The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1861-08-13
2,>fPO IN

nln. t q wh0a are mrf fuisslaagsaiis
IaA har4 hlsar. ~ vourn. 80 Children
a'taef ilse see ~ l0 Year. ava ! Te lscfnrtn
~ aua yeaf-. md many more coming
ia Ile gpeaisns wbieh tisis state Il Gar,s
present afe very embarrassing
Tint Wbas sl.ail b. done aih ihrm T
and. >rtgaa. What i tle5f ..a'e aud con.
di'pn
Pen lhese questions desire The in-
ayucisouR 81 lle nelanm9t
The ani question. however mas J,cr.
hTss be- answered by considering tbe lasi
are these mcn. womeu. end children
slaves Are ihey irreg j. ibeif oondi.
lion ilsal d men, W0mcn and cliildrea, o.
thal a property. o. is Is a mixed relation
What ilieif status was under tbr Consliiu.
iioa and lsss. We all know What has
hcu lhe rileei q rebellion and state Il
war upon that sfafaa When adopted
ihe History al inaiing tbs ahle.bodicd ne.
gro d 70 work ia lhe trenches, a. property
halle 70 H. used io ald II rebellion, and 70
coniral,aHd II war. thai condition of things
sas 10 20 Ear mei a. ! iheu and siiIl be.
i#tc, on q legal and constitutional basis
But noN a neR series Of questions arise.
Passing 1y wpnen ,he children certainly
cannol he treated on that basis Il prop
criy. they must b. considered the incum. .
branea rather than the auxiliary Of an ar.
ny andt q course, in po possible legal re-
iailoa, could bo treated as coniraband -
Are they property, II they were 70 they
have been left BY their masters aud own
ers, deserted, thrown away. abandoned.
Ike the wrecked vessel upon tlc ocean,
Their former possessors aud owners have
cnsclessly, traiiorously, rebelliously, and.
70 carry ont tic figure practically aban-
l,~..l tl.csn ~ bee swallowed up hy Tie
Winter storm II starvation. II properly.
do they no, become the property Of The
salyors. liui We, their sayors do not
need and viii not hold such property, and
viii assume no such ownership. Has not.
therefore, all proprietary relation ceased Z
Have they not become thercupon men, wo-
men and childrenY No longer under {
ownership Of any kind, the fearful relicts {
oi fugitive masters, have they not by their :
masters acts and the state of war assumed d
the condition, which We hold TO be the nor
NAL one, of those made in Gods image ? $
Is not every constitutional, legal and moral 1
rcquil emcni, as well ~ the runaway mas a
ter rs their relinquished slaves, thus an a
swcred ] confess that my own mind is
compelled by this reasoning TO look upon
them as men and women. Ii not free born. Z
yet free manumitted, sent forth from the Il
hand that held them never to be reclaimed. b
Of course, if this reasoning thus imper-
fecily Sc, forth is correct, my duty as n !,
humane man is very plain. should take
the same care OF these men, women and
houseless, homeless and unpro. g
Nided for, as | would Of the same number u
OF men, women and children who, for their II
to the Union, had been driven
or allowed 10 flee from tho Confederate
States ] should have no doubt ON this g
question, had not seen il stated that an
order had been issued by Gen. Mellow ca
ELL. IN his department, substantially for r.
bidding all fugitive slaves from coming
within his lines or being harborcd there. VI
i the order TO be enforced in all Military re
Departments II so, who are TO be con- so
,idcrcd fugitive slaves? Is slave TO be
considered fugitive whose master runs a
way and leaves him Is il forbidden 10
he troops % aid or harbor within their rs
ines the negro children who are found pc
herein, or IS the soldier, when his march m,
as destroyed their means OF subsistence. 70,
. allow them 70 starve because lie has -
riNen Oft the rebel masterg Now, shall
be commander of regiment or battalion SCI
i 10 judgment upon the question, whether i'm
ny given black man has fled from his US,
inster, or bis master fed from himy In inc
eed, how are The free born 10 be dstin-
uished Is one any more or less a fuoi- W
Ve slave because he has labored on the me-
,bcl intrenchments If he has so labor sib
l. II ] understand il, he is 10 be harbored. err
y the reception Of which are the rebels H..
lot 20 be distressed, by taking those who !.
ave wrought AL their rebel masters de- NY
red, masked their battery, or those Who TO"
ave refused to labor, and left the battery thr
lmasked,
! have very decided opinions upon the our
lbiect Of this order. 1t docs not become mai
G 20 eriticise il, and write in no spirit all
criticism, but simply 10 explain The full -,
licnliies that surround the enforcing if. clo'
the enforcement Of that order becomes Ih'
e policy OF the Government, /, rs n sol and
cr, shall be bound 10 enforce Il steadfasi- no
il not ebeerfully But ii left 10 nv
IN discretion, as you may have gathered @' :.
1m my reasoning, should take widely can
ilcreui course from that which II indi- lane
les IA /,
In loyal State ! would put down a pari
rvile instruction. In a state Of rebel. stru
a would coniiscaie that which was used and
oppose my arms, and take all that prop :
", which constituted the wealth Of that ''ee
ate, AID furnished the means by which ton
. war Is prosecuted, besides being the viii
use Of the war ; and II. in 50 doing. il
ould be objected that human beings we're I