Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1862-12-30
Stanton on CoHtrabands.

be secured by free use OF "contFabands
in the prosecution of the War for the I'm
ion. 1t is as follows:
No aphorism is more universally aeceiy
ed than that 1.-The sole object of just war
is to make the enemy feel the evils of his
injustice, and by his snffenngs amend his
ways; he must therefore be attacked in bis
most accessible quartet" The powes Of
the Rebels rests upon Their peculiar system
| Of labor, which keeps labofers on their
plantations to support owners who are de-
voting their time and strength to destroy
our armies and destroy our Government.
Whenever that system is in hostility to the
Government, it is, in my opinion, the duty
of those conducting the war to strike down
the system, and turn against the Rebels
| the productive power that upholds the in
surrection. Rightly organized in the re-
COY cred territory, the laDorers Of the Rebel
States will not only aid in holding fortified
positions, but their labor will, as in India,
| free the white soldier from the most un-
wholesome exposure of the South. They
will cultivate the com aud forage, which
will feed our cavalry and artillery horses,
and save the country portion OF the enor-
nous burden now attending their purchase
and transport from tie North. This cul-
tivation would have been Of greater adYan-
tags to us on the South Eastern coast than
eyen that Of the great staple Of the Sea Is
lnnds.
Probably the people who remained on these
islands, within protection Of our armies,
could, under wise control, have supplied all
the forage needed this year by the forces
in the Department of tie South. The full
ration fer horse weighs twenty-six pounds,
that Of soldier three pounds.
An army well organized and equipped
for active operations, With due proportion
of cavalry, artillery and baggage trains
will have not less than one horse or mule
to every four soldiers; SO that the weight
Of food for the animals is more than double
that of the ratinns Of this men.
How important an aid, now great an
economy, n 3 long contest therefore,
would there be in raising by this cheap Ia
Dor Tie greater part Of he forage alone for
the Southern Department, thus for a great
er portion Of our wants transferring the
base Of supplies now at New ork to Hill
ton Head or New Orleans.
Tie Department has found it difficult to
transfer this labor from one part Of the seat
of war to another. Local and family ties
seem to be very strong with these people,
and with all their faith in the power and
good will of our military commanders, it
was found difficult to get volunteer labor
ers to leave Port Royal for other depots.
A population Of four millions true to the
interests of the Union, with slight assist
ance from the army, will, under proper
regulation and government, be Of the great
est assistance in holding the territory once
recovered. The principal staples Of the
South are the product exclusively of their
labor. If protected upon the lands they
have heretofore cultivated, with some or
gaDization, and with support from small
detachments ofloyal troops, they would not
only produce much of what is needed to
feed our armies and their trains, but they |
would forever cut off from the Rebellion
the resources of a country thus occupied.
The Rebel armies move with ease
through portions Of the Border States, liy-
ing upon the country il which our com
manders find no supplies. The people
bring forth their boards and offer them to
tile Rebels for sale or gift. Protect the la
boring population, who are The majority in
the greater part of the South, in the pos
session of the land and its products, and
this great advantage will, for whatever por-
ton of the country we occupy, be transfer
red to us. AS soon as the coast is thor
oughly occupied, and the people organized.
made will revive. Cotton, li:e, sugar and
other products will be exchanged by the
producer for what he needs. Their wants
will be supplied direct from the Northern
factories, and the cultivation of the great
staples will enable them to pay for what
they use. A perfectly free trade may thus
again grow up between the North and the
South and with greater or less rapidly It |
will spread over the whole country as our
forces succeed in meeting and dispensing
The greater part of the whole country
which formerly produced the Sea Island
Cotton is now thoroughly restored to the
Union. The laborefs are there-the soil
and climate. 1t needs only assurance OF
protection to revive the cultivation Of the
staple, as well as to produce vast quantities
of corn and forage for onr troops. Since
this war must be conducted by marches
and battles and sieges, why neglect the
best means to make them successful and
their result permanent It Is worthy Of
notice that thus far the portions Of terrific
nv which, once recovered, We have most
firmly held. are precisely those in which
the greatest proportion of colored men are |
founa. BY their assistaDca, our armies will
Be able permanently cooperate N and oe-
eupy the country; and IN labor tor me
army, il raising its and their own supplies,
full occupation can be given them. ans win
this there will be neither occasion nor
temptation to them to emigrate to north
ern and less congenial climate.
Judging by experience, no coiored man !
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