The national Republican., 1862-08-06
SLAVERY IN THE WAR.
Letter from General Hunter u the Rev.
Stephen H. Tyng.

SLAVERY IN THE WAR.
Letter from 0ensral Hunter u the Rev.
stephen II. Tyng.
HEADQUARTERS DRPARrn'r OF THE SoUru,
Hilton Head, Port Royal, 8. G., July II, 1862.
Reu. Sephen H. 1yng, President of the National
Freedmdn's Relief Association, Ne,o York:
SIR: have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt Of your communication, dated June g.
1862, expressing to me the approval oi my
course In regard 10 the freed slaves Of this de-
association 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 experience, every assurance OF sym.
pathy from men whose characters / esteem Is
gratifying, and enables me to wait with more
patience for those inevitable days which are to
give policy on the slavery question to our
Government
It is my only fear that the lesson may not be
understood and acted upon until read In char
family. To attain wisdom we must suffer; but
that wisdom on the slavery question must
finally be obtained, Is my sustaining faith.
Our people are not dull Of comprehension In
regard to matters about which free play is given
to their common sense. When fire 10 spread.
Ing through block of houses, they do not hes.
itate 10 batter down an intermediate house to
cave the remainder Of the block. When the
plague occupies an infected district, the district
Is quarantined, and every resource Of science
and industry put forth 10 rid the locality of its
presence. The soldiers Of health are by NO
means ordered TO mount guard over each smit-
ten house and see that the vested interests Of
pestilence are protected. "Break open doors,
II they be not openedp Ia the order on these
occasions. Let In fresh air and sunlight let
purity replace corruption"
But in presence Of one great evil, which has
90 long brooded over our country, the intelli-
gence OF large portion OF our people would
seem paralyzed and helpless. Their moral
nerves lie torpid under Its benumbing shadow
Its breath has been the pestilence OF the p0liti-
cal atmOswhere 10 which our statesmen have
been nurtured; and never, fear, until its beak
Ia dripping with the best blood Of the country,
and Its talons tangled in her vitals, will the
free masses Of the loyal States be fully aroused
to the necessity OF abating the abomination, at
whatever cost and by whatever agencies.
This Is written, not politically, but accord
Ing TO my profession, In the military sense
Looking forward, there looms up possibility
(only too p0sslble) Of peace which shall be
nothing but an armistice, with every advantage
secured TO the rebellion. Nothing can give us
permanent peace but successful prosecution
OF the war, with every weapon and energy Ut
our command, to It's logical and legitimate
conclusion. The fomenting cause of the rebel.
lion must be abated; the axe must be laid to
the root of the upas tree which has rained
down such bitter fruit upon our country be
fore anything like a permanent peace can be
Justly hoped.
: Already see signs In many influential quar-
ters, heretofore opposed to my views in favor
Of arming the blacks, of change Of sentiment
Our recent disasters before Richmond have
served to illuminate many minds.
To speak Of using the negroes merely for
throwing up entertainments Is step In tho
right direction, though far short Of what must
be the end. 1t has the advantage, however, OF
making the further and final steps necessary;
for men working ip face of the enemy must
have arms with which to protect themselves II
suddenly attacked.
On the whole, there is much reason to be
satisfied with the progress made by public senti-
ment, considering how deeply-rootsd we're the
prejudices to be overcome, the general failure
Of the nation to realize at frat the proportions
of the war, and the impunity still extended to
of the Government by means of fraudulent
army and navy contracts, on the one hand,
while using every energy ot tongue and pen to
excite discomfort with our Government and
sympathy with the more candid and courage
Gus traitors Of the South who are In arms against
us.
In conclusion, II may be not Inappropriate to
say that In transmitting the approval of the
National Frsedman's Relief Association of nv
course you were-doubtless unconsciously-
endorsing views which your own earnest elo.
quence had no slight share In maturing. Though
without the pleasure Of your personal scquaint.
ance, was, duriBg year, q member OF your
congregation, and take this opportunity OF
gratefully acknowledging my indebtedness 10
your teachings.
Your letter would have been earlier answer
cd, had not pressing duties too fully occupied
my time.
Believe me, sir, very truly, your obliged and
obedient servant, ID. HUNTER.
P.S-None Of the carefully fostered delu-
sions by which slavery has sustained itself at
the North, 10 more absurd than the bugbear of
a general migration Of negroes to the North"
as q necessary sequence OF emancipation. So
far Is this from being the fact, that although
1t is well known that give passes North to all
negroes asking them, not more than dozen
have applied TO me for such passes since my
arrival here, their local attachments being ap-
parently much stronger than with the white
race. My experience leads me to believe that
the exact reverse OF the received opinion on
this subject would form the rule, and that
nearly, ii not quite all the negroes of the
North would migrate South whenever they
shall be at liberty TO do so without fear OF the
auction block.
Sincerely, oh.
EOR sALE.-The we'll known and we'll estsb
had LsA.. D.ls.z