Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1861-12-09
Tur pRvGIDENT MODIFIES THE
REPORT OF THE SECRETA.
RY OF WAR;
:. Old .Abe" Firm as q Rock.
From the n. Y. Tribune Dee. ith.l


From the n. Y. Tribune Dec. ith
The PRESIDENT AND GEs. CAMERON.
The readers OF our daily Of yesterday
morning may have been surprised 10 hnd
no allusion to the topic which excited
most interest at thoFcderal metropolis
namely, the reported disagreement
between the President and the Secretary
of War with regard to that portion OF
the report of the latter which treats on
the use to be made Of the slaves OF re-
bels. Other journals had information
on this subject; We had none, SIMPLY
because. while their Washington des-
patches respectingit were allowed 10
come through 10 due course, ours was
suppressed by the government censor
in the Washington telegraph oilice.
Having received it by mail, we give IL
now as a part of tho history of the
times. simply remarking that we do not
understand that it was suppressed Tor
lack OF truth, but rather for excess OF 1t.
THE SUPPRESSED DESPATCH.
WAsniSaros, Dec. 2.
aThc call of the roll had scarcely
ended in the House, when the temper OF
the people was strikingly manifested by
their representatives Fastening, without
DELAYING moment for Presidential or
other message, to pass a resolution
emancipating the slaves of rebels with
in the military Jurisdiction. Before the
vote upon it was recorded, a painful ru-
NOR pervaded the Hall that the Plcsi.
dent had taken open issue on this very
question with Secretary Cameron, aud
had recalled from the Philadelphia Post
Office the undelivered copies of the
War Department Report which the
latter had mailed yesterday for the use
Of the newspaper press. The city was
filled with rumors OF breaking up Of
the Cabinet, aud the influence OF the
revolution we are passing through, III
attaching men to principles while weak
ening ticir hold on laws and forms, was
everywhere stIikingly and most sugges-
lively conspicuous. The excitement
occasioncd by this Executive opposition
OF the necessities of the war and to the
popular will, tonight sways the hotels
and parlors Of the city. The history OF
the difference between the President
and the Secretary Of War has at last
taken this shape. The Secretary pre-
scnted Lis report to Mr.. Lincoln on
Saturday. On Sunday afternoon he
mailed it to the principal papers of the
North and West, as is customary on
the day preceding the reading of the
message. On Sunday night the Presl-
dent, having found timeto read it, found
it net in his heart to agree with the Sec
retary's doctrine of the right and the
duty to make military use ofthe slaves
Of rebels-to arm them, if necessary =
and in all ways to use them as we would
any other property Of the rebels to sup.
press this rebellion. He sent for MIR.
Cameron, and required him to suppress
this whole portion of his report. on the
ground that It's. rqGn,c?,.'' I de- it5ecreta-
~ promptly and resolutcly refused te
suppress word of it. The discussion
between them was protracted. 1t end
ed as it begun, the President insisting
upon the alteration, and the Secretary
respectfully but firmly refusing to
change syllable Of his recommends.
tons. A subsequent interview in the
afternoon had similar conclusion OF
debate. but new and strange conclusion
of the Executive will. The President
announced his purpose to strike out the
entire passage about the emancipation
and arming Of the slaves before sending
in the report with his message to Con.
gress. Mr.. Cameron declared he should
not recall or suppress the document
10 the hands of northern and western
editors, and that the printers were at lib
erty to do with his report what they
pleased. Which of the two copies will
the people read and the army prefer. y
From the same Paper.]
MODIFICATION OF SECRETARY CAMERON s
REPORT.
After the original report had been
printed in our whole edition, the fol
lowing modification was made, VIZ: the
concluding portion, commencing at the
words, at has become a grave question
for determination what shall be done
with the slaves" was erased and the sub.
joined passage was substituted:
ut is already a grave question what
shall be done by the slaves who are
abandoned by their owners on the ad
vance Of our troops into southern terri
tory, as at Beaufort District, in South
Carolina. The number left within our
control at that point is very considera-
BILE, and similar cases will probably &C.
cur. What shall be done with them ?
Can we afford to send them forward to
their masters, to be by them armed
against us, or used in introducing sup
plies to maintain the rebellion? Their
labor may be useful to US; withheld
from the enemy, it lessons bis military
resources, and Withholding them had no
tendency to induce the horrors of insur.
rection even in the rebel communities
They constitute a military resource. and
being such, that they should not be
turned over to the enemy is too plain to
discuss. Why deprive him of supplies
by blockade, and voluntarily give him
men to produce supplies? The dispo-
sition to be made of the slaves Of rebels
after the close of the war can be safely
left to the wisdom and patriotism Of
Congress. The representatives of the
people will, unquestionably, secure to