Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1861-12-20

advance of our troops into Southern Ter
ritory, as in the Beaufort district of South
Carolina. The whole white population
therein is six thousand, while the number
of negroes exceeds thirty-two thousand.
The panic which drove their masters in
wild confusion from their homes leaves
them in undisputed possession of the soil.
Shall they, armed by their masters, be
placed in the field to fight against us, or
shall their labor be continually employed
reproducing the means for supporting the
armies of rebellion2
The war into which this government
has been forced by rebellous traitors is
carried on for the purpose Of repossess-
ing the property violently and treacher-
ously seized upon by the enemies Of the
government, and to re-establiSh the au-
thority and laws of the United States in
the places where it is opposed or over
thrown by armed insurroction and re-
beIIion. Its purpose is to recover an de-
fena what is justly its own.
War, even between independent nations
Is made to subdue the enemy, and all that
belongs to that enemy BY Occupying the
hostile country, and exercising dominion
over all the men anl things within it.
territory This being true in rnspe t to
independent nations at war with each
other, it follows that rebels who are la
boring by force Of arms to overthrow a
government justly bring upon themselves
all the consequences Of war, and provoke
the destruction mcrited by the worst of
enemies That government would be
/ false to national trust, and would Justly
excite the ridicule of the civilized world,
I that would abstain from the use Of any
eff ent means to preserve its own exist
enee. or to overcome 4 rcbelllous and
traitorous enemy, by sparing or protect
ine the property of those who are waging
war against it.
The principal wealth and power of the
rebel states is Il peculiar species of prop
efty, consisting Of the service OF labor OF
/ African slaves, or the descendants Of Af'-
rieans. This property has been yariousy
estimated at the value of from S100,-
100000 to Sl,oo0,6OO.
/ Why should this property be exempt
from the hazards AMI consequences of a
rehel,iols war?
It was the boast Of the leader Of the
rebellion, while he vet had a scat in the
Senate Of the United States, that the
Southern States would be comparatively
safe an free from the burdens Of war, if
it should be- brought on BY the contem-
plated rebellion and that boast was ae-
'om9anjcd by the savage threat that
" northern towns AMI cities "o1ta become
thl victims OF rap'n' anu military SPol's'
aud that northern men should s,nel'
southern sunPo"der ana lcel southern
steel. No one doubts tRe disposition Oh
the rebels to carry that tare't lh'o exc
cntlon' lhe wealth OF northern towns
and e't'es' the produce Q, hof'n 3rn Iaft"s'
northern workshops ami manu- 'c'or'eS'
would certainly be 'el]ea' destroyed, OF
apProPFa''n 's li'.'"'y yI sPo'' r. ,rJ o ptop sro
eFtS III ,''s -ro'' .,.'r''i,',l r..
'ls nan'' o. 'I' 'oD''S, 'I'' .i '@.'
Woa' ~ 'I'o'''C.. ,(I ,ha;r
" nue. '''e ny at 2''':'' 80, ~
property '''' tp9'1,''''@ 10 49, "n rarf,ro
'hNar2eht itoc'H " ''.'y o' ""' I ''''
AGAINST tht eo''' '''''"' II. ',''N9
curity 10 'he'' own P'oPo'' lc.,.,.,
hta'o" anu J"9I'0J ""t .ri - r., aaI;a,.
'l9h 'oFp'a 1'''' su." 3uVai' ~ s,'e pe' ~
ol tais 9oHt' t'"'',oiii' ~ ~ -
contrary, 'haI, oe'"5 lo'V'u .! ''II'J' ~
ana reoel9 10 Tue eA't''i''S VI ~ '''' '''e
rights anu powers ol wal s'ou'i 1} % oAe'
cINtd 10 of'n9 II y " 'Po''' '"''
Those who make war against the GOV
crnment justly forfeit all rights OF prop
erty, privilege, or security, derived from
the constitution and laws against winch
they are in armed rebellion and as the
labor and service OF their slaves eonsti-
tutc the chief property OF the rebels
such property should share the common
fate Of war to which they have devoted
the property Of loyal citizens.
While it is plain that the slave prop
erty of the South is Justly subjected to
all the consequences of this rebeIlou-
war and that the government would be
untrue TO its trust in not employing all
the RIGHTS and powers of war to bring il
to = ,nceiy close the details of the plan
for doing 50, like all other military meas
ures, must, in great degree, be lett tt
be determined by particular exlgeneles
The disposition OF other property belong
ing to the rebels that becomes subject tC