The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1863-11-24

the wives, sisters and mothers Of Missouri
soldiers, who had left their homes coun-
try to join their husbands and relatives
in the Southern army How terrible
was the thought which often occurred to
me on our trip, that, the ball Of the guer-
rilla, in the foolish hope of killing foe,
might go to the heart Of his homeless
wife, then throbbing with anxiety to be
once more pressed to his manly bosom
And this is a constant danger. Not a
boat but contains more or less of these
people.
But this mode of warfare, while con-
tributing nothing toward the general
result, breaks up the peace of communi-
ties. 1t has never whipped an army.
Never retarded its progress. Never cut
off its supplies or interfered materially
with its operations. 1t recoils upon US
invariably. For instance, we fall back
before the enemy. Our family is left in
his lines. The country around them
has been devastated. The United States
authorities permit the bringing of sup
plies. We fire upon their transports.
No more supplies come. and our families
are left upon the verge of starvation.
This thing has occurred both in Tennes-
see and Arkansas. I implore all Of our
citizens within the Federal lines TO re-
main at home and keep quiet. Let
West Tennessee be warning to you.
Long since that country would have
been quiet, and the people recovering
from their losses, had it not been infested
with guerrilas, who, abandoning warfare,
have plundered friend and foe, and kept
life and property insecure. Indeed, a
detailed account of their acts would be
sickening and disgusting in the extreme.
As the Federal army advances through
Arkansas, let the sunlight of peace be
behind it, however dark and threatening
the cloud ahead. If we do not. robbers
and freebooters will take possession Of
our soil, and soon depopulate and con-
vert it into waste.
NEGRO SLAVERY.
am asked if Mr. Lincoln's Emanci-
patton Proclamation will stand. Ii you
continue the struggle, certainly. He
has the physical force at his disposal 10
carry it out. If you cease now, you may
save all in your hands, or compromise on
gradual emancipation. But let, / be-
seech you, the negro no longer stand in
the way of the happiness and safety of
friends and kindred.
The changes Of sentiment. upon this
question. in the South, have been curl
Gus. Not many years since, it was by
no means unusual for the press and pub
lie men, as we'll as for the people, gener
ally, in the South, to concede that Slave
ry was an evil, and regret that it should
ever have existed expressing. however,
no disposition or desire to be rid OF il.
Yet, few years more-the demand for
cotton having increased, the price of ne
groes having advanced, and the agita-
ton of the slavery question having in
creased in yiruienee-fnds us defending
slavery as a divine institution. De
Bows Revie,c, and other Southern papers
and periodicals, with Senator Hammond,
of South Carolina, were prominent in the
defense Their object was 10 educate
the Southern mind to this belief. Such
a course has been vital to the existence
of slavery because, to concede that ne
gro slavery was morally wrong, was
virtually 10 concede the whole argument
to the abolitionists. AS the controversy
warmed, we became sensitive. And so
morbidly SO, that the North might have
threatened with impunity 10 deprive us
of horses, or other property; yet the
whole South would be ablaze if some
fanatic took one negro. Such was pub
lie sentiment South, at the commence.
ment of this most unfortunate and bloody
struggle. But revolutions shake up
mems thoughts, and put item in differ
ent channels. ! have recently talked
with Southern shareholders from every
State. They are tired Of negro slavery
and believe they could make more clear
money, and live more peaceably. without
than with it. As for the non .slavehold
er of the South, honestly thought the
struggle was for him more than for his
wealthy neighbor-that to free the ne
gro would reduce TO comparative slave
ry the poor white man. | now regret,
that instead OF a war TO sustain slavery
l; had not been a struggle at the ballot
box to colonize IL. This will clearly be
the next struggle.
! am of opinion that, whether il is a
divine institution or not, negro slav cry
has accomplished its mission here. A
great mission it had A new and fertil,
country had been discovered, and must
be made useful. The necessities OF man
kind pressed for its speedy development
Negro slavery was the instrument /,
effect this. Ii alone could open up tho
fertile and miasmatic regions Of th'
South, solving the pro blem of their utih
/ ty, which no theorist could have reach
ed. 1t was the magician which sudden
ly revolu,onized The commerce Of th'
world by the solution Of this problem
II peopled and made opulent the barrer
hills of New England, and threw its pow
erful influence across the great North
West. Standing as wall between In,
two sections, II caught aud rolled north
ward the wealth and population Of th'
old world and held in their places th,