The New York herald., 1862-08-13

cause LOT anxiety IL lS tudl VI HiiSlanu, anu ~
shows IL by the manner in which 1t is again at
tempting to curry favor with Us, after hsaping
insults and injuries upon us in the hour Of our
weakness.
The Question OF Araning the Negro-In-
teresting Correspondence OF Generals
Butler and Phelps.
We publish in the letter Of our New Orleans
correspondent an important correspondence
which has taken place between General Butler
and his subordinate officer, General Phelps, on
the question of arming the negroes, together
with General Buffers report on the subject to
the War Department. AS the negro is very
good servant, but very bad master, and as in
his proper place he is highly useful to the COM
munity, so General Phelps is an excellent SOL
dier and meritoroas officer, if he only knew
how to keep his place. From his letters. as well
as his former proceedings, we fear this is the
principal difficulty with him, and that he aspires
to be a statesman, for which position he is eyi-
IDENTIFY unfit.
General Phelps first gained some unenviable
distinction by initiating the foolish proclama-
ton of Fremont, but outstripping even him in
zeal inasmuch as he assailed the religion oil the
people Of Louisiana as well as their cherished
institutions. He now apes General Hunter in
trying TO raise black brigade, his zeal again
outrunning his discretion, and leaving Hunter
far behind, though it does not appear that hc
has been very successful in the practical work
of organizing the men. lie proposed TO raise
three regiments: but ut the time he was brought
up with sudden turn by General Butler nc
had only organized five companies, though nc
sent acquisitions for arms, acc0utrements cloth
ing, camp and garrison equipage, &c., Tor
whole black brigade. With great tact General
Butler directs him to employ the Africans as
laborers in cutting down the trees between his
camp and the lake, IN order 10 re-
move any cover in which the enemy
might shelter himself for an attack on
the Union troops; also to clear the ground
for the cooperation Of the gunboats on the
lakes: finally. to erect abattis for defence. and
to prepare some Of the timber for frewood for
| the army in the city, OF which there was great
need. Here was abundant employment for tho
ne groes, and which would have TO be done by
| white soldiers if there no negroes at hand.
| In reply to this letter General Phelps declares
| that he is unwilling to become .'slare driver
| and tenders his resignation General Butler
not only declines to accept It, and rebukes him
for Offering to resign in the face Of the enemy.
bat pcrsmptorily directs him 10 carry ont his
orders a. to the employment OF the African a-
oorcrs. and reminds him that heretofore negroes
| lave been purposely omitted from our vcluu-
| teer system, and that he General Eutler) had
| no power. even if lie had the inclination to or
| canzc them into regiments the clothing ior
| Louisiana volunteers being expressly limited to
white men. That was reserved for the dlscre-
tion Of the President: a discretion which il will
| crafty General Butler to learn Mr. Lincoln
has already exercised in he negative. BY reids-
| ine to accept black regiments rendered q, tie
I, North.
| II remains to be seen whether General Phelps
| will now obey the positive orders OF his supc-
| rjor. Jf he does not it will be o clear case iog
| tho action 81 the Secretary Of War 10 disns.
| him from tne service IL not 10 punish h.,n more
| severely BY The sentence Of q court martial
| According to Gcncral Phelps, to cause b.a y
men 20 cut down trees is slave driving:
| but 10 cause white soldiers to do the
same thing is all right. u follows from
this that tie abolition general thinks the
black man infinitely the superior Of ,hc wiitc--
the yery claim made for him by brother Car
nett al Shiloh church. General Buffers COM
nent is pertinent and TO the point The sol-
ders Of The Army Of the Potomac did this very
thing last sammcr III front Of Arlington Heights.
Are the negroes any better than they II !
evident Brigadicr General Phelps, thinks they
are.
Now. a to the danger Of arnng The blacks,
| The statement Of our correspondent, a. well as
| the letter of General Butler to Secretary stan
, ton about a negro insurrection, is very CON
elusive. VI seems that few miles mp The river
| Tie negroes had assumed such rnenacing atti-
tude 10 the white women and children left alone
! "a the plantations that il was necessary Tor q
| federal armed boat passing by to iDterpose tor
| their protection, arrest the ringleadcr and
threaten vengeance On the rcst if they attempted
any further outrages. ret these are tie re-
| voting scenes OF anarchy, disorder. brutality
and massacre which the abolitionists would
inaug,,atc throughout the South proceedings
| which could not advance the good cause of the
| Urion. while they would make Americans BLUSH
forever hereafter on the score ot thoit Humanity
| ard civilization. II is libel ~ thc white race
! of he North. numbering two 70 one IT the in
| b,bialts OF the Southern States--wAites and
| blacks includod-to say they cannot put down
| the rebellion without arning the slaves against
| thcir masters wives and children; but ii they
| cannot, or will not. then will IL be In vain to
| resort 10 au asl oi barbarism which the Union
| men of tho border States, who best understand
| The subject pronounce TO be q suicidal
| policy on The part Of the North;
and Mr.. lincoln, who vac born in q
border slave State, and took mp his abode