Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1862-01-08

= v SSNf - 11ts7N -
possession of such properly as forage
and cotton and military stores, and the
means of constantly reproducing them,
would be madness. II Il, therefo fore,
equal madness to leave them in peace
fHl and secure possessiohlof slave prop.
erty, more valuable and tfIicientto them
for war, than forage, cotton, aud militia.
ry stores. Such policy would be nation.
al suicide What to DO with tb species
Of property is a question that time and
circumstances will solve, and need not
be anticipated further than to repeat
that they cannot be held by the Govern
ment as slaves. II womb be useless to
KEEP them as prisoners 0 var; and self
preservation, the highest 1uty Of Il gov
eminent, Or Of individual demand that .
they should be disposed o or employed .
in he most effective manner that will 4
tend most speedily to suppress the in
surrection and restore the authority Of
the Government. If it sl0ll be found
that the men who have been held by the
rebels as slaves are capable Of bearing
arms and performing efficient military
service. it is the right, and may become
the duty, Of the Government to arm
and equip them. aud employ their ser.
vises against the rebels, ulder proper
military reputation. discipline, and CON.
mand
But in whatever manner they may
be used by the G1vernmont, it is to
plain that once liberated By the rebel.
ioQe act Of their master ley should not
again be restored to boudage. By the
masters treason and rebellion he fCrfeits
all right to the labor ard service Of the
slave; and the slave ofthe rabellio1s mas
ter by his service to the government
becomes Justly entitled to freedom and
protect on,
: The d,sno,ifion 10 be made Of the
slaves Of rebels, after the close Of tne
war, can be safely left to the wisd,m
and patriotism of Congress. The rep.
rescntatives of the people will unqnas,
tionably secure to the loyal slave'hy'd.
er every right to which they are entitled
under the Constitution Of the cour.
try
In the amended report, oil the above,
! and some little preceding it, vas strIck-
{ en- out, and the following suf stituted in
its stead
, 1T is already grave que -tton, wba'
, shall be done with the slaves who are
abandoned by their owners on the ad'
vance Of our troops into Southern terri,
! tory, as at Beaufort district, in South
Carolina, The numb left within our
| control at that point is very consldcra'
i, bic. and similar cases will probably oc,
: cur. What shall bo done with them
! Can we afford to send them forward to
: their masters, to be by them armed
, against us, or used in introducing sup
!. plies to maintain the rebellion! Their
, labor may be useful to us; withheld from
3 the enemy it lessons the military resour'
ccs and Withholding them as no tend
ency to induce the horrors Of Insured,
q ton even rebel communities, They
0 constitute military resource, and, De-
ing, such, that they should rot be turn
f ed over to the enemy is too plain to dis,
r cu:s Why deprive him Of supplies BY
a blockade, and voluntarily give him
Q men to produce supplirs' The diSpo'
. sition to be made slaves Of rebels after
the close ofthe war can be safely lcft tc
/ the wisdom and patriotism of Congress
! The Representatives Of the people will
unquestioaably, secure it the loyai slave
= holders every right they are entitled un
= der the Constitution Of the country"
e GIVING THE YANKEES THE MEAsl Es