The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-08-15
Slavery in the War.-Letter from Gen.
Hunter to the Rev. Stephens H. Tying.

U =
copy Of Gen. Hunters reply to tho inquiries
of tho President of tho National Freed
mans Association
HEADQUARTERs DEr'T OF THE Souri,
HILToN HEAD, PoRT ROYAL.
South Carolina, July IL, 1862.
Reu Stephen n. Tyng, President ofhe Ma.
tiondi FrsedmaH's Relief .4ssOciot tion,
Ncw York City:
Sir have tho honor to acknowledge
the receipt Of your Communication dated
June 2, 1862, expressing to me the appro.
yai of my course in regard to the freed
slaves of this Department by the important
and benevolent association of which yeu are
| President.
Satisfied of having attempted in the ab.
seuce of instructions, to do my duty 10 the
matter according to the bost lights of my
judgment and long experience, every
assurance of sympathy from men, whose
characters l esteem is gratifying, and on.
ablos me to wait with more patience for
those Inevitable days which are to give
policy on the slave question to our Govern
ment.
1t is my only fear that the lesson may not
be undorstood and acted upon until read 10
characters OF blood at the ircside of eveEy
Northern family. To attain wisdom we
must suffer; but that wisdom on the Slavery
question must finally be obtained, is my sus-
tanning faith.
i Our people arc not dull of comprehension
in regard to matters about which free play
is given to their common sense. When a
fire is spreading through block of houses,
they do not hesitate to batter down an in.
termedate house to save the remainder Of
the block. When the plague occupies an
infected district. the district is quarantiued,
and every resource of science and industry
put forth to rid the locality OF its presence.
The soldiers of health are by no means or.
. dered to mount guard over each smitten
house aud see that the vested interests oi
pestileDce are protected. Break open
doors, If they be not opened is the ordel
, op these occasions. "Let in fresh air, and
. sunlight; let purity replace corruption"
But in tho presence of one greut evil
n which has SO long brooded over our country
q the intelligence of large portion of ou
I, people would seem paralyzed and helpless
Their moral nerves lie torpid under It's be-
n numbing shadow.
Its breath has been the pestilence of the
political atmosphere in which our statesmen
have been nurtured; and never, fear, unit
it's beak is dripping with the best blood o
; the country, and its talons tangled 10 he
- vitals, will the free masses of the lOya
=, States be fully aroused to tho necessity o
= abating the abomination, at whatever cos
: aud by whatever agencies.
n This Is written, not politically, but accord
s ing to my profession in the military sense
n Looking forward, thero looms up possibit,
1 (only too possible) Of peace which. shal
i be nothing but an armistice, with every ad
O vantage secured to the rebellion. Nothing
# can give US permanent peace but success
v fui prosecution OF the war with every weapo
l. and energy at our command, to its logics
10 and legitimate conclusion. The fomentin
II cause of the rebellion must be abated; tn
m ak must be laid to the root of the upas tire
10 which has raine6 down such bitter fruit upo
If our country, before anything like perm,
d nent peace can be justly hoped.
o Already see signs in many infuentit
}. quarters, heretofore opposed to my views ]
favor of arming the blacks, of n change Q
sentiment. Our recent disasters befor
Richmond have served to illuminate man
minds.
To speak o: using the negroes merely 70
: throwing up in:renchments is a step in tn
Is right direction, though far short of wha
e must be the end. 1t has the advantage
however, of making the further and fna
u steps necessary for men working in face
ID the euemy must have arms with which I
~ protect themselves if suddenly attacked.
no On the whole there is much reason to
~ satisfied with the progress made by publ
Is, sentiment, considering how deeply roott
ul were the prejudices TO be overcome, Il
ar general failure of the nation to realize
&C. first the proportions of the war, and q
or impunity still extended to those Northe
yyho kh al af ha n
80 ernment by means of fraudulent army al
10 navy contracts, on tho one hand, while usil
OF every energy of tongue and pen to excl
's, discomfort with our Government and ssI
no pathy with tho more candid and courageol
or traitors of the South who are in arms again
s' US.
=. In conclusion, it may not be inappropria
~ ~ to say that in transmitting the approval
:" the National Freedman's Relief Associate
of my course, you were-doubtless u
% consciously ly-endorsipg views which 20
-. own earnest eloquence had no slight aha
y in maturing Though without the pleasu
"a of your personal acquaintance, was, d
-. ring year, member of your coDgregatiC
~ and take this opportunity of gratefully a
~ knowledging my Indebtedness to your teac
W ings.
Your letter would have been earlier a
swered, had not pressing duties too fu
occupied my time.
,bt Believe me, Sir, very truly, your oblig
11be and obedient servant, D. HUNTER.
his p. S.-None of the carefully fosiered
an Iusons by which Slavery has sustained its
Id at the North, is more absurd than the br
nd bear of "a general immigration of negroes
)se the North" as q necessary sequence
We emancipation. So far is this from bel
nd the fact, that although it is well known Il
tn | give passes North to oil negroes ask
nd them, not moro than dozen have appli
Ov- to me for such passes since my arrival he
lps their local attachments being apparen
,lic much stronger than with the white ra
md My experience leads me to believe that
be exact reverse of the received opinion
9ls. this subject would form the rule, and q
me nearly if not quite all the negroes of
rot North wo'd immigrate South whenever Il
rn- shall be at liberty to- do 30 without fear
out the auction-bl
will Sincerely, ID. II