Litchfield enquirer., 1862-06-19
THE coNTRABAND QUESTION.
LETTER FROM A CHAPLAIN IN GENERAL MccLEL
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 The following are interesting extracts of g letter from the chaplain of one of the New jer sey regiments General Franklin's diyision) in our army before Richmond ,,,.l,.l-.. s'a. Mac,opSS,ss ac,pSS,sFFA FARM on the Chickahominy l
 LA 7''-D4 River, Virginia, May 26, 1862. {
 5sHIt is question in my mind whether any one deserving the name of man could know what know of slavery from personal observation, and not be heartily indignant. There is scarcely a sprecept in the Ten Commandments which slavery does not violate or tempt men to violate.- | Brought up in the hot bed of conservatism at New Brunswick and Princeton, can only say Amen when Wesley denounces 1t as the sum of all villainies.' Ire-echo your hope that this war is Gods appointed means for the removal Eof this disgrace and crime, no less than curse.
 CHARACTER or TEE NEGROES. |: .5
 s." As 2 some what close observer of slaves dur ing the last few months make bold to suggest that the horrors of their emancipation are. in a great measure imaginary. The slaves are not al- together uneducated. Though access to the schools has been forbidden them, though the de- sire and attempt to learn has been promptly and brutally discouraged with numerous stripes and immediate sale from home and friends. yet such has been their thirst for knowledge that con- sidderable number have learned to read without their masters knowledge ...rf.7"
 Another fact is worthy of notice. The pre- cepts and promises oe the Gospel, though only heard at intervals and probably in most cases to their simple minds, and worked with surpris- ing power. "-
 A writer in the Evening Post some time since observed that the black race was natural ly humble and forgiving.' Notwithstanding all their provocations in the wantonly cruel and long continued barbarities, in the sudden aud g- noble retreat of these same vain-glorious and boasting lords, in the angry, rnd threatening ex- pressions of our soldiers, exasperated by the brn tai murder of their comrades who had fallen into rebel hands-in the face of all this, l have sel dom or never heard desire for revenge express ed by any negro. There is universal desire for freedom expresssa-hy these down-trodden victims of oppression, but it is desire for their own deliverance, not for the destruction of their tyrants.
 THE NEGROES NOT IMPRovIDEST.
 Again, let me assure you that they are not entirely improvident or utterly incompetent to provide for their own warts.' While we lay near Alexandria, and since that time, on our marches through Virginia, wherever we have passed negroes who were practically free and sure of receiving fair compensation for their la Dor, there we have found them shrewd, industri- ous and provident. Where they are slaves, and treated as such, they are otherwise, but only while their thraldom lasts. likeness ill slave may be almost virtue, designed as Q protest against the unnatural. the impious degradation of Gods children.
 Most of these thriftless blacks feel, doubtless, 6 since. He wac speaking of the insufficient food, of bacon per weeks, doled out to him by his master.
 At last,' said he. I thought that the best feed, and Igave him short work. "AA "'' Ez
 THEIR ENDURANCE OF COLD.
 Neither are their unable to stand the risors of a northern climate. Half clothed, living in miserable novels iusuficiently warmed, with no earthly object or hope in their existence, they have stood the cold (greater than you may sup pose,) of winters in this latitude. Ice has been known to form here several feet thick. One ne- gro, to escape the brutal cruelty of his master, took to the woods, and dpreferred to face the rig ors of the winter ratha than enjoy the conuorts of his home under the e' patriarchal nstutlon.'- The man told me this himself.
 "Clothed properly, ilothed as they could and would clothe themselses, with their own earn ings, they could live csnfortably at the North.- But they are not wanth there and they do not want to remove northFard. The negro is pas sionately attached to lis home and family. One lately replied to my inquiry, Do you wish to be free? Yes; but csnnot leave mother. She is sixty seventy yeas old, and, considering her age, harder drove witl work than 1 am.'
 THEIR LocA ATTACHMENTS.
 This attachment 5 home has diminished the number of fugitives northward and it renders the colonization sehene in measure abortive It makes any schemeef forced migration cruel addition to the outraie ieous injustice which the black race in this cohtry has so long already suffered at the hand of the whites. Nor can they be spared, The laborers of community are its most valuable, ,most Indispensable class- These broad lands Aust be titled; horses must be shod mills must te run other mechanical trades must be cari icdon. Blacks have hitherto done most of this 4orh and must continue to do it till their place is kupplied by other working men,. They have lone it as poor lash-driven drudges they will 10 it cheerfully and we'll as compensated freema .sl hS a.'5oa 9di .'ao
 Further to the $uth, the nature of the eli mate requires theuito be the laborers. Why should the cotton cukre be transferred to Africa, Tn order to rid our ckntry of black men? Why should we relinquishlhe benefits of that culture? It may be said! that bur millions of blacks can not. live as freemen community with whites. l 1ntermarriage and dalgamation of races are in- timated to be suf6cht reasons for preventing millions of men fr4 receiving their unaliena- ble rights But th}fact is patent to every ob | server, that amalgaAtion is much more frequent where the blacks arenslaved, and much more | at the South than t4he North. ,-aa! r. !tas ENkcPArIox. +7 lf,"" | !" In the providenk of God this question of emancipation has ren thrust upon us by the 1 madness of the slavfolders themselves. It was 1 generally conceded lat the constitution protect ed slavery where it &sted., But the rebels have l thrown aside the C3titution and abjured its i protection. It is noAevident that slavery is the cause and support dkebellion. Its extinction is now not only a duk but necessity, in order to the permanent Fi6cation of our, beloved country. Why shou we hesitate A heather could say, and hea Zen audience could applaud the saying, Let fice be done, though the heavens fall" ezr,s ..5s,I 4ss,E General Halleck ! issed an order constitut- ing the State of MisAari, with the exception of i the counties of Misksippi, New Madrid, and
 Pemiseote, the mill Sy department of Missouri, under the commandk Brigadier General Sco- field The forces in suthwestern Missouri were l subject to the orde5f Major General Curtiss,
 commander and mil Try governor of Arkansas.
 The county of Mist $sippi belongs to the dis | trict of Cairo, undH General Strong, and the 1 counties of Pemisc@ and New Madrid to the Il 8 U. IA, n ln.,...I-as