Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1861-10-04

ties will be restored to them; they will
be protected from further spoilation by
the Rebel banditti, and restored to all
the privileges of sovereign citizens Of
the United States. The recent elec-
tions in Maryland and Kentucky, and
the late demonstrations in North Caro-
lima, show how gladly the change will
be welcomed. There will not be
a Southern State in which Rebel
ticket will stand any chance at the
polls after Jeff. Davis armies are de-
feated in the ield.-Harper's Weekly,
NEGROES AS SPIEs.
Napoleon sail that General who can
not organize a good system of military
espionage, in thickly settled country,
is ignorant Of his business; and that un-
der such circumstances, a want of knowl-
edge of the enemys movements is mex
cusable Our defeat at Bull Run was,
beyond doubt, largely owing to the fault
which Napoleon thus stigmatizes. For
many weeks before that action Gen.
Patterson had been in command of Il
large body of troops, with the single
duty of watching General Johnston
Without referring to any abtruse rules
Of the art Of war, but adopting to the
simple dictates Of natural reason which
govern boys is snow ball engagements.
it becomes plain that it was Patterson's
duty to keep himself thoroughly in
formed of j Johnston's S movements, to fol-
low him closely-and when our army
advanced On Manassas to prevent John
ston's junction with Beauregard at every
hazard, even if he were himself annihi
lated in the attempt. But we know now
that Johnston joined Beauregard three
days before the battle; that Patterson
knew nothing of this; that so little did
his watch impede the movements of the
enemy, that after three days, during
which he lay within fifteen miles Of
Winchester Gen. Kirby Smith left that
place with the remainder of Johnston's
force, and marched unobstructed to Ma
nassas, to decide the day against US by
his timely appearance.
Patterson army was in a thickly set
tied country, half the white inhabitants
of which, at least, were friendly to our
cause-to say nothing of the negro pop
ulation, which is, with scarce an excep-
ton, on our side. One reason why he
had no intelligence was that he con-
stantly returned runaway slaves to their
Rebel masters By this proceeding, for
which there is not the slightest warrant
in law or Constitution, he discouraged
and prejudiced against him class Of men
who, in the hands of any sensible COM
mander, would be invaluable spies.
With all the discouragements they
get, these people are still important re-
porters of the enemy's movements, and
as we advance they will become, if we
choose to make proper use Of them,
among our best guides. They know the
country better than any white men.-
Their necessities and habits give them
a very intimate acquaintance with the
districts in which they live; and we have
only to hold out the cheapest induce
ments in order to have most perfect
system of espionage organized to our
hand.
1t seems singular that military COM
mander should not see and seize this
advantage. 1t is known that our gem
erals are constantly indebted for valua-
BILE and trustworthy knowledge of the
insurgents movements, strength and po-
sition to the black men who seek refuge
in our camps from the reasonable work
to which they are forced. Yet we hear
every few days that some general OF
colonel has ''been busy returning fugi-
tive slaves" Now, how does he know
that there are not among the persons
thus sent back some who have been al
ready employed by the government in
the capacity of spies? IF they are faith
full to their trust they will not disclose
their vocation. They will remain mute,
and in this way we shall be returning to
slavery not only men who may be of
great use to us hereafter, but who have
been already employed in our service.
How disgraceful such a proceeding
would be We need not stop to say.
In the Florida war no general ever
hesitated to use black men for guides
and spies, nor did the most pro-slavery
of them all refuse to give freedom to
such of these negroes as were servicea-
| BILE to them. If it were once established
and known that our government meant
to adhere strictly to the letter and spirit
of the constitution; that negroes taking
refuge with US, under any circumstances,
would be returned only in the way pre-
scribed by the Fugitive Slave law; that
those who served US would be rewarded
instead of being treacherously betrayed
into the hands of the enemy; then we
should reap the just fruit of one of the
great advantages Of our position-and we
should do this without he slightest in
justice to any loyal MANN. Y. Post.
DIR. w. s. Workman is Coming.