Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1861-12-13

WHICH We uufe aIIuueu was CONSIDERABLY
modified in the report which was sent to
Congress. Pamphlet copies of the origin
al report, however, had been printed and
forwarded in advance to the most import
ant cities throughout the West and it was
toe late to recall them, so that simultane-
Gus with the announcement by telegraph
that the Presidents Message was being
read in Congress. Secretary Cameron's re-
port was given to the public at these re-
mote points. as be first wrote it, though
it is not by any means the same in word or
spirit as that now claimed to be the Off
cial copy. To show the dissimilarity be-
tween the two documents, we need only
quote the following passage. the first ex-
tract being from the report first submitted
by Secretary Cameron to the President:
at is clearly a right of the Government
to arm slaves, when it shall become neces-
sary, as 1t is to use gunpowder taken from
the enemy. Whether it is expedient to do
so is purely military question. The right
is unquestionable by the laws of war
The expediency must be determined by
circumstances, keeping in view the great
OBJECT of overcoming the rebels, re-estab-
llshing the laws, and restoring peace to the
nation,
1t is vain and idle for the Government
to carry on this war, or hope to maintain
its existence against rcbellous force, with
out employing all the rights and powers of
war. As has been said, the right to de-
prive the rebels Of their property in slaves
and slave labor is as clear and absolute,
as the right to take forage from the field,
or cotton from the warehouse, OF powder
and arms from the magazine. To leave
the enemy In the possession of such prop
erty as forage and cotton and military
stores, ana the means of constantly repro
ducing them woulda be madness. 1t is
therefore equal madness to leave them in
! peaceful and secure possession of slave
property more valuable and efficient to
them for war, than forage, cotton and mil
itary stores Such policy would be ma
tional suicide, What to do with that spe>
cies of property, is question that time
and circumstance will solve, and need not
be anticipated further than to repeat that
they cannot be held by the Government
as slaves 1t would be useless to keep
Them as prisoners of war /; and self preser-
walton, the highest duty Of government,
or OF individuals, demands that they should
be disposed of or employed in the most eff
tectlve manner that will tend most speed
lily to suppress the ms lrrection and restore
the authority Of tie Government. If it
shall be found that the men who have been
held by the rebels as slaves are capable of
bearing arms and performing efficient mil
ltary service. it is the right and may be-
come the duty Of the Government to arm
and equip them, and employ their services
against the rebels, under proper military
regulation, discipline and command.
But IN whatever manner they may be
used by the Government, it is plain that,
once liberated By the rebellious act of
their masters, they should never again be
restored to bondage BY the masters
treason and rebellion he forfeits all right
to the labor and service of his slave; and
the slave of the rebellious master, by his
service to the Government, becomes Justly
entitled to freedom and protection
All of this however, and much more of
the same import, was stricken out and the
following was substituted at the instance
Of the President:
''It Is already o grave question what
shall be done by the slaves who ar aban-
doned By their owners On the advance of
our troops into Southern territory, as at
Beaufort District, in South Carolina. The
number left within our control at that point
Is very considerable, and similar cases will
probably occur. What shall be done with
them? can we afford to send them forward
to their masters, to be by them armed
against US, or used in introducing supplies
to MAINTAIN the rebellion Their labor NAV
be useful to US f; withheld from the enemy
1t lessons his military resources, and With
holding them has no tendency to induce
the horrors OF instruction even in the rebel
communities. They constitute a military
resource, and being such, that they should
not be turned over to the enemy. is too
plain 20 discuss. Why deprive him of
supplies by blockade, and voluntarily
give him men to produce supplies The
disposition to be made of the slaves Of
rebels, after the close Of the war, each be
safely left TO the wisdom and patriotism Of
Congress. The representatives of the
people will unquestionably secure the loyal
shareholders every right to which they are
entitled under the Constitution of the
country"
While Secretary Cameron is positive in
his method of dealing with the rebels, the
President, it will be seen is entirely mega
tive. just what the latter would do in
the premises does not appear. And in so
Tar as he leaves the question in the foo
we think the popular feeling will be with
secretary Cameron for, remember. he
does not insist upon the immediate armine
OF the slaves, but simply contends that it
may eventually become the duty, az If is
the right, of the government to avail itself
OF their services, in case the rebelI;o,
can be put down in no other way.