Then, too, il the exigencies Of the cam
pagn required 80 summary proceeding, these
: contfaband bpeds might be destroy sed-as prcP
erty. For example, when cannon are about q
be abandoned TO the enemy, prudent genera
, causes them to be spikei-and thorough.
spiked I, to ic forever worthless, cs',.o.., q
the foe. So, as 20 negroes who had served il
the Union camp-if our army were compelled t.
let them tall into the enemy's hands, they mus
: first spike them, as property, 50 they would b
good for nothing to the ioe and, To make thor
ough work of 1T, the negroes must bc instructed
to tell the rebels, who might uy Ia use them
d that they were spiked.
:. OF course. in seizng contraban1 goods W,
" take them subject to all inherent rink- and re
sulting contingencies. For example in -eizn
: pile Of loaded muskets "a contrabind of wal
;, some OF them, unless carefully handled, nigh
II 90 off Precisely So with oontrsband negroes
However, if they did not go of TO the enemy,
would be Of no serious consequence to US
When the war is over. these contraband M
groes will have TO be treated like other article
contraband of war; taken from the enemy. The
can never be given up "a their former owners
e nor ever paid for under any settlement; becaa-
e everything coBtraband of war, taken during III
~ contest is absolutely and h0pel.--ly forfeited
, This being the law Of nations such cOutraban
u negroes as We might have capiIred wonld, :
: soon a. grm-vsiged var bad -moothed hi- srr
VI kled front, BE- compelled to take care of then
selve, ike other people.