The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-10-23

!
a grave mistake. Men placed at the head Q
affairs, are placed there to lead, not to folov
to give an impulse to the people. If the Ad
minstration has life and energy. if it ha
ability and genius, let it no longer hesitat
to use them, but put them forth in that free
bold, and energetic manner which will carr,
the people with them, and command victo
~.
We insist the more earnestly on this, be
cause the mass of our people have so Ion,
been accustomed to sympathize with rebels
to aid and encourage revolu,ionists abroad
and 10 visit with their severest denunciation
the acts ofthe legitimate government to sup
press insurrection, to put down revolutionist
and vindicate its authority, that they canno
be rallied with much enthusiasm under tn
simple banner of Law and Order. Thei
first emotion is to sympathize with rebellion
wherever it breaks out, even though agains
their own Government. They hold as prin
ciple, as that on which their very natona
independence is based, the ":acred right o,
revolution; because they generally take II
for granted that all rebels and revoutionists
are the party of liberty, warning againg des-
potism, and for the rights of man. Would
you rally them and render them invincible
against the foeS You must give them an
other battle-cry than that of slow and Or
der" or you will not stir their heart, that
mighty American heart which conquered
this country frem the savage and the forest.
proclaimed and won its independence, con
sttuted the Union, and made the American
nation one ofthe great nations of the earth.
1t.is not for US, even il we were able, TO give
that battle-cry it must be given by genius
in authority, and fall either from the lips of
the President, or the COMMANDMENT Che (
of our armies. Neither rs yet may be pre-.
pared to utter it; but if this nation has fu.
ture, if its destiny is, Us we have hitht rto
boasted, to prove what mar may be when
and where he has the the liberty to be him.
self, uttered BY one or the ether i crc long
will be, and in tones that vii ring out
through the whole Union. and through tie
whole civilized world now anxlously listening
to hear it, The Union is and mast be sacred
to liberty. Here man must be man, NOTHING
more, and nothing less. Slares must not
breathe our atmosphere; j, and ms must b
able to adopt the proud boast Of our mother
country. The slare that touches eur snil i,
free" This is the destiny of Ibis New
World, if destiny we have,-l ,,sstiny
our fathers toiled for, fought fors bred ,or
and to this we their children mast swear tt
be faithful, or die to the last man.
| THE SLAVE POPULATION.
This brings US to the question
OF the slave population in tho rchellious
States. In these States there are over three
millions of the population held by the laws
or usascs Of those States as slaves. These
people are an integral portion of the United
States, owe allegiance to the Federal Govern,
ment, and ara entitled to the protection OF
that Government. The Government has Il q
same right to make friends and allies cf them
and 10 enroll and arm them against the re.
belion, and that it has to enroll and arm the
white population Of Western Virginia or CT
Eastern Tennessee 1t makes nothing
against this that these people have hereto.
fore been slaves by the laws or the usages OF
the States in which they reside for the laws
or usages are deprived of all force against
the Union by the very act of rebellion. Re.
bellion dissolves all laws for the protection
OF the life or property Of the rebels. BY the
very act Of rebellion, the rebel forfeifs to the
Government against which he rebels, both
his property and his !ife, and holds hence.
forth neither, save at its mercy or discretion
IL it were not so, the the Government would
have no right to coniscate the property oil
rebels, or to attempt to suppress rebellion
by 70, &C of arms. Ii the slaves held in the
lrebellious States are property, they are for.
feited to the Government, and the Govern.
ment may confiscate them, as cotton, rice,
tobacco, or any other species Of property
found in the hands ofthe rebels. The same
principle that gives to the Government the
right to coniiscatc a bale Of cotton owned by
rebel, gives it right to confscatc every
negro slave claimed by rebel master. This
is perfectly clear, and is implied in the recen,
act Of Congress On the subject But If these
people held as slaves are not property, they
are and sho, Id be regarded as citizens ofthe
United States, owing allegiance to the FEEDER.
al Government. liable TO be called into the
service Of the Union in the way and manner
1t deems most advisable, and, if loyal, enti.
tied to the same protection from the Govern.
ment as any other class Of loyal citizons.-
Nobody can pretend that tho Federal Gov.
ernment is obliged. by virtue of the laws o,
usages heretofore exist ng in the Slave States
to treat these people as property. Whatevc,
might have been its obligation before the re.
bsllicus acts of those States, that obligation
is no lsnger in force.
/ THE RoRDER STATES AND FREEDOM.
But, if it be required to treat them as free
and loyal citizens by tho military operations
for the preservation Of the Union, or even tc
remove the causes of the present rebellion,
the Government is bound sc to treat them
The only doubt that can arise is as to the
fact, whether it would or would not prove