Weekly national intelligencer., 1863-02-19
n whole or IN part should that unhappy become ne

in whole part, should that unhappily become ne
cessary.
Ia the foregoing estimate have taken no account Of the
slaves # the South either of strength weak
ness As they have been ed teretofoe they have car
tanly added strength 10 their masters They have 10 fact
fed the army SDme have been forced to labor with it In
the trenches while tie great have toed in the fields
at home thus leaving almost the entire population OF the
South free to fight its battles Emancipation should it
occur while tb rates the slave would cut of this source
OF strength from their masters Their supple in the rear
must be kept up their army cannot be held together
the is essential 10 the maintenance OF the other.
time may c0me therefore, when, aside from the ap
prebensons incident TO patton, the slaves OF the
South will be to their masters source OF weakness ana
not of strength.
Permit me- however, here to add that whoever may
have entertained apprehensions of "servile war"
such do not suppose for moment o have been cnntem-
plated by the President in oreshadowng his policy OF
emancipation The slaves OF the South scattered over
vast extent OF country have aud no means oil pro-
curing them. They have little intelligence, no means OF
distant inercommuncaon and can have no general con-
cert of action refuse TO labor for their mastlrs
and their masters cannot maintain them The map lett
with your Exceepcy showing the per centsge OF slaves
in each county Of the South will prove this beyond ques
ton In certain large sections OF county along the Mis-
ssspp espec ally there ia about tweny-eght per
cent only of white population. All the rest are slaves.
OF this population the able bodied almost entire
y away with the army. Could attempts be made here,
in other sections 10 cOnsran the slaves to forced
obedience they may resist they may leave their pana
toDs many have already done aud seek tie friendly
shelter of the Union flag But neither principle poll
cy VIII induce the United States to encourage strVc
wsr prompt the slave 10 cut the throat OF his MASTER
his masters family The Government will not even
permit have already sad to you it's own soldiers, or
the soldiers OF the enemy acting gueras or hraudes
belonging TO organized forc and uuder regular dag
to make war, attack armed enemy, without
punishment still less would it encourage permit slaves
offend against humanity by attacks upon the feeble aud
helpless, That isolated cases oil wrong may &C
in the of establishing great change W such
shall be the social organization OF the South
not improbable but in every such doubt not that
the Of the Government would promptly Interfere to
protect and 10 punish. This however, is mster Incl
dental only TO the subject OF my communication.
Leaving hs question of populations, pass for moment
the other great element OF strength and that Is
money. have 9already said that the of the
south in would TO be practically exhausted, and
their money, think, must be equally SO
instructed that with floating debt of four hundred
millions Of dollars represented by paper at discount OF
per they have neither raised have they
the of raising equal TO ten millions, IN any
form any purpose Want and distress already dis
closing themselves 10 painful forms throughout the entire
region occupied by the insurgents. Ga the other hand
the Government Of the Unied States has instruct
ed, revenue available in the precious metals Of
than hundred millions, while its mines yielding gold
mor rapidly than foreign trade withdraws It from the
country La this vital matter of fnrnce therefore there
does 10 exist between the parties equality of
strength. So far Indeed such equality has
existed nowhere except certain battef-ds and espe
caly between the two great armies in Vrginia. Here
the have advanced and retresed They have
gained battles and lost them do not to depreciae
their gallantry. They yet my countrymen Here at
least they have shown equality OF strength but every
where else the permanent gain has been with the armies
of the Union.
avs my self Of this occasion to to your Excel
ency of the most distinguished consideration
with which have the honor be your Excellencys very
obedient servant, WILLIAM L. DAYTON.