New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-03-19
aHJ1ISG THE SLAVES.


tsry phrenzy now ruling the South, that DO at
tempt is made 20 arm tie blacks and organise
them into military companies. They may be
trusted to work, but not to fight. They may
build forts, handle pick and spade, but must not
touch lille OF musket. But il has been 20 from
the earliest periods Of history. In the revolu-
tionary armies there were many slaves attending
on tie officers, because Slavery at that time ey.
isted in oil the colonies; end there are numerous
instances on record Of heroic deeds performed by
individual slaves, suddenly, and on their own re-
Eponsibity. But in those days the Institution
was Of more patr archal character than the cot
ton cupidi.y Of the present day permits it to be.
There was less education, lees restlesSness, less
prospect Of escape from bondage anoDg them
emancipation wos oil they could look to, because
bondage was universal Yet oven then the South
did uo. trust them with arms. On tho contrary,
South Carolina expressly pleaded to Congress
tia! ell her white population were required at
bone to keep the slaves in suhjcction aad pro
y6nt their dcserticn 10 Tie British lberating
army She consequently furnished very smal.
number Of troopt. This hel2esSress was agra.
waited by hor intense toryism, for she never st
any tiino heartily supported the Revolution, but
throurhou! tie war contained more ectiIe, pes
til5n. tories, than probably al the other colonies
together. Warrington adopted tho suggestion Of
raising three regiments Of South Carohna ne
groes, bat the cOouists Tcs.stCd, the blacks could
not be trusted with arms, though manumissiOn
was 10 DO granted 10 al who did well, and their
value paid TO tho owners: and thus Slavery con.
tinued to be a weakness and an alarm oil over
the South 40 long az the war existed.
Yet in The face Of all this experience Of the
pest, the asitnt9rs Of that section now tell us
thet so far nom their slaves being on element
Of weakness, they are a towor Of strength, and
ths. in ease Of civil war they intend to arm
them. But Lighting il harder work than cotton
plautDg, yet we SEQ no evidence in spite Of
these wants, that the negroes are TO be trusted
TO DO any part OF the former On the contrary,
Southern papers ard letters continue to speak
Of constant wstahfllness and apprehension Of AZ
outbreak from these trusty people; while some
accounts assure US that great atrocities have
been committed in slpprossing iEsubordinatiOn,
the particulars Of which are carefully kept bach
from public notice. Now, We do not mean that
tho negroes will not fight brayely when led on
by gallant officers, for 10 know they VIII. Bat
10 do this, they must DO Freomen, not Slaves,
aud they must DO fighting foE Freedom, not for
Slavery. No better soldiers went into battle
during tho Revolution than tie black regiments
of New.Epglaad, but they were Frecmen. The
first victim OF tho Boston massacre was black
man, and at Lexington tbe Britith commander
was killed by another. Az Bunker Hi they
fought as bravely as The whites. When lie
Hossisn Count DonOp marched out u PLiiadcl-
phia " attack RedbGnk, the black regiment
of Rhode Island formed 11:2,:: "e -: garrison,
aud hsw murderousy they defeated The Hegsians
ia known to history, though the fact Of Tie
blacks performing so gallant part in the de-
Tense il not 20 well remembered ~ il ought TO
be. On other batt.e.felds this same regiment
fought with heroic bravery. Tho Connecticut
regiment Of bach men was equally distinguished,
and sc cen remember NJ instance OF cowardice
or trc,chery among them. But al tfese men
we're free, AID bore arms as matter Of right
secufcd to thom by law. The black regiments
raised during tho war Of 1872 were models Of
discipline, but their opportunities for distinguish.
ina Themselves IN action were rare.
The evidence elbows that our Southern frisnis
are sady mistaken in their plans for armiDg their
slaves, aud that while they have heretofore re-
fused TO do 80, free Northern cciorel men have
been distinguished Cor fidelity aud bravery
While wo can rely implicitly % tho latter, has
ing thoroughly proved them, ths former cannot
be tgustcd. But il. vixen NJ. Jel. pnis terms