Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-12-09

stores, they have been Of sreat service;
and the demand for their labor has exceed
ed the supply available"
Passing over the remarks regarding
steam transportation, irOn-clads andrams,
the subsistence department harbOr de-
fenses, &C., we come to
LAKE SURVEYS,
OF which he says:
" The lake harbor works are thirty-four
in number From want of appropriations
by Congress, no work has been done at any
of them during the present year, with the
exception of the St. Clair lighthouse and
beacon, and at 0swego harbor, New York" !"
PAYMENT OF TROOPS.
" 1t appears from the report Of the Act
ing Paymaster General that during the
fiscal year ending the Both Of June, 1862,
the sum Of So, 5,550,O39 81 was paid to the
regular troops, that S9l, 1850 81 were
paid to volunteers, and that SS8, ,597, ,819 OF
have been paid since the 90th Of June,
1862. The report states that nearly all the
regiments were paid To the Both Of June,
many to the Both of August-that some de-
lay in payment had been occasioned by
want Of funds, but it is believed that all
will soon be paid"
SANITARY CONDITION OF THE ARMY.
The number of general hospitals is
one hundred and ffty-sne. The number
of patients 51,175. The whole number IN
der medical treatment is not short of co.
OOO There have been no prevailing cpl
denies in the army during the year
Much credit is given to relief and aid So
cieties for the comfort thereby given to
the suffering soldiers.
SIGNAL CORPS.
The Secretary acknowledges the valua-
able services Of Colonel AnsOn stsger,
Major Eckert and their assistants Of the
telegraph corps.
THE EMPLOYMENT OF NEGRO LABOR.
Upon this point it is only justice to the
Secretary that we should quote in full his
able argument in favor of the employment
of negroes wherever they can be made
available. It is worthy of remark, as in
dicatiOn of the progress of the year, that
the portion of Secretary Cameron's report
one year ago, which contained similar ar
guments, was stricken out before it was
sent to the people. Now there is no era
sure:
"With this presentation of the past op-
erations and the present condition of the
War Department, the duty required Of me
by the act of Congress to make an annual
report is in great measure fulfilled. 1t
is seen that force has been placed by the
people of the United States at the COM
mand Of the Government to maintain its
authority, more mighty in all the elements
Of warlike power than was ever before ar
rayed under one banner. How shall that
force be employed? To snlite the enemy on
eVsry hand, to attack his armies and strong
holds, to occupy his ports, clear the great
TiUsTs of the Vest Of his obstruetions, and
pause not until he is subdusd is our plain
duty. 4 boUs dH Il Is our duty 10 diSddin no
legitimate aid that may saUs the EUes of our
gallant soldiers, diminish their Iqbofs, provide
for their sOaRts and lessen the burdens of our
people.
mo aphorism is more universally re-
ceived, than that the sole object Of Just
war is to make the enemy fell the evils of
his injustice, and by his sufPerings amend
his ways; he must therefore be attacked
in his most accessible quarter The power
of the rebels rests upon their peculiar sys-
TEN Of labor, which keeps laborers on
their plantations 10 support owners who
are deVoting their time and strength to
destroy our armies and destroy our Gov
ernment 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 insurrection. Rightly
organized in the recovered territory, the
laborers 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 unwholeseme expos
ure of the South. They will cultivate the
corn and forage, which will feed our cav
airy and artillery horses, and save the
country q portion Of the enormous burden
now attending their purchase and trans
port from the North. This cultivation
would have been of greater advantage to
US on the southeastern coast than even
that Of the great staple of the Sea Islands.
Probably the people who remained
upon these islands, within protection Of
our armies, could under wise coatrol, have
supplied all the forage needed this year by
the forces in the Department of the South.
The full ration for horse weighs twenty
six pounds, that of soldier three pounds.
An army, well organized and equipped
for active operations, with due proper
ton 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 rations of the men.
"How important an aid, how great an
economy, in long contest, therefore,
would there be in raising by this cheap Ia
Dor the greater part of the forage alone
Ear the southern department. thus, for a
greater portion OF UuI Wu11tsy-t-AHsfAEr-
ing the base of supplies, now at New
York, to Hilton Head or New 0rleans2
"The 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 peo.
pie, and with all their faith in the power
and good will of our military commanders,
it was found difficult to get volunteer Ia
borers to leave Port Royal for other de-
pots.
"a population Of four millions true Il
the interests of the Union, with slight as
sistance from the army, will, under prop
er regulation and government be Of the
greatest assistance in holding territory
once recovered. The principal staples O.
the South are the product exclusively Of
their labor. If protected upon the lands
they have heretofore cultivated, with som'
organization, and with support from small
detachments of loyal troops, they woulC
not only produce much of what is needed
to feed our armies and their trains, bu
| thew would forever cut off from the rebel