Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1861-06-27
PLYMOUTH INDIANA, THURSDAY, JUNE "a 1861

understood. that II might be held account
able for the fugitive slaves that sought ref
uge, in its camp And who would it
imply that it might be held responsible to?
To their rebel masters, of course; who else
would have, any claim upon the Govern
ment for them. :, = - 80 - o.
I Now we are told from day to day, that
the Cabinet is in consultation over this
question. and has failed SO far to come to
any conclusion. In the mean time our
troops are met at every point by formida.
bic Notifications thrown mp Ly these very
slaves who are held in service solely by
the impression which, has. been spread
among them. by the fugitiyeS which have
been retained by our army. thst flight to
it viii result ia torture and to be sold
South. From behind these Notifications.
mounted by the same labor with abnnd
ance of great guns robbed from the Gov
ernment. the insurgents in safety slaughter
our soldiers. who are thus made to furn-
ish the enemy with the most effective and
deadly means of attacking them.
! In every way by which the army can
enter Virginia. it is met by these murder
ous Notifications. provided by the labor
over which our troops virtually stand as
overseers and slave drivers Has I. our
great army entered Virginia for nothing
but 10 furnish aid and comfort to its deadly
foes? Has the Government any more
right to commit treason by furnishing aid
and comfort to the enemy. than any oi
its subjects? How can it take any meas
ures to punish treason. when. it sets an
example of the most effective and danger
ous treason? Under the present strategic
campaign, every slave is a more valuable
soldier to the insurgents than a white sol
dier of'the average Southern stock. Their
muscle and endurance throw up the fortif-
cations which add ten fold to the power oi
their troops. Their labor performs all
the heavy work of mounting the great
guns. and Of forage and transportation,
which is so severe on soldiers when added
to the other duties. - 9i' moti gn'slni
What right has the government thus to
strengthening the rebellion? Are these
blacks property Then it is subject to
the fate Of all property used for military
purposes in time Of war Even if not us
ed for military purposes,itis subject to the
fate of other property. Is it any more sa-
cred than the ships, steamboats, and goods
of Northern citizens. which the rebels have
seized and coniscated wherever they could
| iag hsnds on them? If property. the
slaves must be treated as property ofreb-
els. the moss valuable for military purpo-
scs. Ifmen, they ase the most formidable
allies and soldiers of the rebels. and our
Government would be justified in using
all possible means to detach them from the
rebel service. When they escape to our
army, they are fugitivcs from the enemy,
and no nation can deliver up such without
the guilt Of treachery
When they reach our camp they are
men. The Government can know them in
no other capacity. The Government can
not become STAKEHOLDER. 1t can only
know them as men. with all the rights of
men, and with the additional claim of hav-
ing Joined the Government in war a.
gainst rebellion By what right can it de-
liver them up, if disposed to do so treach-
crous an act? BY the Fugitiye Slave Law?
:Ehat the seceders have abolished. What
seeded or neutral State can clsim anything
under Federal obligations? They pretend
that their soil is violated BY the exercise OF
any Federal authority ,uponit. Why should
the Government force the Fugitive Slave
Law on an unwilling and hostile people?
The extent of treason and rebellion is
exactly defined by Slavery Where there
are few or no slaves in the South o ma.
jority of the people are loyal. No slave
instructions are possible in such districts.
So it is not for the loyal people Of the
South that our army has assumed the Of
flee Of patrol TO suppress negro insurrec-
TONS Cincinaati Gazette. .fs.-.,r