Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1861-11-29
What's the PolicyP

the country Is looking with intense
anxiety to learn the policy which is to
be pursued by our forces in South Car
olina. That the taking of Beaufort by
our feet was one of the grandest ex-
ploits of the age, no one will deny
But no sooner is the victory won than
the omnipresent negro steps into the
presence of our conquering forces and
says, "that is we'll enough so far; but l
am the moving cause of this war, and
what are you going to do with me9 l
will haunt you like ghost, until you
recognize that this is my war-that you
and our rebel masters are both my SER
wants, and are fighting and killing each
other for my benefit!
Aud it is SO! Not single step has
been, or will be, taken in this war in
which the negro is not the one perva-
ding, and ever, present embarrassment.
| An embarrassment, simply because
there seems to be no settled policy in
reference to him and his relation to the
| contest.
. Take the position of our forces at
Beaufort. The county, or district, as it
is there called, has population of .fve
thousand whites and thirty-two thousand
slaves! Every white man, SO far as
known, is rebel, striking directly at
the life Of the Union, and Of Union men.
Every slave would risk his life in aid
Of the Union cause, if he could thereby
escape from the slavery in which he
had been held.
All the accounts agree that the mas
ters had used every influence to make
their slaves fear the Yankees. And
when the fleet was about to land our
forces, and the masters, panic stricken,
we're flying in frantic terror from the
scene, the slaves, although many of
them were shot down for refusing, still
refused to fly with their masters, but
| came in crowds to our men and offered
to aid them by all their resources of la
Dor and information.
Now what shall he done with them?
Here are 32, 900 people, some black, but
most Of them so bleached that the
white blood largely predominates, ready
to spend their labor, aud their lives, if
need be, in aiding the Government to
subdue the 5000 rebels who have en-
shaved them. Anybody can easily see
that with their aid the rebellion could
be crushed out forever without the sac
rifce of single volunteers life. All
that is needed is to make the slaves our
friends, By being simply just, and in re-
turn they could end the war alone
Common sense, humanity, patriotism
all point to one line of policy.
But suppose We adopt the other pol
icy. Suppose We make "hounds" of
our free born volunteers and set them
to catching and returning these now
| friendly negroes to their rebel masters!
Suppose we do what their masters could
| net--convince them that We are their
| worst enemies, and only come to make
their slavery worse-what will we have
; accomplished. Just made $4,000 enc
mics out of those who are now friends,
and so strengthened the hands Of the
rebels as to make their subjugation an
impossibility.
We confess We look with Intense in
terest, and some apprehension, for the
development Of the policy which is
finally to be adopted by the Admins
tration in the treatment of this subject.
1t must be manifest to every one, not
hopelessly blind, that the idea of con-
qucring the rebels, and at the same
time acting as universal patrol to keep
their negroes at work for them, must
be abandoned. And we may as well
take position now as a year hence. The
sooner a policy of some kind is adopted
the sooner will the war be ended by the
triumph of one side or the other. And
if the object of both parties is to main
tain slavery, we see no use in the further
destruction of life and property. In
that view Of the matter We vote for an
instant call of convention of colnpro.
misers," Of whom jeff Davis may be
Umpire, that the unnatural and unne'
cessary contest may be stopped.
In the Right Place at Last
The St. Louis Republican of the 18th
inst, says that Senator Bright, Of In
diana, has joined the Southern army
and is to be made a Brigadier.
This is according to the fitness Of
things. We have an Ex-senator, and .
member Of Congress or two from Ohio
who ought to be with their associate in
the camp of the rebels. Of all the mis-
erable, servile Northern accomplices o1
the Southern traitors, who, for long