Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1862-05-31


they would see their folly, and return to their
loyalty. We have submitted in patience to
their barbarous and insoltnt treatment Of
those who fell in their way suspected Oft Mon
sympathes; and having it in our power to
turn loose their slave population upon them,
we have rcfrained from doing it, for fhe pur.
pose Of showing that We made no war upon
the institution Of slavery. So far from doing
this We have practically enforced the Fugitive
Slave Law. This policy has been regarded by
our army in the field as great wrong upon
them. They felt that policy should be
adopted looking exclusively to the crushing
the rebellion with the least possible sacrifice
of their lives. But instead Of this, they have
been compelled to storm ratification after foi.
LITIGATION built by the labor Of negro slaves,
not of their own free will and choice but by
the coercive authority of their rebel masters
and when it is proposed to change our policy,
with view Of deprivng the South Of this
element of their strength, as far as possible,
the cry of abolitionism is raised by rebel SYM
patl,isers and our Government is denounced
because it will not continue to nurse the
institution of slavery which feeds and keeps
alive the rebellion. lift is proposed TO put
arms into the hands of the loyal negroes
of the rebel States, to meet the slave battal-
lions which are now being rushed upon our
columns by the lash of their drivers, men
protesting desire to see the rebellion put
down and the Union preserved, arc going
about our streets boiling over with Indignation
at the idea Of adopting policy that will end
the rebellion in GO days, and save to our army
the sacrifice of thousands of the lives of loyal
citizens. If they desire to protract the war,
and ultimately secure dissolution of the
Union, in order to perpctuate the institution
of slavery forever, they can better secure
these results by at once organizing themselves
into company, marching South in double
quick time, and giving substantial aid to their
Confederate friends, whose interests and well
fare seem to be so near their hearts. Their
pious souls seem terribly shocked at the very
idea of the "abolition horles from the North"
under Hunter and Butler, Ovcrrunning the
South, and planting the Stars Stripes where
so long has hoatcd the flag of Disunion. But
no truly loyal citizen will feel disposed to
mourn over the abolition Of slavery in every
State in the Union. if it be true as alleged
by the Southern press that tho institution
can no longer exist in the Union. That to
preserve it involves an unconditional acknowl-
edgemcnt of Southern Independence - in
deed we are told in the late dispatch that
the South will accept ne other com; rumise
They demand as the price of their treason
tame submission to their demand for n divis-
ion of the Union formed by our Revolutiona-
ry Fathers, and to preserve which our brave
Volunteers arc now pouring out their best
blood. They are doing this because they re-
gard the Union as of infinitely greater value
than the " institution of slavery" while the
Southern people maintain that the "divne
institution" is of more value than all other
earthly possessions, and that it can only be
perpetuated by breaking up the Union.
While they had no good cause for rebellion
against the Government, now that it has been
induced, we are disposed to concur with them
in the opinion that no permanent union of
feeling can be secured 30 long MS slavery as a
permanent institution shall be tolerated. If
this be conceded, we have no hesitancy in de-
claring in favor of its total abolition within
the next fifty years, as compromise. Ifthis
proposition is rejected, we see no alternative
left us but to now proclaim them free, and
enforce the declaration at the point Of the bay.
onet. Henceforth We must waive all consid-
erations of kindred blood with the Southern
people, tie which has tempered their pun
ishment with mercy,-and give them war to
their hearts content, with all its horrible con-
comitants. When slaves arc compelled to
erect the breastworks over which our brave
soldiers Chamber, we should free the slaves
and thus wrest from the rebels the material
means Of continuing the slaughter Of our gal
liant army. We have no sympathy with those
who think it preferable to permit the fifty
thousand slaves now at work on the fortifca.
tons Of Corinth to be overcome by our troops
rather than to proclaim them free men and
thus turn them against our enemies. We
might just as we'll furnish the enemy with
arms and munitions Of war, as topursue pol
icy that secures to them the labor Of millions
Of slaves. to BE- employed in building forts.
and raising Subsistence for their armies. thus