The national Republican., 1862-04-08
CLUBs ron THE DAILY RATlUNAL
REPUBLlCAN TO SOLDIERS.
APAPER THAT EVERY SOLDIER SHOULD
HAVE

Tue COuphuy ouu tHt uumUcE " tu0 lSkiuCut
~ The papers will be mailed 10 one name,
or the uames will be written separately, II de.
sired.
FREE REGROEs-A PRACTICAL kUG-
GEsTION To THE ClIIZENs Of
WARRINGTON.
Current events, which are we'll understood,
are tending 70 Increase the number Of free ne
groes in this District to degree which Is pro.
nounced alarming by many persons, and
which has even attracted the attention Of the
city fathers oi Washington. As yei, be cwever,
We have no word from anybody as 70 = possible
remedy.
The clamcr against the abolition Of slavery
has no rational connection with this subject,
because ", know by long experience Of our
own, and By observation Of what exists else.
where. that slavery is no protection against this
dreaded Influx Of free negroes The number
in this District had already increased 10 eleven
thousands. by the last census, and Ia still multi
plying, Notwithstanding the presence Ct slavery.
Our neighbor city of Baltimore, where also
slavery exists is full Of free negroes and indeed
looking at the whole country, that population is
more numerous In the slave States than In the
free States. Whatever else may be uncertain,
this much is therefore clear: that II is not by
retaining slavery that we can keep free negroes
out Of the District Of Columbia.
Paying no attention, then 10 this shallow
outcry against the abolition of slavery, let IT'S
exercise upon this subject some of tina. resolute
rpnmnn uensa nj which ~ doeary.y e, ,,,,h
and has received 20 little.
II requires no great comprehension TO under.
stand that reservoir without outlets and into
which streams constantly run, must finally be
come full and overflow. The situation Of this
District in respect To free negroes is not exactly
that, but is nearly like ii. Eyress is not abso
lutely denied to negroes, but it is rendered sc
difficult, that 1t may fairly be said to be sub
sLintially denied. They may work through
Maryland on foot, or in wagons, taking all the
psrils OF arrest as runawsys, under code oi
llws and of public opinion which makes color
almost conclusive proof Of servile condition
Or they may have transient and uncertain op
portunities Of getting away IN ves.sls and steam
hoats running to the free States. But The ordi.
nary methol of travel TO The North, which is
by the snge channel Of the Washington branch
OF the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, is closed
to them by the rule OF that railroad, that nc
negro shall eater the cars here without bond
signed by some responsible citizen, that nc
claim to him Us runaway slave thall ever b.
established.
N ia # n
pose whether this rule is the voluntary act Gi
the company owning that railroad, or las beer
forced upon them by some law of Maryland
The rule exists, md is rigidly applied. ",
once saw 1t applied even to man 70 wei
known as the late Mr.. Boyd of Kentucky, wher
he was Speaker Of the United States House @
Representatives We hear Of Its application
now almost every day. Officers from tn,
North who come here with colored servants
OF courio free. are met with this obstruction
when they propose TO return north with th
same servants. The District of Columbia, il
Snort is I" negroes an easy place to get into
bu, a hard place to get out of. They Nigh
we'll cay Of 1t, II they understood Latin, null
restiJio retrorsum. 1t is to them the lion
cave Of the fable all the tracks pointing on
way.
1t will be one Of the coed consequence
which may be expected from the abolition Q
slavery here, tina, the idea of security TO slav,
Property, which is at the bottom of the rule w
complain Of, will cease to he operative.
With the railroad to the North open 10 tn
negroes, their flow thitherward would be COZ
siderable and constant. They would be takcl
as servants and laborers by officers, soldier
and other here from the free States. 10 com
of those States as we know, prejudice exist
against the Introduction OF that species Q
population, but il is by no means universe
and we doubt If II is even general. At an
rate, very considerable demand for free co
ored labor exists at the North.
We noticed, ior example, In the Phiadelphi
Press oi yesterday, communication from th
secretary Of an association there, to the efIsc
that the ninety three contrabands sent to Phil
adelphia from Gen. Banks's column had bee
readily hired out, and that the newspapq
statements that thousand more were OH th
way had pro Iaced applications for them fror
both city and country, sufficiently extensive I
show that an indefinite number might be favor
ably disposed Of There may DO changes G
opinion hereafter lin what direction nobod
can foresee), but at present there is no dout
that the movement Of negroes out of this Di.
trict to the North would be large, Il the Balti
more aud Oslo railroad would take them a
passengers, upon the sams footing as othe
passengers.
or course, we do not expect anything to b
done until the emancipation bill, already passe
by the Senate, shall be passed by the HOUSE
But just as room as that happens, will rot .ou
city government, which has already taken u
the subject Of free negroer, exert it, inauenc
10 abrogste rule which blocks the exodus 0
that species Of population? II we neto hsv
IN alarming Influx" Of them, lei uS, Ior th'
first time, open door through which they cal
get out. a's.r-la o.