, 1862-02-25

In stones. He has at Inst "put his foot down
firmly" and traitors will be crushed:
But return to TIE specific question nsshas Mhas
81 sas Ef t9d to q oSs9 u I'll e1s RRe RRe =
property is held by open and notorious trait
ors In the loyal states. The property ct my
constituents has. beepaelzed ct Memphis anu /
Now, : "a for EsPlisalss, and, MOTTO put too
fine Polntupo II, I am Tor carrying this war
il necessary into Africa
The legal and constitutional questions Il:
yo1ved In condscatlons.I ahan NOT to-day dis
cuss.T. When bills comosbefore us for action
We will discuss the legal questions. T.
Tdcsire to-day to- present some considera-;:
,tiors on the subject Of contiscatIng the prop
erty and feeipg the Slaves Of rebels, not as 4
moral OF phi1anthropical question, but as q
10 these Suggestions beg the candid conside-
ration Of the loyal aud patriotic meAbcrs from
the border States.
q slarery an eleme,,t Of strength to tas 7e1ezsz
You will admit that it is. Four millions Of
slaves feed and cloth the rei,els. These bond
men raise The cotton, tile rice, the sugar, tue
hemp, the tobacco, tho food, subsistence ond
clothing Of the rebel States. Nay. slaves dig
their trenches, rear tlleiE t0rtldcati0as, and to
considerable extent tight their battles. TAKE
must disband. Slavery is the backbone Of the
rebellion; its cause, its virus, its Stimulus, its
substance. These four millions, Of contEl-
bands constitute an element Of strength aud
Now, the principal object Of Us all IS to put
down the rebellion in the speediest possible
waE. Can VIC diYcst the rebels Of this strength,
and turn It to any extent to our side?
E1r. MENZlES. Let me ask the gentleman
from Illinois whether 1e believes that illc in-
PRODUCTION Of slavery into tic. non-Elayehold-
ing States would be any strength 10 or side {?
Mr. ARNOLD. Certainly NOT. Tilc free white
1aborers Of the North, brave and hardy, arc
not to be compared With the elayes Of the
South. You have the blacks. Let me ask
| my friend from Kentucky whether the rebels
| are not stronger with the bIacks on their side
| than they would be If transferred to ours.
! again: would the rebel States not be incon1-
Raza6ly SfEonger Tlth ffee than Elt H. siaSe a,,e
more pertinent. Hitherto We have presented
| tic Strange spectacle Of fighting our enemy
| with one land, Willie with the other hand ne
hold still and quiet Ills sE1ye, leaving the
rebels quite free to use both hands in striking
| It is Eot surprising that the sarcastic French
Ian says this has been On our part 81 very civil
I war's--Eery civil, indeed! Now, I suggest that
| We take OUT hands off the negro, and Lave
the rebels TO take care Of their own slaves, and
that SO far as the slaves Of rebels are concerned
| 10 this, gentlemen Of Kentucky? Doyou feel
| disposed to catch and return the contIabands
| Of JEFF Davis and Buckner and their cotrai-
| tors VIII the gallant soldiers Of Old Ken
lucky stop in their career Of victory to catch
these runaways? Will You return the negro
| to grow corn and forage for the rebel army !;
! toerow cotton with which to clothc it,
| 3fr. WICKLIEFE. recommend TO the
gentleman the advice giyca in Mrs. G7stoass
Cookery Book about cooking rabbit. How
!! are you going to get the negroes until you
conquer the rebels?
Nj. ARNOLD. Sir, The news which has to-
day thrilled our hearts with joy-the intelii-
gence Of the triumph Of our arms at Fort
Done1son-is G reply to the question Of the
distinguished gentleman from Kentucky The
tle.suake, let US ertzaet its tangs. Let Us kill
not scotch it. Well, suppose coutrabands say
VIC will not work any longer for the rebels !;
suppose they declare VIC viii no longer feed
and clothe these rebels, and, throwing down
the shovel and the hoe" they say 'we will
not plant their corn nor cotton; we will no
longer build their forts nor fight their battles;
| We Will assert cur Own God-gIyen liberty -
will you give the negro aid and encourage
ment, and protection in doing this? Il you
the end Of this rebellion draweth near. Can
you afford to hcsitate2 Is it not our duty to
put tlts rebellion down spesdl.2 These are
grave questions, but they must be met I
present this subject, not in its moral or phil
antEFcpie aspect, and certainly in no partisan
spirit, but = a military question, practical
problem which must be met and solved.
Sir, wish the great and patriotic statesmen
Of the border States could he induced to re-
cognjzc the fact that slavery Is doomed, and its
days are numbered, and then aid US in practl.
cally meeting the grave results. This change
must Come; aid US, pray you, 80 to conduct
and control This Change from slavery 10 free
dem, as shall produce as Little shock As possi-
BILE. Oh, what an opportunity for some sa-
gacious statesman from the slave States to as.
sociatc his Damo with freedom forever.
4 suggestion or two on another subject, and
will no longer trcspa=s On the attention Of
tile House.
IS tie Ea4ioa scortA the price Of :,,css and money
zrc orc ;7oy:ng JoT It? Is our nationality worth
the sacrifices VIC are called to make to pr.
serve it? --....-..
IN reply, look at Europe, divided into Ut.
1ne1ous States; It's endless wars, its eTer-ex.
haustirg expenditures for armies, uayies, for
tifcations; its millions Of soldiers for attack
and defense, exharsting industry, aud para1y.
zing progress; look at its passports, its re-
| s;rictions and tariffs, and, wlcu ypGslaye
studied this picture, turn to America and see
! + her united ID one great free commonwealth
from ocean to OCEAN, from the great Inllnt
: seo5 of The North TO tie Gulf Of Mexico, and
hero, Jackson, was right, when he declared
"the C;tica ); il s7znst le F,sss,eed~" Yes, yot
will respond, t1is Union must be preserved al
any cost, and st all sacrifice.
But this is not question Of division, it Is
question between liberty and slavery; not y
tie black 1aan alone, but 81 the white maG
, . also. Constitutional liberty aud desrotit
tineIt till one OF the Gther is subdued- Tia
; conflict is now upon us. Let Us meet the is
| sue; let us not underratc its sublime signiti
caEce LiEc7fY 7sndc7' The Consultation or M13s.s