Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-04-03

The CoNTRABAND QUEsTIoN.-Hon. Amos
Kendall has published in the National InteIli.
gencer several letters on the relation of the
slavery question TO the war In one of these
letters, dated Feb 25, he discusses the contra
band question as follows =
"And il is in this point of view that appeal
to the advocates Of emancipation in the north
to be content with the progress which their
principles are making, not through the cub
version of the constitution, but under cover of
its authority
"The leaders of the rebellion announced
their determination to conquer or die and
the principal Shareholders in the south act as
il they were in earnest. Look at South Caro-.
lima. In the violent portion of the state the
planters to man fly on the approach of the
Union army, burning their cotton and in MANY
cases their buildings, and abandoning their
slaves. There are said to be now about eight
thousand slaves thus abandoned in the yicini-
ty of Port Royal in South Carolina, every one
OF whom may be coDstitulionally set Tree by
emancipation, eas punishment of their mas
ters' treason. As The Union armies advance
into the Interior other thousands will be add.
ed 10 the number by the desertion of their
masters, and finally there will be no resident
population in large portion OF the state but
imported slaves.
In snort, II tile masters persist in their mad
ana causeless rebellion against the consultation,
the end will be negro community aloha a nor
tion Of the southern coast under the protection of
the United States. 1t the war is to be protract
ed by the obstnacy Of the cotton planters
this is a result which the United States cannot
avert il they would By eonfscation The
slaves will be set free, and, through the same
process, the lands Of their masters will be- sur.
rendered to them for cultivation, all without
infringing upon the constitution. Even now
there is Il negro colony around Port Royal,
under the protection of the national forces
and its future expansion into an organized
community depends on the obstinaey OF the
planters and the events of the war.
"But this is not all. Probably four ifths of
all the slaves in the United States are now
lawfully subject to confscation on account OF
thel treason OF their masters How far the
forfeiture Of their slaves, their other property.
or Their lives, shall be carried, is a question of
expectancy only, and involves no constitution.
a. question OF power. Four fifths of AFT the
slaves may be thus lawfully set free and tho
emancipation of the other fifth wonld son,,
fellow. In this view OF the subject vic, ~,
tive nave the abolltionists of the north 10 nres.
their government into an abandonment az liz
constitution, by making general emancpation
instead OF the preservation of that instrnn,a,,'
the direct object Of the war, thus piyina
color OF excuse TO the rebellion, and in mess.
urelparalyzng the arms OF loyal men, espee.
tally at the south?
patriotic men may well differ as to the ex.
tent to which the punishment of treason shall
be carried. The extreme emancipationists
may, II they choose, insist that ii shall be car
ried ID the extent Of confscating and setting
free all the slaves Of rebels That they may
do without assailing any principle Of the con.
stituton and surely they would be much
stronger ON that ground than anr other.
why, then, should they abandon the constiiu.
non ana place themselves on revolutionary
Brouhd Why not-act with cordially with