The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1861-08-15

: | adopted the theory Of treating the abl
bodied negro fl; to work in the trenches
as property liable to be used in aid c
rebellion, and SO contraband of war, ths
condition Of things WIS in 50 far met as
then and still believe, on u legal and con
sti,utonal basis But now new serie
of questions arise. Passing by women
the children certainly cannot be treatc,
on that basis; if property, they must b.
considered the incumbrancc, rather thar
the auxiliary of an army, and, of course
In no possible legal relation. could b,
treated as contrabaud. Are they prop
crty: II they were SO, they have bee,
left by their masters and owners, desert
ed, thrown away, abandoned, like tn,
wrecked vessel upon the ocean Their
former possessors and owners, have cause
lessly, traitorously, rcbelliously, and, tc
carry out the figure, practically aban-
doned them to be swallowed up by the
winter storm Of starvation. If properly
do they not become the property of the
sa'vors! but we, their salvors, do no,
need and will not hold such property and
will assume no such owncrship; has not
therefore all proprietary relation ceased
Have they not become thcreupon men,
women and children? No longer under
ownership of any kind, the fearful relicts
of fugitive masters, have they not by
their masters acts, and the state of war,
assumed the condition, which we held to
be the normal one, of those made in
Gods ina e? Is not every constitution
al, legal and moral requirement., as well
to the runaway master as their relin
pushed slaves. thus answered? | con
tcss that my own mind is compelled by
this reasoning to look upon them as men
and women. fnot free born, yet free,
manumittod, sent forth from the hand
that held them never to be reclaimed.
"Of course if this reasoning thus i'm
perfectly set forth is correct, my duty as
humane man is very plain. l should
take the same care of these men, women
aud children, houselcss, homeless and un-
provided for, as | would of the same
number Of men, women and children who
for their attachment to the Union had
been driven or allowed to fee from the
Confederate States. I should have no
doubt on this question, had not seen it
stated, that an order had been issued by
Gen. Mcdowell in his department, sub
stantially forbidding all fugitive slaves
from coming within bis lines, or being
harborcd there. Is that order to be en-
forced in all Military Departmental If
so, who are to be considered fugitive
slaves! Is slave to be considered fu-
iItivc, whose master runs away and
leaves him? Is it forbidden to the troops
to aid or harbor within their lines the
negro children who are found therein,
or is the soldier, when his march has
ucstl"Jri thoi, mvans Of subsistence, to
allow them to starve because he has
driven off the rebel master?
Now shall the commander of regiment
or battalion sit in judgment upon the
question, whether any given black man
has fled from his master, or his master
fled from him? Indeed, how are the
'reeborn to be distinguished Is one
any more or less a fugitive slave because
he has labore1 upon the rebel intrench-
ments? If h has so labored, if | un-
eerstand it, he is to be harbored. BY
the reception Of which, are the rebels
most to be distressed, by taking those
Who have wrought all the rebel masters
icslrcd masked their battery, or those
Tho refused to labor and left the battery
lnmaskcd
81 have very decided opinions upon
he subject of this order. 1t does not
ecomc me to criticiso it, and | write
no spirit of criticism, but simply to
xplaln the full difficulties that surround
he enforcing it. If the enforcement of
hat order becomes the policy of the
|, rs soldier. shall be
ound to enforce it stcadfastly. # not
hecrtully. But if left to my own dis
retion, as you may have gathered from |
" reasoning, should take widely
itferent course from that which it indi
,tcs.
" In loyal State | would put down
,rvlc lnsulrection. In state of REBEL.
N ! would coniscate that which was
'cd to oppose my arms, and take all
lat property, which constituted the {
ealth of that State and furnished the I
cans by which the war is prosecuted, {
esidcs being the cause of the war and I
in so doing, it should be objected that t
lman beings were brought to the free 5
joyment Of life, liberty and the pur- a
it of happiness, such objections might f
It require much considerations I
" Pardon me for addressing the Secrc- il
ry Of War directly upon this question,
1t involves political considerations as
I'll as propriety Of military action u
81 am, sir your obedient servant, 4,
'BENJAMIS +, B,TIERn I,