Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-08-08
What Intelligent Slaves think.

: | have talked with many intelligent
, men Of color on this subject. The supe-
rior man Of all is known as Tom l
one day drew him out of his guarded
silence on this theme by say ing, am
surprised, Tom, that the negroes in this
peninsula don't fight for us
4 reckon you amt, Mr.. W. You
know too much
Why don't they fight for us Tom ?
They expected to, sir, and ell the
colored men from here to Texas expect
ed to-
Why didn't they ?
You know as well as l. We were
driven from your lines and camps, and
pretty plainly told that you didn't want
anything TO do with US; that you meant
to carry on the war, so as to leave Us in
slavery at the end Of the war. So we
'~'' -" N carry on the war as you could,
and pretty poor fist you are making OF
too, Mr.. W. said Tom, warming into
earnestness. The North can't conquer
the South, without the help of the slaves.
We men Of color who have communica-
ted with each other through all the
states Che leading men | mean) kn0w
This. We know, too, that if tue war
lasts. one party or the other party will
give Us freedom
'Wbat is that You say-the slave.
holders free their slaves?
They certainly will do it, if they
can't whip you otherwise. You may
depend on that. Ny friends through The
South all teH me SO.
Our position Mr.. W., is like that of
the San Domingo blacks. They put
their aid in the market, between the
whites and the muattoes-put it for sale.
The price was their freedom. We mean
10 sell ourselves for freedom-aCe hope
10 yow Northern men. If your politicians
and generals kick away, we will try
10 make our market with the rebels.
But you had better bargain with US
had better fsee US and arm US. How
long would this war last if we were
freed by act of Congress and the presi-
dents procamaton-bot of them rati-
fed in general orders by the commanders
of the Union armies in the South? Why,
the rebel armies would melt down in a
week Every officer and every private
who had any interest Of any kind in
plantation or village even, would run
straight home to protect it against mag
med injury. Consider us armed there
is no use talking, Mr.. W. The revolu-
ton at the South is accomplished, and the
Union is saved, and yOu can't saUe ii
vit5om the social revolution. And mark
my words, Mr.. W, the attempt to save
it without doing us justice will end in
your own political slavery, and your ruin,
and in this England will be the princi-
pal agent. There are colored men in
Washington who know the value of the
dinner. table talk of great men, and jeff.
Davis. and Keitt, and Floyd, have al
ways made much of the jealousy in
England Of manufacturers OF your north.
/ You have got TO have us, Mr.. W. Our
climate will kill your troops, save in
December, January, February, and
March The South is wilderness.
You are ignorant Of it, and can be am-
bushed every day. And it is so big
that if with half million men you
overrun it, it would take million men to
occupy it. And, then, what sort oe
Union will You have saved, in which the
people of thirteen states refuse TO take
political action, and have but to raise
their fingers to their slaves to set them
loose upon you, and drive you norhward.
You had better take US, Mr.. W. In
deed, you have got to take US. For If
you rant to back ont of this scar, you
'front.' be permitted to do 1t. You have
got to conquer, or be conquered. know
the Shareholders. They went into this
war for power, and if you don't whip
them in Virginia and South Carolina,
they will whip you in Pennsylvania and
( New York, and then reconstruct the
/ Union, with themselves at the top and
YOU at the bottom. You white men of
the North will 60 into slavery, unless
you take Us black men of the South out
of slavery; and, Mr.. w, you have not
great deal of time left in which to decide
what you will do!"-Jamss River Cor
respoHdence Of ". 7. Tribune.
ca The casualties of all kinds in the
army of the western department, (laie
Halleck's) since it went INTO the field,