New-York daily tribune., 1861-07-20
sLAyERY-TmE UNION-THE WAR.

sLAVEBY-TEEE UNGON-THE "Ah'
TIE advance of the Union armies into the
heart of Virginia forces upon their commanders
and the Government the problem OF slavery
its relations to the UniOU aud their influence on
tue War. We propose to discuss them pOintediy'
The doctrine we have always held sound and
vital is that of the inoomPetency OF the tederal
Government to intermeddle with the domestic or
personal relations established by the laws OF the
several States between the inhabitants OF those
States respectively. Clay.eatiDg, for example, Is
filthy, revolving, destructive practice; YET 'he
Federal Government has no power to prohlolt II
within the limits Of any State-a Federal law
against it would be operative OILY in the Terri
tories. When, therefore, a BiiOn or Frenchman
asks citizen Of a Free State" Why don't you
abolish Slavery in the Southern States, and
/" thus rid yourselves of great trouble shame,
" and danger 2'--the proper answer is" why
don't gour Government abolish Slavery IN
[" Turkey and in Persia ?" We cannot 60 BE-
yond our rightful power.
But constitutions aud laws are made for state
of peace, and inevitably bend to the exigencies Of
War. A rebel in arms against the authority OF
the Federal Government and intent on its sub
version must be treated as a rebel-that is to
say, he must be subjected to the fate to which
he in purpose doOms the Nation. If Slavery, or
ANYTHING else, says to the Union, " Your life or
mine!' ready, necessary response is
90 Yours, then; not mine" The Nation must 1--we
though locality or interest should have to die.
When a great fire was raging in our city, the
authorities ordered whole blocks of stores filled
with costly goods to be blown up to arrest the
deyOurng element The owners Of those stores,
those fabrics, sled the City for their value, and
were beaten-the Courts holding the public safety
paramount to individual rights. Nobody pretended
that there was any sentence in our Constitution
that authorized the destruction of those gOods-
but great public exigency had arisen which
was law unto itself. Aud it is this principle
which imDels conservative old lawyers Ike Mr.
Browning of Illinois to admonish the Shareholders
that they cannot plot aud arm against the Union
with safety to their peculiar iDterest-that the
UUiOn must live, though Slavery should commit
suede. AID thus it was that John Quincy Nd
ums--whO held that Congress could not (Or should
nol) in tune of peace disturb slavery even III the
District OF Columbia, yet insisted that in crlt-
col exigency of war, not only Congress or the
President, but even commanding general might
decree the extinction Of bondage. If thus only
could the Nation be saved, he was h"n"d thDS to
save g. odd the act would be valid.
The Union armies advance into the heart Of
Virginia, where slaves are, unbappiy, abundant
The Government direct, that thOse slaves be- let
entirely alone. II is no part of the business Of
our soldiers 20 llberate them; and those soldiers
have nothing to do with hunting capturing, and
returning those who may have liberated them.
selves. The defenders Of the Union are there to
settle an account with white Rebels not to mix
or meddle IN aoy way with negro slaves. Such
we understand to be the settled purpose OF the
Government.
Tha. our armies should be forbidden to en-.
cumber Themselves Witn fugitive negroes is n nat
ter of course. Camp-followers are always too
numerous in the wake Of great army, aud are
a hindrauce even when tLey seem to be Il hep.
They choke the roads, consume .Lo provisions,
aud are perpetually in the way. Clear them
out
But an order that no vagrant negro shall be
allowed to enter tie lines of the Union armies
if such has been or shall be issued-will prove
at once miSchievous and impossible Of execution.
An army advancing in q hostile region must
procure information, aud cannot afford to be
nice as TO its sources aud channels. A negro
offered to show our men q road by which TO
avoid the batteries Of Great Bethel, and take
them in flank and rear; ho was not bcedtd. and
a disaster was the result. Central Virginia
swarms with irregular cavalry, aud bristles with
masked batteries. These batteries are easily
dealt with If seasOuabIy understood; but one
opening Unexpectedly on a marching column may
do fearful mischief The unknOwn is magnifed
by terror
Our advancing columns in Virginia must be
constantly cleaning information as to what is
before them, aud they are far less likely 10 OBJ
tain IT from white men than from negroes. But
they cannot afford to reject it from whatever
qusr'sr,
We judge, therefore, that no order has been
issued which forb ds the admission Of persons
supposed to be fugitive slaves within the line,
of the patriot armies. The mandate probably
reads that none are TO bo retained there, which
is quite another matter.
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