, 1861-06-01


Gen. Butler is good lawyer as well as
gallant soldier. He knows what is con-
traband Of war and what il not; and when
he announced to impudent Col. Mallory
that he had confscated his "property in
certain fugitive negro slayes then within
Fortress Monroe, lie did so with full un-
de1standing Of the principles and the prac-
tice which ought to govern in such cases.
BcuTicr, in the Law Dictionary,-nomean
authority, by the way-says:-" Commod-
= tics particularly useful In war are contra
"hand, IS arms, ammunition, horses, tim
her for ship building, and every kind Of
"naval stores. Wien articles come into
'1use as implements Of scaT, zehich srere before
"snnocent, they may be declared to be con-
1raband" And Wheaton, the value Of
whose testimony will not be questioned by
any American, declares that tall warlike
instruments or materials by their own
"natu1e fit to be used in war; are contra
hard. What implements" "instru-
men!s" CT material" " are more "partic-
E1arly useful" or more "ft to be used"
than the "property" which can dig bitches,
mount guns, cook food, provide forage and
IN pinch shoulder muaket and mount
eunrd? Gen. Butler is right His dedni-
lions are justified By the books and by the
highest law authority Of the Government.
In seeding States, slaves are contraband.
They are eubjec: to seizure, detention and
use by the loyal forces, wherever in those
States they may be found. That's the law,
and before the rebellion is over, the NEassa-
chusetts General will make it part Of the
political gospel
We are g1ed that the Government has
the good sense and courage to settle this |
question according to the precedent which
Gen. Butler had established. We feared
that some lingering remnant Of the notion
which has prernilet among our politicians
that slaves Us property" we're entitled to
rights which do not belong to other prop
crty; that some miserable fear Of offend
ing somebody who OWLS, or is, on the faith
cr's eide, akin to 4 negro, in the Border
States; or some absurd fantasy that this
is rose water war, OF, at the most, a con-
test in which no more deadly missiles than
bon-bons arc to be thrown, might embar-
rass our Massachusetts Democrat Of ADJ
mantine antecedents, and cause him to un-
do what he has so we'll begun. The letter
to him, which We print herewith, dispels
that doubt, and opens up q new and by
no means unimporIant line of policy |
Tor cutting short and overcoming the rebel |
lion. Wherever now the Federal Army
mo7cs in the rebel States, the black popu-
laion will fall into its rear and become
valuable and uusty colaborcrs for its suc-
cess Under the hot sun Of q Virginia and !!
Tennessee summer, they will prove their
worth in the discharge Of the galling and |
labcrious duties Of the camp. In fortify-
ing positions, in providing forage, in cook
ing, washing, tending the sick and wound |
ed, they will each man do a soldiers work,
relieving the troops Of much that is labo.
rious and unpleasant in performance, and, |
in Southern c]imatc, injurious to the
health. But let it be remembered that
ctut1Iband property confscated in war is
never restored. These blacks who will
ENen the rear-guard Of the Federal forces,
and unpaid do the work that the soldiers
g!.dly escape, will have earned that bless
ing which il the birth1iglt Of all mea-