Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-06-12
What to do with t7e Slaves.

General Buffers dispatches to Heuten-
ant General Scott, asking for instruct ons
as to the disposition of the fugitive slaves
that have come into his quarters at For.
tress Monroe, opens up new question Of
no tritliug magnitude. Gen. Butler says!
"Since l wrote my last dispatch, the
question in regard to slave property is be-
coming one OF very serious magnitude.
The inhabitants of Virginia are using their
negroes in the batteries, and are preparing
to send the women and children South
The escapes from them are very numerous,
and squad has come in this morning to
my pickets, bringing their women and
cuildren. Ofcourse these cannot be dealt
with upon the theory upon which de-
signed TO treat the services of able-bodied
men and women who might come within
my lines, and of which | gave you de-
tailed account in my last Dispatch. am
in the utmost doubt what 10 do with this
species Of property. Up to this time have
had come within my lines men and wo,
men, with their children, in entire fami-
lies, each family belonging to the same
owner. ] have, therefore, determined 20
employ, as | can do very profitably, the
able. bodied persons in the party, issuing
proper goods cor the support OF all, and
charging against their services the expense
of the care and sustenauce of the non-a
bolers, keeping strict and accurate ac..
count, as well of the services as Of the ex-
penditures having the worth of the servi-
cps and the cost of the expenditure, rs
determined by the board of survey Eercaf-
ter to be detailed. know Of no other
manner in which to dispose of this subject
and the questions connected herewith
As a matter of property TO the insurgents,
it will be OF very great mcment-the mum
! or that | now have amounting, as | am
informed, to what, in good times, would
be OF the value of sixty thousand dollars
Twelve of those negroes, | am informed,
have escaped from the erection of the bat.
tcries at Sewall's Point, which this morn
ing fred upon my expedition as it passed
therefore, in the en- nemy's hands, these nc.
rroes, when able.bodied, are of the last
importance. Without them the batteries
|, could not have been erected, at least ioi
= many weeks. As military question /,
would seem to be measure of necessity
N deprive their masters Of their services
How can this be donel As aapolitica
question and question o! humanity, car
receive the services of father and moth
or, and not take the children? 0t th'
7 humanitarian aspect there is no doubt; o
{. the political one have no right to Judge
| therefore submit all this to your bette
Judgment, As these questions have 20
iitical aspect, have ventured, and trus
am not wrong in SO doing, to durlicat
$ the parts of my dispatch relating to thi
subject, ard forward them to the Secreta
: ry Of War;"
The whole subject, it seems, was the
| submitted to the President, and by hir
f to his Cabinet, which resulted in the trans
I mission of the following lette: Of approyF
! and instruction TO General Butler:
O WAR DEPARTMENT, WAsaiscToN, I
. l.r..- . May 30. 1861.
III SIR: Your action in respect to the ne
: groes who come within your lines fror
a the service OF the rebels is approved. Th
O department is sensible OF the embarrass
# ments which must surround officers con
Il ducting military operations in a state b
q the laws os which slavery is sanctioned
The government cannot recognize the n