Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-10-17

~, tboy have heretofore been placed by
W. ny tho usages of those states them.
'le "a"
rSi. brinps MS to the question of the slave
,,onnlotion in the rebellious states. In these
t,atos tbere are over three millions of the pop
uIotion held by the laws or usages of those
statos az slaves These people are an integral
nortion of The people OF tie United States,
on,o olle,i,nce to the federal government, and
o entitled m the protection OF that govern
mont The government has the same right to
make 1ricnds nnd allies ct them, and to carroll
and arm them against the rebellion, that ii has
10 make friends and allies 10 carroll and
arm the white population OF western Virginia,
or of eastern Tennessee. 1t makes nothing
AGAINST This that these people have heretofore
been slaves by the laws or the usages OF the
states in which they reside; Tor those laws and
usages are deprived OF all force against the
Union by the very act of rebellion. Rebellion
dissoves all laws tor the protection OF the lie
or propefty OF the rebels. BY tile very act OF
rebellion the rebel forieiis to the government
against which he rebels both has property AMI
his life, and holds hencetorth neither, save at
its mercy or discretion. II it were not so, Tie
government would nave 10 right To cohtlscale
the property of rebels or to attempt to sup
press I rebellion by force OF arms II Tue
slaves held in the rebcious states are proper
ty, they are forfeited to the government ana
the government may cnnflscatc them, as couoh,
rice, tobacco, or any other species OF property
found in the handS OF the rebels. he same
principle that gives to the government
the right To conilscate Il oaie Oh coVoh
owned by rebel, gives II right 10 cOhhs-
cate every negro slave claimed by a rebel mas
ter This is etecy clear, and Is implied IN
the recent acl OF congress on the suoJect' bnt
il these people held as slaves are not properly
they are and should he regarded US clllzehs
OF the United States, OWING allegiance TO Inc
federal government, labie TO be called INTO tlle
service OF the Union III The way and manner 1t
deems most advisable, aud, 1t loyal, entitled TO
the same protection from the government as
any other class OF lorai citizens. NOBODY can
pretend that the federal government Is oDl6eu,
by virtue OF The laws or usages heretofore eX
sting in the slave states, to treat these people
as property. Whatever might have been It's
obligation before the rebeiouS acts of those
states that oblIga ion is no longer IN force.
But if it be required to treat them as free
and loyal citizens by the military operations
for the preserving of the Union, or even TO re-
move the causes Of the present rebellion, the
government is bound so to treat them. The
only doubt that can arise is as to the fact,
whether it would or would not prove useful To
this end 1t must be objected to such a meas
ure that il would deprive us of the aid OF
Western Virginia and EASTERN Tennessee and
drive into open hostility 10 the Union Mary
land, kentucky and Missouri, This objection
deserves grave consideration. But it is in
substance The objection that las embarrassed
lie government from the outset, and compell
J il IN i.kn only half way measures to sup
urpSs the rebellion For ourselves, we cannot
raspect the fear to which this obligation APP.
peals Fear is the worst possible counselor in
ill.,, world. and the government that hesitates
IN adont the hest policy for fear of alternating
lis friends is lost Let the lines be at once
xharpIv drawn between our friends and cur
enemies Ina crisis like the present luke
warm friends. ar friends who will be our
friends only by virtue of certain concessions TO
their interests or preiutlices. are mole embar-
rassinu than omen enemies and do more to
weaken our forces than If arrayed in open hos
tility against us Ii these states are for the
Union they will insist ON no conditions incom
patible with the preservation OF the Union
they will make sacrifices tor the Union, AS
well as the other 10 al states, and there is III
reason who they should not There is nelhe
reason or lustce in Massachusetts, New York
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the grea
states north west OF ONO, pouring Out thel
blood and treasure for the qualification OF tn
saveholdiug pretemsions OF Maryland Kel
lucky, or Missouri. The citizens OF theS
states who own slaves are AS much bound,
the preseryat on of the Union requires it, I
give M their propetty in slaves, as we at til
farther north are 10 pour out our blood al
treasure 70 mt down a rebellion which threat
ems alike them and u.s. Ii they love their few
slaves more than they do the Union, let then
" " ure-V WIN tHgm
But we have rofo-.ud uuly TO the slaves il
The rtbelIious states, and il it is, or it il be
coines military necessity TO liberale all the
slaves of the Union, and TO treat the whole
present slave population as ireemen and Cit
zens, il would be no more than Just and prop
er that, at the conclusion OF the war the cit
Gems OF loyal states, or tie loyal citizens OF
loyal sections Of the rebeious states, should
be Unidentified at reasonable rate for the
slaves that may have been liberated The
states and sections OF states named have not a
large number of slaves, and if the Union is
preserved it would not be a very heavy bur-
den on it to pay their ransom and to paving
it no patriot or loyal citizen of the tree states
would raise the slightest objection. The OBJ
lection, therefore, urged, though grave, need
not De regarded as lnsuperable; and we think
the advantages or the measure in u military
point OF view would be far greater than any
disadvantage we have to apprehend from it.
whether the time Tor this important meas
ure mas come or not, 1t is Tor the president, as
commander-in chef ct our armies, to deter
mlne' But IN our Judgment no single meas
nre could be adopted ny Tie government that
woulu more euectually aid It's military opera
uohs, 40 more TO WEAKEN the rebel forces and
10 strengthen our own. -Four millions OF PEG
pie IN the slave states, feeling that the sup
preston of the rebellion and the trumDll Oi tho