Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-08-12

copy oi Gen hunters reply To the inquiries oil
the President Of the National Freedman s Asso-
citation:
HEADQUARTERS DlpART. or TIE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, Port Royal S Z. July II.
Rer. Stephen II. Tying, Pnatnt Of the M
honal frromon' S ReaJ Assooa'i0n, New
York CHg
SIR | have the honor " acknowledge the
receipt o, your communication dated June 2
1862, expressing to me the approval OF my
course IL regard to the freed slaves Of this De-
parIment by the important and benevolent as
ISOLATION OF which YOU are President.
Satisfied Of having attempted, in the absence
OF Instructions, to do my duty in the matter,
according TO the best lights Of my judgment
and long eSperl,nc every assurance Of sym
pathy from men whose characters ! esteem is
gratifying, ana enables me to wall with more
patience Tor those inevitable days which are to
give Il policy on tie slavery question to our
Government
1t is my only fear .hat ,he lesson may not be
understood and acted upon until read in charac-
tiers OF blood at the treoide OF every Northern
family. 10 attain wisdom We must suffer; but
that wisdom on the Slavery question must
finally be obtained, is my Sustaining faith.
Our people are not duh Of comprehension in
regard to matters about which free play is given
to their common sense " hen Ire is spread
ing through block Of houses, they DO not hes
itate to batter down an intermediate house to
save the remainder OF the block When the
plague occupies an infected district the district
Is quarantned, ana every resource OF science
ana industry put forth to rid the locality OF its
presence The soldiers OF health are by no
mei ne ordered TO mount guard over each smltteA
house aud see that the vested interests OF pest.
lence are protected. Break open doors il .hey
be not opened, is the order on these occasions
Let III fresh air and sunlight let purity re-
place eruption.
But IN presence OF one great evil, which has
20 long brooded over our country, the nteli-
gence Of large portion ol our people would
seem paralyzed and helpless. Iheirmora nerves
lie torpid under It's benumbng shadow. Its
breath has been the pestilence Of the political
atmosphere in which our statesmen have been
nurtured and never, fear, until its beak is
dripping with the best blood Of the country,
and us talOns tangled in her yitas, Will the free
Masses Of the loyal States be fully aroused to
the ne cessity Of aba'ing the alJmnation at
whatever COS. and BY whatever agencies.
Wits 70 written, not politically but accord
iuy tony profession in the military sense. Look
ing forward, lnors looms up a possibility (only
too possibly of peace which shall be nothing
but an armstice, with every advantage secured
the Rebellion Nothing can give us perma-
nent peace but successful prosecution Of the
war, W tn every wea, on and energy at our COM
mand. to its logical and Legitimate conclusion,
The fofnentlng cause OF the rebellion must DC
abated the axe must be laid to the root OF the
upas tree which has rained down such bitter
fruit upon our country, before any permanent
peace can be Justly hoped.
Already see signs in many influential quar-
lers, heretofore opposed 10 my views In favor OF
armlng the blacks, OF change OF sentiment:
Our recent disasters before Richmond have served
to illuminate many minds.
To speak ol using the negroes merely Tor
throwing up intrenchments is step In tho
right direction, though far short OF what must
be the end. 1t has tho advantage, however, OF
making the further and final steps necessary ;
for men working in face OF the enemy must have
arms with which to protect themselves II sud
denly attacked
On the whole, there is much reason to be sat
isied with the progress made by public sentl-
ment, considering now deeply rooted were the
preiudices to be overcome, the general failure OF
the nation to realize at fist the proportions OF
the war, aud the IMMUNITY still extended 10 those
Northern traitors who are the plunderers OF the
Government by means ct fraudulent army and
navy contracts GA the one hand, while using
every energy OF tongue and pen 10 excite DIS
content with our Government, and sympathy
with the more candid and courageous traitors
of the South who are in arms against US
In conclusion, it may not be inappropriate TO
say that IN transmitting the approval OF the
National freedman Relief Association OF my
course, you were--doubtless unconsciously--
indorsing views which your own earnest elo-
quence had no slight share in maturing. Though
without the pleasure Of your personal acquain-
lance, was, during year, u member oil your
congregation. and take this opportunity o.
gratefully acknowledging my Indebtedness tC
your teachings.
Your letter would have boon earlier answered
had not pressing duties fully occupied my time
Believe me, Sir, very truly, your obliged ant
obedient servant, ID. HUNTER.
Z. S.-None of the carefully fostered delu
SONS by which Slavery has sustained itself a
the North, is more absurd than the bugbear o
)" general migration OF negroes TO the North,
as a necessary sequence OF emancipation, 81
tar is this from being the fact, that although /
is we'll known that give passes North to al
negroes asking them, not more than dozeI
have applied TO me for such passes since my ar
rival here, their local attachments being appa
rently much stronger than with the white race
My experience leads me to believe that the eI
act reverse of the received opinion on this su
iect would form the rule, and that nearly II Nc
quite all the negroes OF the North would m
crate South whenever they shall feel at libert
TO do so, without fear OF the auctiOn.bluck.
Sincerely D.H.