New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-08-04
SLAVERY MI TFiE WAE:.
letter from Gen. Hunter 10 ,hc Rev. stephen
III, TyuQ.

we nave Dcth favored ~ b Eleuu WIN wy Va
Gen. Hunters reply to the nqoirics OF the Presi-
dent Of the National Freedman's Association:
HgADQuARTRRs DEPT or THB s0UTu,
Huron HAD. PoRr RoY,t. 5. C., July II. issz )
het STEPHEN H. TisG. P'eiieri " Ge ngtion" f'eea
mans Rolief AssiciGioH, h,r lork Guy
SIR: have the honor to ackr owledge the receipt
Of your communication dated June =, 1862, expires
sing TO me the approval Of my course in regard 10
he freed slaves Of this Department by the import
art and benevolent association Of which you are
President.
Satisfied Of having attempted, in the abrence of
instructions, to DO my duty in the matter accord
ing to the best lights of my judgment and long
experience every assurance OF sympathy from men
whose characters ] esteem is gratifying, aid en-
ablcs NE 10 wait with more patience for those In
eyiiable days which are to give policy on the -iav
cry question 10 our Government.
Ii Is my only fear that the lesson may not be IN
drrtooo and sced upon until read in characters OF
blood a. the iireside Of every Northern family. To
aitain wisdom must suffer; but that wisdom on
the Slavery question must finally be obtained, is my
sustaining fifth.
Our people are not dull OF comprehension in regard
to matters about which free play is given to their
common EeLse. When a lire Is spreading through
block Of houses, they DO not hesitate TO batter down
m Intermediate house t. the remainder Of the
block. When the plague occupies an infected $
met the district IL quarantned, and every resource
Of science and industry put forth to rid the locality
OF its presence. The soldiers OF hea tn arc by no
means ordered 10 monnt guard over each smit'en
house aud rec that the vested interests Of pesiieuce
are protected. Break open doors, if they be not
opened is the order on these OCCASIONS. 80 Let in
fresh air ard sunlight let purity replace corruption
But in presence Of one great evil, which has 20
long brooded over our country, the intelligence OF
large portion OF our people would seem paralyzed
aud helpless. Their moral nerves lie torpid under
its berumbng shadow. Its breath has been the
pestilencc OF the political atmosphere in which our
Statesmen have been nnrtured; aud never, | fear
until its beak Is dripping with tie best blood of the
country aud lite ous tangled in her yital-, viii the
free OF the loyal States be fully aroused to the
necessIty OF abatng the abOminaton at whatever
lost ana by W Whatever a2enc
This is written, NOT politically, but according TO
my profession IN the military sen,e. Looking for
ward. there looms up possibility only too possi
blel Of peace which shall be nothing but arms.
uce with every advantage secured 10 the Rebellion.
Nothing can give us permanent peace but a success
iul prosecution Of the war, with every weapon and
energy at our command, 20 It's logical and legitimate
concugon. The omenting cause oithe Rebellion must
ne abated the AK must be laid TO tie root Of the
upas tree which has rlBod down such bitter fruit
upon our country, before anything like permanent
peace be Jufily hoped.
Already see signs IN many influential quarters, |
heretofore opposed 10 my views in favor of aruing
the blacks, oi change OF sentiment Our recent dis
astors before Richmond have served 10 illuminate |
mauy maids.
10 speak Of using the negroes merely for throwing
up iutrenchments Is step in the KIT direction, |
though lar short Of what NUT he the end. 1t has the
advantage, however, OF making the further and ual
steps Necessary; for men working in face OF the en-
envy must have arms with which to protect them |
selves # suddenly attacked.
On the whole, there Is much reason to be saisfed
with the progress made by public sentiment, consd
erng how deep y-rooied were the prejudices 10 be
overcome tue general failure Of the na:ion TO realize
al rt the proportions OF the war, and the impunity
sill exenced 10 those Northern traitors who the
? underep Of the Government by means Of frautu-
lent army AID navy contracts on the one hand. |
while using every energy Of tongue and pen to ex-
Gle di-couieut with our Government and sympathy |
with the candid and courageous traitors of the
South who are In arms against us.
In CONCLUSION, it may be not inappropriate TO say
that IN transmitting the approval OF the National
Freeansns Relief Association Of my corrCe, you
r4ere dous,iess ncOnscOusly 49, indorsing views
which Your own earnest eloquencc had no slight
share IN maturing Though without tue pleasure Of
your personal acquaintance, was, during year. u
member OF your oongn cation, and take this oppor-
tunity OF gratefully acknowledging my indebtedness
10 your teachiDgs.
Your letter would have been earlier answered, had
not pressing duties too fully occupied my time.
Believe me SIR very truly your Obliged sed o6.iisn, ser
want, ID. HUNTER
p. S-None of the carefully fosered dollsons
by which Slavery has sustained ltsef at the North,
/. more absurd than the bugbear Of "a general MI
grafton Of negroes TO the Month"; as necessary Sc.
qusnce OF emancipation. So far is this from being
the fact that although il j. well known that give
tasses North to all negroes asking tuem, not more
han dozen have applied TO me for such passes since
nav arrival here, their local attachments being appa-
ieutly much stronger than with tie white race. My
exuerience leads To believe that the reverse
of the received OPT ion on this subject would form
the rule and that nearly # not quite all the negroes
Of the North would migrate South Whenever they /
shall be ut liberty to do 30 without fear Of the
tion-block. Sincerely, On.