Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1861-12-14
The Discarded Report.

We print elsewher that portion OF the
report of the Secretary of War, says the
Harrisburg Patriot and Union, which was
omitted in the official copy by order of
the President, but which was sent in ad.
vance to some Of the leading newspapers
for publication BY this means Secretary
Cameron has obtained his object in bring
ing his views before the public as effectual-
ly as if he had been permitted to incorpo-
rate them in the official copy of his report,
although accompanied by evidence that his
views are not the views Of the Administra-
ton.
As the arguments of the emancipation
lists are summed up in this discarded por-
ton of the report, it is worth while to give
them a moments attention. We are salts
fed that they will not stand the test of can
did examination. Let us look at the whole
subject in the light of expediency, ignor-
ing for the time the greater question of
Constitutional power. The object of this
war is admitted on all sides to be tho re.
storation of the Union. The emancipa-
tionists, starting from this premise, argue
that the Government must employ all the
instrumentalties within its command for
the purpose of crushing rebellion, and that
as slaves may render powerful assistance,
their services should be accepted. They
20 even further than this, and insist that
our camps shall be made asylums for fugi-
tive slaves and that they shall be fed,
clothed, employed and protected by the
Government. Now as one Of the means
to the attainment of the end it is possible
that @ certain number Of fugitive slaves
may be used to great advantage by our
armies in tightening the labor of the soldiers
by throwing up entrenchments, and per.
forming other necessary drudgery of the
camp There can be no objection to the
employment of the slaves of disloyal mas
ters, SO far as they are actually useful
But it is clear that the moment they are
received in such numbers as to become a
positive burden and nuisance, and him
derance to the movements of the army,
they should not be accepted or encour-
aged. Remember that the ground on
which the emancipationists put their ar
gument, is that of military necessity -
the absolute advantage that the slaves
may be to the operations of the army
If it can be shown that the slaves would be
an actual disadvantage and clog to mill
tary operations against their masters, the
argument falls to the ground
The Beaufort district of South Carolina
contains some 80 900 slaves Our army
at that point consists of about l5 900 men.
Suppose these 80 900 slaves should desert
their masters and seek protection in our
camp, what possible advantage would they
be to the army? 1t would keep the SOL
, diers, who went to South Car olina to fight
the white rebels, busy in guarding, pro.
tecting and providing for the necessities Of
these negroes-and instead of fighting for
the Union, they would find themselves EN-
] ployed as overseers over large gang o
r contraband chattels. What could they de-
D with them? "Arm them," say the eman
cipationists, "and make them fight agains
D.. their "maste But men must be drilled
and disciplined before they are fit for sol
q diers, and what would be gained by vast
,, ing time upon rabble of semi barbarians
when there is no limit to the number 0
white men ready to volunteer and fgh
the battles of the Union! The Secretar,
q of War tells us that 640,OOO men hav
y been accepted for the war, and that h
has no doubt that this force would hav
been sweled to a million, had not tn
70 Department felt compelled TO restrict IL
and yet in the face of this fact he talk
about the "military necessity of acceptin
:. of the services of parcel ofignorart rur
:, away negroes! 1t strikes us as an imp Il
!; tation upon the courage of every whit
+. man in the army, and of the thousands o
. white men ready to offer their services
the Government to tell them that they al
IS incompetent to maintain their rights with
~ out the assistance of negro slaves.
y We believe common sense will teach an
man that if our armies are converted in
asylums for fugitive slaves they cam
N operate with success against the enemy
in aud that the only true plan is for the viii
= men to do the fighting without regard
CT the negroes, leaving them to take care
it. themselves as ordered by General Hallec
re Dss- Mr. Charles Sumner finds 1t dii
d cult to speak of the sensible order Of Ge
Al Il