Smyrna times., 1861-08-29
Effects of the War on Slavery.

The action of the Government in relation to
slavery has been entirely Constitutional
General Butler, though formerly at least
Breckenridge Democrat, has seemed, for some
reason, disposed to go beyond the position of
the Administration, and this has led General
Cameron to define very precisely the position
oil the President. The slaves ofrebels, if caught,
are to be confscated, that is, set free. Those
OF loyal men are to be set to work, account be-
ing taken of their labor, are to be subject to
reclamation, and a claim is allowed for them
agalnst the Government at the close of the
war. This shows that the plan OF the Admin.
Istratlon is to maintain the Constitution intact.
The North, as body, previously to the war
had 90 idea of enforcing emancipation either
BY numbers or by war. They were loyal to
the Constitution. They asked nothing of the
South but that they should be quiet and stand
firmly and honestly by the Union. They even
bore patiently the measures by which the
South. through the Democracy, had governed
the country, employing Northern Presidents
with Southern principles to accomplish it,
If the war had been short, there can be no
doubt that the result would have been, simply
restoration of the Union and the Constitution
as 1t stood before the war began. Probably
no stipulation other than this would have been
demanded, and all would have gone on as be.
fore. The prestige Of the South, no doubt.
would have been much broken. The North,
having shown its power, would have prevented
the extension of slavery into free territory, but
there would have been no interference with
slavery in the States.
This proposition may probably be laid down
, as true in our actual condition: The longer
the war, the most probability of the abolition
ofslavery. The causes Of this are worth an
examination.
To begin at some distance from the end If
the war continues four or five years, Europe
will find cotton elsewhere than in our Southern
States; for, if the war continues, the blockade
Will grow more stringent every year. Weare
only learning the art of war. but we are apt
scholars. MIR. Fox. the Assistant Secretary of
the Navy, is delighting the whole country just
now, by doubling the number of our ships at
a stroke. He has, we are told, purchased or
chartered a large number tt vessels, which are
10 be sent TO assist the blockading feet at once.
The English factories are recommended to
work two-thirds or half time for a year or two,
meanwhile cotton production is to be stimula.
ted by every possible means in India, Africa.
and everywhere else that it can be produced,
Iroa nfo r. L. l.. n
fibre. England has no love for the South she
cares foe herself and if she can get cotton else
where, she will revive all the stories about
slavery that are now allowed 10 sleep Hu.
manity will then be terribly outraged. Exeter
Hall will again resouud with groans, and Amer.
lea will again be Kissed and booted. Only
give the cotton spinners AfticaA and AsIatic
cotton enough. and their virtuous horror of sla.
very will 60 beyond all precedent. Anti.sla.
very in their nolnal condition, and they are
ashamed Their present attitude towards the
North. Nothing bet the exigencies of manu-
featuring, and 1.-THE dangerous classes " force
them into their present anomalous position
The enforcement of n rigid blockade for FIVE
years. would destroy permanently the eonnec
ton between England and the South.
long war would produce negro in.Grrec
ton. We have not much faith in the courage
and especially the conduct of slaves. They
have no creative talent. They have no con
s'ructIve power. They have no leaders,
Were it not so, four millions co0ld not be helC
in bondage. Yet a state of things may be su
Perlnduced. which will lead to general rising
IN the South. There are a halt a million O
free negroes who are longing to be engaged il
this war; Scatter a hundred regiments of FIRE,
blacks over the South, and then where are tn,
+ slaves Hog loOg would they stay outsid,
OF the lines of their own brethren! We draw
the veil over these scenes. We only ssy tina
the pOUer to do this ia in the North, and it vii
not be best for the South to provoke the Nortl
. too far. A long war might bring about eyer
horrors like these. Sach scenes were know
in the civil wars of England. the Thirty Years
War, and the wars in France. When havoc
is let loose no human voice can say, "Thu
t far shalt thou go and no further"
There is. in a long war, change often bot
OF feeling and OF purpose. fhe suherlng iha
may be caused 10 the North, the constant irri
h iation, the pressure Of taxation. the enOrmou
q expense. the loss of The flower Of our youth
blood flowing from every household may Great
: an evaporation that will 60 down to the roo
/ and cause of the whole difficulty. 1t will no
+ be hard to find. Tie desPOtsm of SLAYER
is not satisfied with setting it's foot upon blac
men. II threatens the liberty OF white men a
= well.
n The end of a thing is very different from il
. beginning. Very many wars have begun fc
one object and ended in quite another. BY th
n time we have spent three thousand millions
o dollars, and lost by battle and disease millio