Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-12-12


and rebellion I,spurpose is to recover and de.
fend what is justly its own.
War, even between independent nations, Is
made TO subduc the enemy. and all that belongs
10 that emmy, by occupying the hostile country
and exercising dominion over all the tnen and
things within Its territory. This being true In 70.
| spect TO independent nations at war with each
other, II follows that rebos WIN laboring by
force OF arms TO overthrow Government, Justly
bring upon themselves all the consequences Of
war and provoke the destruction merited by the
worst oil crimes. That Government would be
false to nation trust, and would Justly excite the
ridicule of the civilized world, that would abstoin
IRON the use oi any cih,ient means to preserve its
own existence or to overcome a rebeIous and
troiturous enemy, by sparing or protecting the
property OF those who are waging war against it,
The principal wealth. and power of the Rebel
Siaes is a peculiar species of property, consisting
u the service or labor OF African slaves, or the
desc ndants OF Africans This property has been
variously es'imn ted at the value OF from s7OO,.
| 900 900 to 81 900 000.000
Why should this property be exempt from the
| hazards and consequences OF a rebellous war;
II was the boast OF the LEADER ol the rebellion,
while he yet had sen in the Senate of the
| United States, that the Southern States would be
comparatively safe and Tree from the burdens OF
war, IL IL should be brought on by tho contpmpla
! ted rebellion, aud that bunst was accompanied by
the savage threat TINT Northern towns and cities
would become the victims OF rapine and military
| spoil" and that Northern men should smell
| southern gunpowder and feel S,uthern stee 3"
No nne doutts the disposition Of the rebels to car.
| ~ that threat into execution. The wealth Of
Northern towns and cities, the produce OF North
ern farms Norihern workshops and m inufactoriss
would certainly be seized, destroyed or appropri-
nted ne military spuil. No property in the North
| would be spared from he hands Of the robes, and
their rapine would be defended under ths lnws OF
war While the oyaI States thus have all their
| property and possessions at stake are the insur-
| In IN ria atuct n.. n
ernment In peace and security to their own prop.
| ertyl
Renson and Justice and self.pre servnton forbid
that such should be ths policy of this Govern.
| inent but demlni, on the contrary, that, bring
trced by traitOr and rebels to the extremity oi
war, all the rights AID powers OF war should bo
exercised t, bring it 10 spisly enl
i Those who make wur against the Government
justly orle nil rights OF property privilege, or
security, derived from the Constitution and laws,
against which they are H. ARMED rehe lliDn; and
~ the labor and service o! their slaves constitute
| me chcf property oi the rebels. such properly
81 oulI share the common tate of war to which
they have devoted the property OF loyal citizens.
While II IL plnin that the slave property OF the
South is Justly subjected TO all the consequence
OF this rebelllOuS war, and that the Government
would be untrue TO its trust in not employing ali
the rights and powers OF to bring il to speedy
close, he details OF the plan tor doing so, like ali
other military measures, must, In n great degree,
be lett 10 be determined by particular exigencies
Ihe disposition OF other property belonging to the
rebels that becomes subject TO our arms Is gov
ed by the cfrcuns tnnces OF the cuse. The Gov
/ erninent has no over to hold slaves, none to re
strain 81 lave OF his liberty, or to exact his ser
vice IL Inns right. however, to use the volun
iary service oi slaves liberated by from their
| rebel masters like any other property of the re.
hels. in whatever mode may be most elhci mt for
the defense OF the Government, the prosecution
OF the war. and the suppression oi the rebellion.
II is us clearly right Of the Government to a rm
| bpcOmp M ia IN
| use sunpowder taken from the enemy. Whether
lils eSpedicnt 10 40 so is purely military ques.
ton The right is unquesiionabe by the laws ol
war. The expediency must be determined by
cireumstln ;ss, keeping In view the great ,bject oi
overcoming the rebels, Te.establishing the laws
AZ restoring peace TO the nation.
n II is vain and iie for the Government to carry
on this war. or hope to maintain its existence
i against rebellious force, without employing al
the rights and plwers OF war. As has been said
the right to deprive the rebels OF their property in
slaves md slave labor, is clear and absolute as
the righ, TO take forage from the field, or cotton
from IN" warehouse, or powder ard arms from The
magazine. To leave the enemy in the ,ssess sion
oi such property forage and cotton AMI military
stores. and the means OF constantly reproducing
'hem. would be madness. 1t is therefore, equal
madness 10 leave them in peaceful and secure
possession OF slave property more valuable and
sihcient to them for war, than forage, cotton aud
military stores. Such policy would be naliona
suici lie. What to do with 'hatspecies OF property
solve, aud need not he anticipated further than to
repeat that they cannot be held by tho Government
as slaves II would be useless 10 keep them as
p'i."ncrs u war; and seli-preservaiion. iht
highest duty OF Government. or OF inii Siduais
demands that they should be disposed of or EN-.
played in ,he most elective manner that will to nd
most speedily 10 suppress the insurrerii,n and
restore the authority OF the Government II it
| shall be iound that the men who have been he Id
by the rebels as slaves capable oil bearing
arms and performing efficient military service,
i Il is the right. an may become the duty OF til
Government To arm and equip them, AMI employ
lhelf services ng iinst tue rebels, under proper
military regu laiion disciplin-, an comnanl.
Bl IN whatever manner they may he used hv
the Gwernm, i is plain that, once liberated by
The robe lliIus act of their masters, they sloud
| never again be resiorsfi to bondage By the mas
ttrs feasun and rebellion he lerieits all right to
| the lah1r and service OF his slave and tho slave
Ut the rebeicus muster by hi service 10 hs Gov.
etnmen. brcomes justly emitted TO iresdom and
p'Ot7ctiun
The disposition to be made Of The slaves OF
rebels, after the close of the war. be safely LEFT
to the wi dom and pairi ii IN uf Congress The
RepJssen lnlives of the People will unqueslinn-
ably sorore 10 the loyal slaveholders every right
Ia which they are entitled under the Constitution
| OF the cuuutry. .I ~. 1886.
SIMON CAMERON, Secretary OF War.
To the President.