The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-12-13
The difference between tho President and
Secretary Cameron.


Secretary Cameron.
We have no room to comment upon the
serious difference that has arisen between
the President and the Secretary of War,
but shall give the facts as far as they have
transpired, and become matters Of public
knowledge. They are thus detailed in the
New York Tribune of the 4th inst. {:
The Secretary presented bis report to
Mr.. Lincoln on Saturday. On Sunday af-
ternOon be mailed it to the principal papers
of the North and West, as is customary on
the day preceding the reading of the Mes
sage. On Sunday night the President, hav-
ing found time to read it, found it not in
his heart to agree with the Secretary's doc.
trine of the right and the duty to make a
military use of the slaves of Rebels-to arm
them, if necessary-and in all ways to use
them as we would any other property of
the Rebels to suppress this rebellion. He
sent for Mr.. Cameron, and required him
to suppress this whole portion of his
report on the ground that its recon-
mendation was premature and ill"timed.
The Secretary promptly and resolute-
ly refused to suppress word of it. The
discussion between them was protract>
ed 1t ended as it began, the President in
sisting upon the alteration and the Secreta-
ry respectfully but firmly refusing to change
syllable OF his recommendations. A SUB
sequent interview in the afternoon had a
similar conclusion of debate, but new and
strange conclusion of Executive will. The
President announced his purpose to strike
out the entire passage about the emancipa
ton and arming of the slaves before send
ing in the report with his message to Con.
gress. MIR. Cameron declared be should
not recall or suppress the document in the
hands of Northern and Western editors
and that the printers were at liberty to do
with his report what they pleased.
The document was not suppressed, and is
published in the leading Western papers as
submitted to the President. The Presi-
dent, however, struck out the obnoxious
passages, and submitted it to Congress as
it appears in another column. The passage
commencing it is already grave ques
tion," &C., in the original was the follow,
ing:
1t has become grave question for de-
termination, what shall be done with the
slaves abandoned by their owners on the
advance of our troops into Southern terri
|. tory, as in the Beaufort district of South
Carolina. The whole white population is
six thousand, while the number of negroes
exceeds thirty-two thousand. The panic
which drove their masters in wild confu-
sion from their homes, leaves them in un-
disputed possession of the soil. Shall
they, armed by their masters, be placed in
the field to fight against US, or shall their
labor be continually employed in reproduc-
ing the means for suppressing the armies OF
rebellion
The war into which this Government has
been forced by rebellious traitors, is carried
on for the purpose OF repossessing the
property violently and treacherously seized
upon by the enemies of the Government,
and to re-establish the authority and laws
of the United States in the places where it
is opposed or overthrOwn by armed insurs
rectiOn and rebellion. Its purpose is to re-
cover and defend what is justly its own.
War, even between independent nations,
is made to subdue the enemy, and all that
belongs to that enemy, by occupying the
hostile country, and exercising dominion
over all the men and things within its ter,
ritory. This being true with respect 10 in-
dependent nations at war with each other,
it follows that rebels who are IaboriDg by
force of arms to overthrow a government,
justly brings upon themselves all the con-
sequences OF war, and provoke the destruc-
tion merited by the worst of crimes. That
government would be false to national trust
and would justly excite the ridicule of the
civilized world, that would abstain from
the use OF any official means to preserve its
own existence, OF to overcome rebellious
and trait6roas enemy, by sparing or pro-
Letting the property of these who are wag-
ing war against 1t.
CONFISCATIoN OF SLAVES OF REBELS.
The principal wealth and power of the
rebel States is peculiar species OF proper.
ty, consisting of the service of Ia Dor OF Al
rican slaves, or the descendants of Africans.
This property has been variousy estimated
at the value Of from $700,000,000 to
81 ,0OO, 100000
Why should this property be exempt
from the hazards and consequences oil re-
bellious war?
Il was the boast of the leader Of the re
bellion, while be yet had seat il the Sen
ate OF the United States, that the Southern
States would be comparatively 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 rapine 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 execu>
ton. The wealth of Northern towns and
cities, the produce of Northern farms
Northern workshops and manufactures
would certainly be seized, destroyed or ap
propriated as military spoil. No property
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 property
| opd y,OaoocciOnc af ofoko arc tho incrrOppf