New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-08-04

/ Special DIath q tn, Etening Poet
WA.maGros Saturday, Aug. 2, 1862
/ The enforcement Of the Coniiscaton aud Emanci-
patton Law has been commenced with 'isor
Gen Hsock has sent positive order, 10 Gen Mcclellan to
inpre.. oil the Degroe. within h, reach and to AK no qne
tions whether they slave or free.
Gen Ha.ck in ,endiog order reminded Gen acCel'
Ian military have right to recognize the local
laws Of the State. in rebellion.
lie further orders him seite every article Of Rebel prop
sy tina, eau be made useful ior the service Of our army
"Gen Mcclellan" We are told, - has posi-
his reach, and TO nsk no questions whether
they are bond or free" 1t strikes us that the
last direction was entirely superiiuous. No.
body ever accused Gen. Mcclellan OF any e1-
cessye anxiety on the point in question. But
the negroes are naturally supposed to have a
preference in tie premises, and they, not Gen.
Mcclellan. are not unrea-onably presumed to
wish light on the subject. When you ask q
man to take his spade and 60 into the trenches
for u few weeks or months labor in the hot
sun and the cold rain, with a chance 10 keep
lively by lodging cannon ball occasionally,
what more natural than that be should ash,
" Dhat fort When you have no more use
for me at digging and doJgng, am ] to be
sent back ~ my old mater to catch good
whaling for my pains Ion may well afford
to ask no questions 50 long as dig wells
but don't see the matter IN exactly your
light"
1t il quite probable that a few contrabands"
may be swept together by military force, who
will dig, cook aud team for nothing. They
will not be numerous enough, We spprehend
to tighten the labors of our often oyer-taIed
soldiers very considerably. But say to whole
race" Dig for Jour own freedom Dig for the
American Union which rewards your service
with Liberty! Dig the grave of this Internal
Pro.Slayery Rebellion and the result would
be very different. You would not have to
impress negroes-they would flock to your
camps from points far within the Rebel lines.
bringing fresh and valuable information. They
would take hold Of the spades in very differ
ent spirit from that Of the few impressed
Blacks who were at work only because they
could ut help themselves.
The same issue of The Post from which we
letter from its regular Washington correspond
ent:
"a prominent officer Of OF the Maine regiments has
arrived here from the army Of tho Potomac, and this uonios,
company with several gentlemen went TO tho President.
sion complain Of tho cement Of the the
James river lie asserted that spite Of the law OF Congress
/ a., ~ afV sl.I (..n
Mcclellan It'll protects f. that he . heep his guards round
IT, charge Of Rebel houses and tho k. and that upon his
speaking against the prscc. in the presence Of Of Gen.
McClesns ssa the ssh officer replied IL will do
10 that law We do Upon his urging
that law Of the land, and that the General had
choice In the matter but NUT execute IT, the officer replied:
". for instructions upon III. subject from II,
Pfesden, tn. War Department, IA We have received
obliged recognize any new,pnp.r sstcen.
law such laws those about emancipation and conhsca
ton you be shall not execute till ordered
/ to DO So"
We believe this officer was technically
right on the point of Military obligation. An
officer in camp Is not required to hunt through
iiies OF newspapers to ascertain what laws
have been recently eaacted-hc has no time for
literary exercises. II law has been passed
affecting the discharge OF lis duty, 1t is the
duty OF his superlors 10 inform him thereof
through Proclamation or Order; MeH he does
not discuss it-he simply and faithfully obeys
1t. Ii All important act so passed is not thus
brought to his notice, he has n right TO assume
that his superiors do not desire him to respect
II.
1t 10 not asserted that the new Order wins.
pcrcd i'll Gen. McClellan's ear by Gen. Hallcch
makes any reference TO the COn.iscaton- EinaD-
cipaticn act. There is no intimation that free.
dom a. the slaves OF Rebels is even limited al.
The Order then, may have merit invisible TO
us; but il clearly is not an enforcement or
recognition of the act OF Congress.
II seems 10 us essential that the require.
ments of that act should be frankly aud thor
oughly accepted by our Executive and Military
authorities or utterly repudiated. The appa-
rent hesitaticInk resolaiion is tho worst pos.
,ible policy. 1t paralyzes and pcrplcxes. Let
the Country know precisely what it may de.
pend on. and we shall all endeayor to make the
best Of it. Now we are alternating between
hope and fear, when We ought to have finished
all controversy and united in enthusiastic