The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-10-23
THE OBJECT OF THE WAR.

The Federal Administration is misappre-
hended and misrepresented by the extreme
Anti Slavery party al the North just as much
as it is by the extreme Pro-Slavery 6re-eaters
at the South. Both one and the other persist
in representing that The object Of the Govern
me'.t, in putting forth its strength to suppress
the rebellion, Is to suppress, at the same time,
the instifmtion Of Slarey.-N. y. Herald.
The above is a simple, naked, premeditated
falsehOOd- Od-cOncocted, disseminated reiterated,
with deliberate intent to deceive part of the
American people, to the serious wrong and in
jury of the rest The writer knew perfectly
we'll, and will continue to know while he con-
tinues to lie, that " the extreme anti-Slavery
party at the North" has never alleged, much
less persisted in representing, that the object
of the Government" is "to suppress the insti-
tuition of Slavery" But this is lie by which
the Herald coins money, while it divides and
weakens the loyal citizens of the United States;
otherwise than reterate it SO long as that course
shall seem profitable.
What the Republicans of the North ask and
expect of the Governmental they ask, and
more than the have yet Obtained-is, that it
shaN go straight ahead in the prosecution of the
War for the Union, uithout regard to its effect
on Slavery. If Shareholders choose to be rebels
We demand that they be treated as rebels, in
utter indifference to the tact that they are
shareholders. II they enter the rebel armies,
and endeavor to kill the defenders of the Un-
ion, We insist that these defenders shall not be
degraded into negrOcatchers for the benefit of
those sanguinary traitors If they send their
slaves to work on intrenchments and forts for
the promotion of the rebel cause, We demand
| that those slaves be made to understand that,
by escaping to the Union camps, they escape
from Slavery. If they leave them at home to
raise provisions for the rebel army, We ask that
they be advised that, by quitting that work and
coming within our lines, with whatever infor-
nation they can pick up. they secure wei
come and protection. The loyal States cannot
afford to fight both sides Of this struggle, and
if the right of rebels to hold men il Slavery
is to be upheld, we insist that it is Jeff. Davis's
business, and not Abraham LincOln's to up
hold it.
| Now see what the Government is actually
doing, or suffering to be done. We quote from
the Herald an order, of which it suppresses the
| date, but which we think must have been issued
few days before the Bull Run scandal:
"GEN MANsYIELDS ORDER RESPECTING FUGITIVE
| SLAVES.
HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF WASHINGTON
Fugitive slaves will, under no pretext what
ever, be permitted to reside or be in any way
harbored in the quarters and camps Of the
troops serving in this department Neither
will such slaves be allowed to accompany the
troops ON the march. Commanders of troop:
will be held responsible for a strict observance
of this order.'
Who can fail to see that this is an order tc
our armies to put out their own eyes? How
can they act without information as to tht
movements and strength of the enemy before
them! And how shall they obtain such infOr
nation if the only persons likely to volunteer
it are to be forbidden to enter their camps
This order makes no distinction between tb'
slaves of Unionists and those of rebels in arms
neither are to be " harbored" nor permitted Il
rest in the camps or quarters of the UniOI
armies. What Negro who has any respect fO
himself will work his way in darkness and peri
through miles of swamp and brush and hostil,
pickets to bring important tidings to our camp
or bivouacs if he is to be kicked out of then
the next hour? What commander who ha
J any heart in the Union cause will give or sane
ton such an order as the above? We respect
fully suggest to the COmmander-in-Chief that
If this order of Gen. Mansfield has not alread,
been recalled, it affords an admirable occasion
for the exercise of his skill in modification.
Be it evermore understood. even by thos
who get their living by falsifying it, that tn
, anti-Slavery men of the North do not ask no
expect the Government to step one hair
breadth aside from its line of duty as defende
of the Union to " suppress or otherwise med
equally careful not to be swayed from its prop
er path in order to preserve Slavery, and e:
pecially Rebel Slavery. Woe to that man o
cOterie who. in striving to preserve Slavery
shall sacrifice the Union ~. Y. Tribune.