Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-12-23

beyond me bounds al Il limits OF toSr own mo ferst3
constitutional pro-iiors. Il could exs u der frFe
government ony where the people, 10 period Of unres-
soniDg eItrsysgsnce, had permitted populsr chmor %
public and had attenped the impossi.
biby of setting up permanently, as political lis u-
tion, social evil waich is opposed TO moral law
By revertipg 10 ibe history Of the past, had that
one OF the deshuc i've record, that Of the
French Revolution, originated by the stltmrt TO
give political character 10 Institution which not
susceptible Of political character. TIE Church. by be-
ing endowed with political power With It's convent its
schools its immense landed wesh Its tssocirns se-
and open became the ruling power Of the State and
thus occasoned Of more sfe and boodshed, pro-
biby than any other which has desoated the earth.
Slavery is still less susceptible of Political character
than the Church. |, ft at this moment fer the
lamberroo Of the past in 1898 the monastery tho
landed wealth, the exclusive privileges, etc, OF the Cath.
iS Church in France. Il behooves TO consider as
sf covering people, bred and reared and pfsciced In
the habits OF selgoverpment whether We cannot vhetb-
or ought not, TO rsyouiionzs Slavery out Of exs.
iencs vt-out the necessity Of coI t q arms Ike that
Of the french K .vo.ution. ~ - 'sss (
Indeed we feel aSsured thst The moment slavery is
abolished, from that memeut our Southern brethren,
every ten Of whom have probably relatives In tho
North would begin 10 emerge from hateful deirium.-
From tina, moment, relieved from inns gnsry terfoss
their Gays become happy aud their nights peaceful ard
free rCm alarm the aggregate amount OF Sbor under
the stimulus OF fir competition becomes greser
day by day; plorerty rises 10 value inyigorsting Iu
union, harmony and peace, TO which we have SO loug
been Strangers become restored, and bind again IN
the boLd Of fFierd hip AID amiiy, when 6st be-
gan our aona career, under our glorious Government
1 Of 1883
Why do the leaders Of tire rebellion seek to change
the fern Of your ancient Goveinment5 Is t becsu,e
the gowh Of the African element Of your population
has come AZ length to render change necessary? VIII
you permit the free Government under which you have
thus far lived and which Is well suited for the desel
/ AZ ha alsara
beittleng despotism in order adapt Is the neces
ties OF ignorant slaves and the requirements Of their
proud and aTistocratic Will the laboripg
Of the South bind their necks TO she yoke that Is
suited to the save? We think not We may safely an.
swer that the time has not yet arrived when Sou,h
brethren, for the sake CT keeping Africans in
flavery, will abandon their long cherished free ntttu.
tions aud ensave themselves.
IL is the conviction Of my command, part Of the
national forces OF the Unit d Sates that abor-manua
abors Inherently noble tia il cannot be systemati
cay degraded by any nation without running It's peace
happiness and power that Tree labor Is the granite ba
sis which free institutions must resi- that II Is the right,
the capital the Inheritance the hope Of the poor
everywhere tia. i is especially the right Of five mill
ions Of our fellow csuntrymen n the Slave States we'll
Of the four millions Of Africans there and all tcr
therefore, however sml or great, whether directed
against the int rference of Governments from abroad
against rebeous corlbi ions a; home, shall be for
Free labor motto and our STANDARD shall be- Lere
and every whore and all occasions PRrE LlBoR
WoRXISGNEss RIGHTS IL Is on this batis, and this ba
sis alone that muuiicent GovernneHt-;he asylum
Of the nations-caa be perpstuated and preserved.
J.W. PHELPS.
Brig. Gen. Of Vols, Com.
The Proclamation Of Gen. Phelps was much criticised
by his officers and strongly censuced by many. Il
established one thing Cimoron has sent fool to Ship
Island. The New York Times comments on his Proela.
nation thus
'Tae proclamation issued by General Pbelps on reach.
ing the Louisiana coast will be subjected TO ciit
eism That officer, declining 10 be guided BY SIMILAR
documents promulgated BY leaders Of preceding eIped
into rebel territory, has announced bis mssion 10
be the substitution by force Of free to slave labor and
has justified his convictions OF duty by constitutional
discussions and historical precedents curousy VI
place In military announcement To cay that the
alnson TO the Church OF France In connection with the
Freuch Revolution Is NJ unfortunate and insecu-
rate, is perhaps needless But certainly In no &C. Of
Congress, in orders from ths War Department, nor
in the prcce Of the Governmen. In the conduct OF the
war thus far, could Gene. al Phelps Gnd authority
for the line Of policy he prescrbes for himself and he
hrdy plead the absencs Of explicit instructions,
Just Tying this extreme cense Of Interpretation. Tie
war; he must be awarr not made for tie object which
be names. lie misrepresents the aims of the Govern.
ment precisely the most malignant secessionist Of The
South nsrepr'sents them coincidence which
but be productive OF miscbievous and embarrassing re-
suits. locally, the proclaim iion will fall harmless IL
is hardly likely TO make H. wsy beyond the unpeopld
Islands Of the nefghoborbood. But wherever ii does
CO. 1t is likely to do the Union more harm than
coed
Tao following statement appelrs 10 the New Orleans
DHa of the l5:h instant and il vouehed for by most
distinguished citizen OF that place.
DECEMBER IL. 1861.
NJ Dear Friend: II have just seen Captain Lsgardr,
Of the fshng-smack Wild Duck He csptursd Let Z
December the end Of Cat Isind. he has been
prisoner the Massachusetts, until the l2th when,
nd 9TH faba rola ,b.;.
vessel being con6scited in retaliation for the Lincoln
ishngsmasks the ConedeTates have captured CT Cedar
Keys, belonging TO Key West. Capt Legarde reports
that large number Of troops arrived at Snip Island on
the 4:h ~
The steamship Constitution arrived with the l7th and
26!h Massachusetts, regiments and regiment from Con-
nectcut-2 600 men in ell and on the day he left the
transport ship Great Republic, King Fisher, and New
World arrived with 1900 more, and general cargoss Of
army supplies slso the steam transports Connecticut
and Atlantic with two regiments from Massachusetts,
and one from Maine. The forces on the island, when
he left were expected in few days. Thoee now on
Ship leland under command Of Col Phelps be being
the sen colonel and Is said to be rank Abolitonist
The QuarteImaser. General Is Col Butler brother to
Con. Butler who is the Commander Of the expedition,
and Is looked fer daily Col Phelps before Capt Lsearde
lefs the island, had proclamation ready to send
shore. Il was so rabdly abolition that the Commander
OF the fleet had refused to allow any OF the boats from
the feet go ashore with IT, and orders hes been given
II any OF the army boats attempted TO 90 ashore with
view Of distributing The proclamation 10 sik the boas.
Copies Of had been sent North for the Northern pspe
and steamer has been dispatched 10 overoaul the
sci that had the copies on bosrd.
As as Gen. Pcayuue Butler arrives, he will Il h
aid issue proclamation much moderate in ne.
Tue expedition b to be abou: 40 900 storg end Il IL to
be well supported by lighdraught gun-boa Of the mos.
approved kind drawing from to II feet vstsr. Il Is
supposed that The object Of the expedition is 70 attack
Mobile or New 0.leans. II Mobile the army eipsctst,
land near Pascagoua ard march ihrought Mobile whsa
the fleet will attack Fort Morgan.