Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-10-27

AFmiHG tho Saves bY HebelA.
Tie reported intention Of the rsbSilieus
JsH. Davis dynasty to arm slaves 10 Asht
for the cOnfsdsraOy" has called forth sn
interesting com msnt from the editor Of the
Nashville Union. This comment Is the
more important, coming as it does from
Southern man, one who from residence,
observation and experience is fully in
formed as to all the wrongs and acts, the
spirit and temper of the South, and the
disposition, capacity, intelligence and
natural tendencies OF the human cbattle-
hood, in the broad domain and realm of
slavery.
It is believed that beesuss the rebel
leaders have been able to deceive the
white population and make them fight,
they can also deceive the ignorant slaves
and make them fight. The editor of the
Union combats this idea. The slaves pos
sess an average intelligence equal to the
bulk Of the rebel army. None but those
who have mixed with them can have any
idea of the besOtted Ignorance of the rebel
private soldiers. Most of them are una
bic TO read. So far as the means of &C.
quiring information is concerned, the
slaves are on an equality with the degrsd-
ed whites. Under the outward appear
anceof simplicity and stupidity, the negro
slave eoneesls no little cunning and sbili-
ty to take care of himself. There is not 8
plantation in South Carolina where the
slaves have not Gs clear ideas Of right and
wrong as can be found in Braggs large
army. For more than thirty years the
politicians and shareholders of South have
been prOclaiming that slavery is Of divine
appointment, and that the North sOds qOieE-
ediy trying to destroy it, Orators said this
on the stump in the hearing of thousands
ef slaves. The editor Of the Union has
attended, many Of the largest mass
meetings at the South for years, and al
ways found multitudes of slaves in atten-
dance. White preachers told the slaves
that slavery was right and the must obey
their masters, s7hile black preachers nevsr
made Gny such avOUaL or iEjunction. The
slaves have not failed to notice this i'm
portsnt fact. The slaves in innumerable
instances have heard the came words from
their masters, and heard their ieDdish ex-
plosion Of rage against anti-slavery men.
They have seen as the years have been
rolling on great numbers of Northern men
mObbed, abused, hung or banished for
real or supposed anti-slsvery sentiments,
until the slaves have come to believe that
the Northern people are their friends.
Under this impression, slaves who could,
fed to the North as to city Of refuge.
The editor of the Union concludes his COM
ment in the following words:
HAfter the rebellion broke out the
selves heard fereer cry than ever, raised
BY the shareholders against the North
Lincoln is coming 10 set our negroes freeP
The Yankees intend to abolish slavery,
and establish negro equality in the South
Such were the words which the slaves
heard everywhere. In the course Of few
months came the confiscation act, setting
free the slaves Of al who aided and a6stted
the rebellion. Then came the Emsneips-
ton Proclamation Of President Lincoln, de-
elaTiHg all the SLAVES in certain States and dis
tr.ets free. Then came the Act Of the Fed
eral Congress for enlisting negro soldiers.
All these events are known in the very
heart of he rebelious States, as well as
they are IN W ashington; they haVe-been
known to the slaves for many months.
Wherever orr cavalry expeditions have
penetrated, the slaves we're familiar with
the emancipation proclamation and negro
enlistme1ts.
snow what have JEFF. Davis, and Lamar,
and Spratt, the slave-traders, and Wigfall
and Stephens, who said the cornerstone of
the ConfederRcy was slavery, got to Offset
this powerful testimony in favor Of the
North? It is suggested that JEFF Davis
will offer the slaves their freedom on con-
dition that they will fight.
"lt seems to US that il would be peril
GUS experiment for the South to arm 200
600 or 100000 slaves and give them their
freedom, when a populous and powerful
hostile nation would be forever lowering
upon her border, fired with revenge, and
ready at all times to prompt the black
army to crush the white traitors under
foot. But to waive this point, on which
so much might be said, we think the effort
of the slave aristocracy to deceive the
slaves into their defence by the pledge of
freedom, would be fruitless. The slaves
could not be deceived by this sudden and
complete change of base on the part Of
their old tyrsnts They would place no
confidence in 6 promise extorted By ne
cessity. The fact Is that sIaVes haze no con.
fdenes in, and no lsVs for their masters. This
is no assumption on our part; we know
the fact. The mass of Slaves hate their mas
teTs aVith q fierce and bitter hatred, and look
upon them as their natural enemies, whom
they must fight from the cradle to the
grave. Let JEFF. Davis, then, summon his
dsrkey bsttalions and arm them as soon
as possible. We pray God that he may
the quicker the better. And We would
stake our lives that the first time that they
are brought into battle against the Federal
army, they will desert the pirate fsg of
the Southern Confederacy, first raised to
perpetuate their own bondage, and rush
with eagerness to the national standard.
English Testimony to American Genius.