Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-09-16
Why do not the Slaves Come to the Assis-
lance Of the Government

1t is sometime stated, AS an evidence that the
slaves are not fit for freedom, and that proca-
nation offering them their liberty, il they
would assist the government, would be lrutless
that the negroes ave been quiet since the war
commenced, aud ave nowhere risen upon their
rebel masters. This is doubtless true, but per-
haps the slaves a not wholly to blame. Com
paratIyely early she war Gen Mcclellan is.
sued proclamat0a to the inhabitants OF on
insurgent StAto (which this paragraph occurs .
Notwlthstan Dg all that has been said by
che traitors 20 indleo you to believe lhat our
advent among you will be signalizod by inter-
ference With your ayes, understand one thing
cleary-not only vii we abstain from such in
reference, but We viii on the conuory, with an
iron hand, crush Gy attempt al instruction on
Their part'
About the same me Gen. Robert Patterson
made the same assurance to the rebels, ia this
language, address 10 his soldiers
You must beal In mind that you are going
for the good OF Ih whole country and that,
while It is your dpi TO punish seditou, you
must project the 10 j. and, should the occasion
offer, al once supprH serrile instruction.
About the same tine Gen Butler gave the
rebels, through son. public announcement Of
his, like assurance and sui later Gen. Sher-
man was careful to asurc the dlsIoyal people Of
South Carolina that'hey need have no alarm
respecting the safety If their peculiar lnstItu-
tlons. Gen. llaleck also, who bad command
OF the entire Weston Department, and whose
forces have penetraai further into the Slave
States than those of my other General, issued Il
general order, as yet IS far as appears, wholly
unreyoked, torbiddiag any negroes to come
within his lines. Congress also, We believe,
passed some resolutions expressing nearly the
same thing, though II different language, and
the Government actl everywhere upon the
same principles, Of prtectng the South from
the possible consequen9s OF their own acts in
any rising OF the negryes. And even no later
than few weeks ago, Union troops were used
in the city of New Or.saos, to iorcibly resist
the efforts Of some slay. 10 gam their liberty.
But this is not all About year ago, Gen.
Fremont issued general order pronouncng all
slaves OF rebels free 10 bis department This
order however, was molied. as soon as 1t came
to the knowledge Of the Government, and Gen
Fremont very soon remHed from the command
Gen. Hunter, later, issued an order, freeing all
slaves in his department, aud the President i'm
mediately made proclamation that the order
was VOID and though Gen. Hunter was not i'm
mediately removed, be ha since for some reason
been relieved OF his command Gen. Phelps
issued Il proclamation bm Ship Island, discuss.
ing the question f sleury, and endeayoring to
show that Freedom W., better G nditou for all
men than seryltude md this was but the be-
ginning Of the difference between him and th3
Government, which las led at last to the resig
nation of Phelps ard hs removal from the ser.
vice. And in addition to all this, it has been
authoritatiyely announced that colOred men,
whether North or South shall not be allowed TO
light for the Government, or receive pay out OF
Its treasury for any service, but shall be hewers
OF wood and drawers OF water Tor the Govern
ment that will not even then, by any public as
surance, guarantee them their freedom. And
the Generals IN the field who have the most
stoutly declined, in their respective departments,
to encourage The slaves Of rebels to leave their
disloyal masters and Join the Union cause, and
have most frequently allowed, ii not encouraged,
the practice OF repellus them from tie Union
lines, or returning them g the enemy, are TO
day. as they have been throughout the var,
Chief in command in tae field, II not chief in
counsel IN the ahintt,-while the Generals who
have advocated the opposite policy, are either
sheyed, or put in subordinate positions. under
officers who take very good care that their own
notions respecting the use of slaves shall rule
IN the camps under their commands
Such, in Grief, is tbs record of the conduct
OF the war thus far, on the question Of making
the negroes d help TO the Government, aud a
weakness to the rebellion The result is just
what might have been anticipated. The negroes
have had no invitation to join our standards,
and why should they come without an inyi-
tation2 They have not even had the assurance
Of protecton-uuhl very htely-if they did
come, and why should they run thersk ofblood
hounds, while attempting to escape, or the whip
aud torture it re-taheu They not only have
had uoossurancc il they rise and attempt to
ogepowcr their disloyal masters that thor ciilr@
viii be approved or aided but on the contrary,
there yet remains the unreyoked order OF our
Generals that tae whole Union army shall be
employed it necessary TO put down just such an
uprsiug, would, of course, be serylle