New-York daily tribune., 1861-05-29
GEN. BUTLER ON CONTBAEAND
GOnHA

Hb UT couclusVe thhH tne nearly appTo'i, Wy
| all classes Of citizens, Of Gen. Buffers conduct
at Fortress Monroe in refusing to return runaway
slaves TO their masters, but retaining them as
contraband Of war.
Everybody felt that Slavery, and its relations
to the contest, would prove to be of tue most
embarrassing features Of the struggle, unless it
was managed with rare prudence. All knew
that Gen. Butler was too good lawyer ever to
dream that he, as an officer in the United Statos
army had anything to do with tho execution of
the Fugitive slave Law. That act (waIying all
questions as to its constltutionality) specially de-
sienates and in part creates the officers who are
to enforce it. Ii is needless to say, that officers
in the army and navy do not belong in this
category. Of course Gen. Butler knew that It
was no more his duty 1, Sslze and return rue
awar negroes in Virginia, than to catch and
send home runaway horses; no more his business
10 enforce the Law against fugitive slaves IN the
counties contiguous to Fort Monroe, than to
enforce tho law in regard to collecting taxes or
supporting paupefs.
Still, knowing that some negroes might think
this contest had good deal to do with them,
aud knowing tina: the negro idea on tho subject
OF Freedom is rather loose and liberal, 1t was
naturally to 10 anticipated that many slaves Ia
tne Rebel States would got within oar camps and
ON board our shp,. Under such circumstances
tho disposition to be made Of this peculiar species
of properly would be a puzz!IDg question to
| scrupglous men like Gen. Butler. In determIn-
100 TINS question we think the General has pre-
J cisely hit the public sentiment Ihose who re-
gard slaves as absolute property and who hau
the Drvd Scott dieia as the perfection OF Judicial
w,.dom, seen to be specially delighted WITH the
Efficient rlaunrr in witch Gen. B. is disposed 70
csfry out that decision. Looking ut Lie act from
their point, be is right. negro slaves, be-
| longing to oecessionsts aud Rebels, are contra
| bnud commodities These who might be- disposed
10 dispute the soundnes. OF bis premises are cUu-
tent TO abide by lis conclusions. Such una
nm.ty of opinion, on this y-xed question, is
| graft! ing.
Gen. Buffers doctrine involves two or three
obvious consequences, viz: j. Slaves who escape
| into the Federal camp or Oh board Federal snlps,
in seeded States are never TO be returned 10
their rebel mastcrs. but are 10 bo tr'aiod as
eontraband 0f waI-as really ~ II they were, IN
common phrase. what they are ia reality, imp'e-
| ments or munit.ons, used ty traitors 70 carr! on
the war against the loyal States. Like other
conlrabapd articles they msy be used BY the
csp,or.; or, il abandcned mado va'uelee' to the
enemy; or they may be sent home as trophies OF
TIE oapton.
.. Tley may be usel in the camp-'peect, Of
course 10 tho requirements oi justice aud iair
dealing We need not cay how valuable the
services Of this peculiar kidd Of cpntrahand would
| bo 10 our army in the South. La tae trenches,
10 tie culinary department, as guides III u
strange country aud through dangerous passes,
a. gatbeIcfs OF provisions aud forage as scouts
| 10 seour the plantations and woOds aud adj IN
tho urigtborhood Of the camp, aud, when hard
pr,ssed, 10 take q hand IN tuo tight IN their rude
way they would be very useiui. Ia the supny
clice below the Potomac aud along tie Misses
sippi and the Gulf, With the mercury at icar-
ful pitch, how grateful wouid be their services
to our loyal troops! TIen, too, In tie loDg Au-
tuna evCaings, when our weary sons were bit
tlng around their camp free, how these sable
minsfrcs" would heguIc th. todium Of tie
hour by tneir bewitching melody
3. Ii they should become troublesome to the
camp, or cumbersome because Of their numbers,
The commanding officer could furnish them with
rations, u puss, guide. or. rot having one to
spare, could point them to tho north star, and
tell them to march!
4. TueU, too. If the eyieencies Of tho campaign
required 50 summary proceeding, these contra
band bipeds might be destroyed-as property.
For example, when cannon are about to be
abandoned to the enemy. prudcnt general
ea,l.es them 10 be spIkei--and SO thoroughly
sb,ked as to be forever worthless, as cannon, to
thc foe. SO, &c to nesroos who had served IN
the Unicn camp--if our army were compelled to
Let them fall into tho eneny's bands. they must
frst spike them, az property, so that they would
be good for notbiog 10 the foe; and, TO make
thorough work OF it. tie negrces must be IN
I,rac,ed TO tell the rebels, who might try to uso
them, that they were spiked.
3. OF course in seizing cOutraband goods, we
take them subject to all inherent risks aud re.
suliing contingencies. For example: in selzing
a pile Of loaded mu.kets ss contraband OF war,
some Of them, unless carefully handled, might 20
of. Precisely so with cOntraband negroes.
However, if they did not go OF to the enemy, it
would be Of no serious consequence to us.
g. When the war is over, these cOntrabnnd
negroes will have 10 DO treated liko other urti.
clec contraband Of war tukcn FROM the enemy.
They can never be gwen up to their former
owners, nor ever paid for under any settlement;
bccnusa over, thing cOntraband of war tsken