The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1861-12-13
Secretary Cameron on the Con
traband Question.

traband Question.
The following Ia the portion Of Sccre-
tary Camcron's Report, relating to the
"contraband" question, as involved in the
present struggle for the preservation Of
the Union:
II has become n grave question for de-
termination, what shall be done with the
slaves abandoned by their owners on the
advance of our troops into Southern ter
ritory, as in the Beaufort District Of s. G.
The whole white population is 5000,
while the number of negroes exceeds % :
900. Tho panic which drove their mas
tcrs in wild confusion from their homes,
leaves them in undisputcd possession of
the soil. Shall th,y, armed by their mas
ters, be placed in the field to fight against
us, or shall their labor be continually en-
ployed in reproducing the means for sup
porting the armies of rehellionl
The war into which this Government
has hccn forced by rebellious traitors, is
carried on for the purpose ORE possessing
the property violently aud treachcruusly
seized upon by the enemies of the Gov
ernmcnt, and TO re establish the authority
aud laws Of the U. y. in the places " h re
IL is opposed or ovcrthrown by armed in
surrection and rebellion. Its purpose is
to recover and defend what is Justly its
own.
War, even between independent ma.
tions, is made 10 subdue the enomy, by
occupying the hostile country and exer-
cising dominion over all the men and
things within the territory. This being
true in respect to independent nations ut
war with each other, il follows that rebels
who are loboring by force Of arms to over
throw Government justly bring upon
themselves all the consequences of war,
and provoke tho destruction merited by the
worst Of crimes.
That government would be false 10 nu-
tionSl uust, and would Justly excite the
ridieule of the civilized world, that would
abstain from the use Of un efficient means
TO preserve it's own existence, or TO over
come arcbelliOus and traitorous enemy, by
sparing or protecting the property Of those
who are waging war against IL.
The principal wealth and power Of the
rebel States is a peculiar species of prop
orty, consisting Of the service or labor OF
/ African Slaves, or the defendants OF Ar
ric0ns. This property has been so vari-
ously estimated at the immense value OF
from 00,000,0 900 to 81 200, 100000.
Why should this property be exempt
from tho hazards and consequences Of q
rebollious war!
II vas tho boast of the leader of the re-
bcllion, while he yet had seat in the
Senate Of the Unite d States, that South.
crD States would bo comparatively safe
and free from the burdens of war, if il
should be brought on by the contemplated
rebellion, and that boast wns accompan-
led by tho savage threat that-"Northern
towns and cities would become ,hc vic.
Tins of rnpine and military spoil" aud
that "Northern men should smell South.
ern gunpowdcr aud feel Southern ste, |"
:, No one doubts the d position of tn,
rebels to carry that threat into execution
The wealth OF Northern towns and cities
the produce of Northern farms, Northern
workshops and manufactures, would Ger
tninly be 81 zcd, destroyed, or appropria'
ted as military spoil. No properly in the
!. North would be spared from the hands o
the rebels, and their rupine would be de-
Tended upon the laws OF war. While the
loyal States thus have all their property
and possessions at stake, uro tho insur.
gent rebels TO carry on warfare against
the government in peace and security tC
their own property!
Reason and justice and self-preserya.
ton forbds thut such should be the poll
cy of this Government, but demand, on
the contrary, that being forced by traitors
! ond rohals la tho ovtromitx, ~ ,,,,,r al "a.
rights and powers OF war should bo exor.
cised To bring it to speedy end.
! Thosewho mako war against the Gov
ernment justly forfeit all rights of proper
ty, privilege, or security, derived from the
Constitution aud laws, against which they
are in armed rebellion; and az the lGbol
and service of their slaves constitute the
chief property of the rebels, such proper
ty should share the common fate Of wni
20 which they have devoted the property
of loyal citizens.
While il is plain III, the slave property
of the South is justly subjected to all the
consequences Of this r. bellioas war, and
] that the Government W iuld be untrue tC
its trust in not employing all the rights
and powers of war TO brin, il TO a speedy
close, the details Of the plan Cor doing SO
4 ike all other military measures, must in
great degree be left 20 be determined by
particular exigeneics. The disposition OF
other property belonging to the rebels
that become subject to our arms Is gov
i orned by circumstances of the case. The
government has no power TO hold slaves
none to resi- ain slave Of his liberty, OF
to exact his service.
It has right, however, TO use the vol.
untary service Of slaves liberated by wal
from their rebel masters, like any othel
property ofthe rebels, in whatever mode
may be most efficient for the defence oI
the Government, the prosecution of the
war, and the suppression OF the rebel
lion,
/ IL il as clearly right of the Govern
mcnt to arm slaves, when Il may became
I necessary, as il is TO use gpnpowder taken
from the enemy. Whcther il is eSpodl'
ent To do 81 is purely military question
The right Is ouqucslionuble BY TIM iaws
lot wa! The cXpedirhcy ntst be do.cg-