Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-10-02
GEN. PHELPS ON SLAVERY.


resignation Our columns win only ad.
mil the commencement and the conclusion
of it. NJ hm.. .5 ..r ..se.
Certain letters of mine have been re.
Gently published, relating 10 the military
service in Louisiana. But as these let
tiers are only part Of those which were
written on the subject TO which they al
Jude, it seems due TO the country and to
the present state Of our affairs that the
whole should he made public, A clear
idea cannot otherwise be formed of the
important points which are involved in
the correspondence. One OF these points
goes to show that our military service can,
not be successfully carried on il conduc-
ted in subordnation to the laws Of an in
stiiution which causes the war. TO as
sert the principles Of Liberty by force of
arms, and still respect the institution Of
Slavery, is simply military impossible
ity.
My position in the Department Of the
Gulf was at a point on the Mississippi
above New Orleans, where, as the agent
of a free Government, the question Of Sla-
very became an intensely practical one
with me. l found myself in the midst of
a slave region, where the institution ex-
listed in all its pride and gloom, and where
its victims needed no inducement from me
to seek protection of our fag-that flag,
which now, after long interval, cleaned
once more amid the darkling scene, like
the effusion Of morning light. Fugitives
began to throng to our lines in large num-
bers. Some came loaded with chains and
barbarous irons some bleeding with bird
shot wounds; many had been deeply
scored with lashes, and all complained of
the extinction of their moral rights. They
had originally come chiefly from Mary
land, Virginia and North Carolina, and
were generally religious persons, who had
been accustomed to better treatment than
that which they experienced there.
arrived at this point, subsequently
called Camp Parapet, in the first few days
of May, and occupied the place with sew
eral New England regiments and bate
ries There | soon began TO receive let
tiers and directions from the Commander
OF the Department, which appeared to me
hardly in accordance either with the spirit
of our institutions or the laws of the land.
And above all, they showed the want of
general plan or policy on the part of the
Government for CARRYING on the war.
As the acceptance of my resignation
reached me on the 9Th OF September, |
was spared the unpleasantness OF prefer
ring charges against Gen. Butler for his
last illegal order, which is directly in OPP
position to the new article of war alluded
to in this correspondence, and which pro-
hibits any Officer of the Army returning
fugitive slave. Acts of this kind, which
are done in the name of Slavery, will de-
moralize an army as much as Slavery it
self. 1884,. ........... ...........
1t is evident to me, from a long period
of our service in the South West, that a
decided course of policy is necessary on
the part of the Government, and that pol
ICY should be the immediate and uncon-
ditional abolition of Slavery. Ii is an
evil of the worst kind, standing rebellion
against free institutions. No STAKEHOLDER,
as such, can be loyal to free govern
nment. The present crisis is veritable
revolution which must either revolutionize
free men out of their habits Of Freedom
or Shareholders out of their habits of Sla-
very.
The four millions of Africans in the
United States are organized for agricul-
tural purposes, and held TO labor by the
force of chains, stocks, and the lash, at the
will of the master. This system of labor
renders despotic government political
necessity, and the only means of prevent
ing it, is to reorganize these Africans with
view to subordination to democratic
institutions In the place of the master,
he overseer and the driver, we must
substitute Colonel, Lieut.. Colonel, and
Major of military organization, appoint
ing men to these positions Of the highest
standing and character, and Of the most
approved loyalty and patriotism. This is
the only way that we can reclaim the
slave from his despotic uses and render
him subordinate to the democratic insti-
tutions of the country. 1t is the only way
by which we can manage him with the
least possible loss to our Liberties and the
least amount of detriment to the interests
| of the master. a# nsa
1t is now about ten months since LETT
the North to engage in the expedition
| against New Orleans, during which time
upwards of four months have been spent
in the vicinity of that city, and yet no
progress seems to have been made in re-
storing peace and quelling the rebellion.
On the contrary, after perfectly useless
delay and immense expenditure oflif and
treasure, the state of things is worse than
ever. Delays are dangerous and never
more so than in military matters. They
tend to compromise our liberties as well
as injure the interests Of the whole Union.
/ Convinced of this | have omitted no op-