Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-08-09
CONTRARANnS.


The great aud vexed question Of the war
what shall be Done with the slaves ,---is fast
forcing itself upon the consideration Of the
administration Not what shall be done
with the slaves held by the truly loyal men
Of the South, whose love Of the Union is
greater than their love for the new dynasty
that $ attempted to be set up over them but
what disposition shall be made Of the slaves
Of those who are in arms against the govern
ment. The slaves of loyal men, like all 9TH
er classes Of their property, are beyond the
reach Of government. AID protected by local
laws under the constitution; and in the at
supremacy Of the constitution, we have no
right to interfere with the private interests Of
any man who stands ready to aid the govern
ment in its efforts. But those who are seek
ing to overthrow the government by armed
resistance to its legally constituted authority
have subjected themselves, as parties to the
war, TO the legal confsca,ion # their proper
ty, wherever found. They claim that their
slaves arc their property as much as their
horses, their cattle or their plantations, and
on this claim they are subject to condscation
according to all the rules of war No distinc-
ton can be made between one class Of prop
erty and another; but in accordance with the
universal usage of nations all CLASSES Of prop
erty belonging to the belliiere parties is
subject to confscation, aud so long as the reb-
els claim that their slaves are their property,
so long must they be subject to be treated as
other property, and be liable TO seizure and
oonfscation, as a means Of materially weaken
ing their strength as enemies of the govern
mcnt
/ But we at the North deny the justice Of the
claim of the South to the right Of property in
man, however great may be the inferiority Of
those thus held. We claim that all men are
entitled under the Constitution 10 the free en-
joyments Of life liberty aud the pursuit Of
happiness. But while holding these views,
we are not disposed, indeed we have no right,
TO interfere with the claims ofthose who think
differently, so long as those claims are secur-
ell to them by local laws, and they exercise
the enjoyment If those claims in subserviency
to the Constitution under which We both live
But when they deny the superior authority Of
the Constitution, and seek to plunge the coun-
/ try in war for its overthrow, we are no
longer under obligation to respect their State
aud local rights as superior TO the common
rights Of all under the Constitution which we
seek to maintain. They have by their war
fare on the government placed themselves
outside the protection Of local laws. and must
be made to submit to the Constitution, even
though in so doing they are deprived of their
rights to property under the local laws Of
their State.
The greatest source of wealth to the South
lies in their slaves, whether considered as
property or as mere laborers. Large sums Of
money are invested in them as property, and
almost their whole income is derived from
them as laborers. If then they use them in
their nelarious work to overthrow the Cow
ernment of the country, they as property be-
come subjects Of confscation; as aborers, if
employed to aid the rebel army, whether as
laborers on their entertainments or with arms
in their hands, they are subject to seizure as
prisoners OF war the same as their masters
Whether, thereioFe. they are admitted to be
human beings, and entitled to equal rights
with the whites, or are claimed as property,
they are subject to the fate of a war in which
they are made the active participants
In whatever light we look at it. then. so
far as slaves contribute to aiding and strength
cning treason, so far are their masters liable
to be deprived Of their services for the pur-
pose of weakening their power; and 1t seems
to us false construction of constitutional obli-
cations to attempt the plea that we have no
right under the constitution to interfere with
them because of their protection under local
law. The slaves Of loyal men, as property,
are not subject to confscation, and cannot be
intcriered with any more than other property;
as laborers, they cannot be deprived of their
services because not used against the govern
ment. Bat the slaves of traitors to the gov
eminent, whether considered as property or as
laborers, can be treated in no other light than
as contraband
But this is a war inaugurated by the slave
holders themselves, for the purpose of regain
ing the ascendency and power which was
wrested from them in the last Presidential
election, and if, in prosecuting it, they have
staked their peculiar institution upon an un.
certain issue, they must abide the result of
their own folly. If it becomes necessary for
Government to condscate the property Of reb-
els in arms, we see no way in which they can
claim exemption for any one class of property
over another, so long as that property con-
tributes to aiding their reasonable purpose.
And II IN the process the life-blood of the pc
culiar institution is drawn out, and il is no
longer of any avail to them as an institution.
the responsibility must be upon themselves
and not upon those who have been compelled
to use it as means of weakening their pow
er and compelling their submission to tie
constitution and laws Of the land.
lV The Governor appears to be commence