Winchester journal. [volume] (Winchester, Indiana) 1862-1863, 1863-04-17

li,ionists commit, who condemn the Pres
ident for not proeiaiming freedom to all
the slaves. and also to the wrong which
those Democrats commit, who condemn
him for proclsiming il TO any. Now, the
truth on the one hand is that the Presi-
dert has no right 70 abolish Slavery OK
cept as Commander-in in Chief. and no right
even in that capacity to abolish il sny
further or faster than the military neces-
sites of the country call for. The truth
on the other hand Is, that he has the
right TO abolish any and all Slavery, the
abolition of which Is called for by such
necessities In his much criticised, much
condemned. and much ridiculed Letter to
Horace Greeley. the President laid down
the true doctrine in this csc. fit would
help us in the War 10 call to our side the
slaves Of South Carolina, then the Presi-
dent should call them. IL IL would not
help us to call those Of North Carolina,
those he should not call In nothing Of
all this has he aught TO do with the NOR
ality of Slavery. | grant that II the
slaves will not come, IL is useless to call
them: and am aware that il is very fre-
quently and confidently asserted that
their love Of their masters and mistresses
is too great TO permit them 10 come. II,
however they will come. then bv all
means they should he called-and this
too even II they should. as Il Ia said they
would. prove too law 70 work where
there are no whips TO work under; and
even If they should, as 1t is said thev
would. prove too cowardly TO fight For
left where they are their toll sustains the
Rebellion
claim not 70 know whether the slaves
will come TO onr standard--nor whet her.
if they should come they will either work
or fight. But do claim that. inasmuch
as there Is n chance, be IL however small,
that they will come, and chance. be il
however small. that they will WORK, and
chance, be it however small, that they
will fight, the Presid ent's Proclamation
Of Freedom is Justice. For what II il
shall turn out that the slavee are able TO
tear themselves away from their dear
masters and mistresses! What an i'm
mense advantage 10 our cause will that
be, and even though they shall prove un-
able or unwilling 10 render US any ser
vice after coming to us, And then if it
shall turn out that they are willing to
work on our side, and TO work as faith
fully as did that comparative handful of
escaped and deserted slaves who, instead
of being, as was all along alledged, a
charge upon our National Treasury, put
into IL over pnd above wages and erpen-
ses. between FIVE and six hundred thous-
and dollars-then will this immense ad-
vantage he doubled. And then n still
greater advantage 90 our cause II they
shall be willing TO fight for II, and our
officers and soldiers shall be so earnestly
patriotic as TO let them fight for It. For
/ know not why, If they shall be willing
to fight for us, they shall not fight vi ith as
signal bravery and effectiveness as did
the negroes in both Of our wars with
Great Britain Whether our officers md
soldiers will be so much in earnest 10 put
down the Rebellion as to let the despised
negroes help them put it down, remains
to be seen. If entirely in earnest they
would welcome the aid not only of ne
groes and indians, but of even the devil
himself.
repeat that know not whether the
slaves will come 10 Us, or whether If thev
do they will wsrk or fight. They are
called the most patient and forgiving of
all the races. They will certainly prove
that they are, IL they can forget that
monstrous and meAnest crime Of letting
the thousands, who toiled on the vicks-
burg cutoff, fall again into the hands Of
the vindictive Shareholders: and If they
can also forget the innumerable instances
in which slaves coming to onr lines, some
with verv valuable news of the designs
and movements OF the enemy, and all
with hearts and hands 20 help MS, have
with satanic malignity been returned 20
the fate from which they had fed; and il
in word they can forget our persistent
ridicule, loathing and murderous hate Of
a people, who have done not one wrong
In return for the mountains Of wrong un-
der which we have buried them. u j.
true that even such a people may At last
be coaded 70 revengeful and bloody in
surrcctions. Not however II they can
have a wav OF escape from their oppress-
ors. The Presidents Proclamation is the
safety.valve One Of nv chief reasons
for welcoming it was that il would proba-
hly prevent seryile insurrection.
said shat the Proclamation is 70 be
justified in the light Of even the least IA
vorable expectations from il. But should
We realize from il all this. which have
been speaking OF as possible, then should
we All rejoice IN IL Should We hear to-
night that a Southern black Regiment
has overeomc q Rebel white one, would
I -. II -. .-, r,.- l.ss7 kNauif not