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

General Buffers dispatches to Lieutcn-
ant General Scott, asking for instruct ons
that have come into his quarters at For
tress Monroe, opens up new question Of
no triiling magnitude. Gen. Butler says
"Since 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 a squad has come i'll 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 a de
tailed account in my last dispatch. am
in the utmost doubt what to 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 fapi e.
lies, each family belonging to the same
owner. have, therefore, determined 20
employ, as | can do very protitably, the
able. bodied persons in the party, issuing
proper goods FOR tao support OF all, and
charging against their services the expense
Of the care and sustenancc of the non-l la =
boI ers, keeping a strict and accurate ac..
count, MS well of the services as OF the eX-
penditures, having the worth of the seryi-
ces 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 matter Of property to the insurgents,
it will be OF very great moment-the num-
| er that now have amounting, rs 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.
teries at Sewalls Point, which this morn
! ing fired upon my expedition as IT passed
, by out of raEge. As a means OF offence,
therefore. in the enemys hands, these ne.
croes, when able-bodied, are of the last
! Importance. Without them the batteries
could not have been erected, at least for
many weeks. As q military question i,
would seem TO be a measure OF necessity
10 ueDIlNN llltll Llh7NIlh VI NbtlI ctlNlNtSs
How can this be done? As a politica
question and a question o! humanity, car
receive the services of a father and moth
er, and not take the children? OF th,
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 a po
litical aspect, have ventured, and | trus
am not wrong in so doing, to duplicate
the parts of my dispatch relating to thi
subject, ard forward them to the Secreta
ry Of War;"
The whole subject, it seems, was thei
submitted TO the President, and bv hin
TO his Cabinet, which resulted in the trans
mission of the following lette: Of approva
and instruction to General Butler:
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON,
May 80. 1861.
i SIR: Your action in respect to the ne
: groes who come within your lines fror
the service OF the rebels is approved. Tn
, department is sensible of the embarrass
/ ments which must surround officers con
dueting military operations in state b
, the laws or which slavery is sanctioned -
The government cannot recognize the rs