The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-12-11


~ This being true in respect to indss
nations at war with each other it
rat rebels who ore laboring BY force
.. arms to ovcrthr0 government, justly
bring upon themselves all the consequences
Of war, and provoke the destruction merit
ed by the worst of crimes. That govern
ment would be false to national trust, and
would justly excite the ridcule of the civil
lized world, that would abstain from the
use of any official means to preserve its
own existence, or to overcome rebellious
and traitorous enemy, by sparing or pro-
tecting the property of those who are wag
ing war against it. .... ...... .... =.
The principal wealth and power of the
rebel States is a peculiar species of prop.
erty, consisting OF tho service of labor of
African slaves, or the descendants Of Afri-
cans. This property has been variously
estimated at the value Of from $500, OOO, 900
to 81 ,0O0, 100000. ....
Why should this property be exempt
from the hazards and consequences of
rebellious war?
1t was the boast Of the leader Of the re-
bell:on, while he yet had a seat in the Sen
ate Of the United States, that the Southern
States would be comparatively safe and free
from the burdens of war, if it should be
brought on by the contemplated rebellion,
and that boast was accompanied by the
savage threat that Northern towns and
cities would become the victims of rap,nc
and military SPOIL" and that "Northern
men should smell Southern gunpowder and
feel Southern steel" No one doubts the
disposition of the rebels to carry that threat
into execution. The wealth of Northern
towns and cities, the produce Of Northern
farms, Northern workshops and manufac
tories, woul1 certainly be seized, destroyed,
or appropriated as military spoil. No prop
erty in the North would be spared from the
hands of the rebels, and their rapine would
be defended under the laws of war. While
the loyal States thus have all their proper
~ and possessions at stake, are the insur-
gent rebels to carry on warfare against
the Government in peace and security to
their own property? ~.
Reason and justice and sclf.preservation
forbid that such should be the policy of this
Government, but demand, on the contrary,
hat, being forced by traitors and rebels to
he extremity of war, all the rights and
bowers Of war should be exercised to bring
t to speedy end.
Those who make war against the Govern
nent justly forfeit all rights OF property,
privilege, or security, derived from the
and laws against which they
ire in armed rebellion; and as the service
Of their slaves constitute the chief property
Of the rebels, such property should share
the common fate Of war to which they
have devoted the property of loyal citizens.
While it is plain that the slave property
Of the South is justly subjected to ali the
of this rebellous war. and
that the Government would be untrue to
its trust in not employing all the rights and
powers Of war to bring it to speedy close,
the details of the plan for doing so, like ali
other military measures, must, in a degree,
be left to be determined by particular ext
gencies. The disposition Of other property
belonging to the rebels that become snhiec,
t. our arms is governed by the circumstan
ces Of the case. The Gover.,,nent has no
power to hold slaves, none to restrain
slave Of his liberty nor to exact his service
1t has right, however, to use the volunta-
ry service of slaves liberated by war from
their rebel masters, like any other property
OF the rebels, in whatever mode NAV be
most efficient for the defence of the Gov
eminent, the prosecution of the war, and
the suppression Of the rebellion. It is as
clearly right Of the Government to arm
slaves, when it becomes necessary, as it is
to use gunpowdcr taken from the enemy.
Whether it is expedient to do SO is purely
. military question. The right is unques-
tionable by the laws of war. The expedi-
ency must be determined by circumstances.
keeping in view the great object of over.
coming the rebels, re-establishng the laws,
and restoring peace to the nation.
1t is vain and idle for the Government TO
carry on this war, or hopes to maintain its
existence against rebellious force, without
all the rights and powers of war.
AS has been said, the right to deprive the
rebels OF their property in slaves and slave
labor, is as clear and absolute, AZ the right
to take forage from the field, or cotton from
the warehouse, or powder and arms from
the magazine. To leave the enemy in DOS
session Of such property as forage and
cotton and military stores. and the m ans
OF constantly reproducing them. would BE-
madness 1t is therefor. equal ,nadn IS to
leave them in peaceful and secure possession
OF slave property more valuable ami ctiicient
to them for war, than forage, cotton and
stores. Such policy would he ~
tional suicide. What to do with that spc.
cies of property, is Il question that tim.
and circumstance will solve, and need not
be anticipated further than to r. peat that
they cannot b. held by the government as
slaves. 1t would be useless to keep them
as prisoners of war; and self preservation,
the highest duty Of government, or OF
individuals, demands that they should b..
disposed Of or employed in the most eff e,
tive manner that will tend most speedily to
suppress the instruction and restore the
authority OF the Government. II it shall
be found that the men WHO have been held
by the rebels as slaves are capable of bear.
ing arms and performing military service,
it is the right and may BECOME the duty OF
the Government to arm and equip them,
and employ their service against the rel, Is,
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 rcstor
cd to bondage. By the masters Treason,
and rebellion he torleits all right to tn
labor and service of his slave; and the
slave OF the rebellious master, by his scrv
ice to the Government, becomes justly emit
tied to freedom and protection"
The President in nm interview with
Scc'y Cameron requested him to suppress.
the above portion Of the report; this, the
SAcrefarv Hatlv yef,eaI "a a. ,rh.>>,o.