Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-02-18

the ports Of the South, precludtug, say
with our consent, all entrance TO or Ell
from them, unless by stealth or accident
This power, which the South has little t
meet, is almost exclusively the growth Q
the year, and on our own coasts, aud l.
the ports, harbOrs aud rivers Of the South
ii cannot but be 10 the future q most Ell
ciCut means Of attack and defense.
There are two other elements Of strength
which especially require consideration
men and money. the armies Of the SoutI
have been large beyond example as com
par9d with the extent Of population from
which they hive been drawn. To rails
them 10 their present standard, the con
sCriptiol law Of the South has embraced
all from the age Of eighteen to forty.tivr
years. Their armies, like our own, vast
away by the casualties OF war, and Their
can be little force in reserve to supply th'
drain. An examination OF The preliminary
report Of the census Of 1861 Of which
have had the honor to transmit you copy
will show on page l3l that the body Of the
population on which the South must draw
for the supply of this drain, is less ever
than suggested in urrecent conversa'
ton. The aggregate free population Of oil
the slave States, including Maryland, Del.
aware, Virginia, Kentucky aud Missouri
is only $3.50, 1853; bat from this must be
deducted the population Of those slave
States in the possession Of the United
States, where no CONSUMPTION law OF the
South could possibly be enforced, and
likewise the free blacks Of the South, In
whose hands they dare not place arms.
Tho free population Of those States,
shown by the census OF 1860, is as follows
Delaware, llO,4ls; Maryland, 599, 800; Ken
lucky, $50, POI; Missouri, l,o67,Osl; Ia.
uaWha, or Western Virginia, With Jetfer.
son, Accomac and Northampton counties,
estimated at 379,774; free blacks Of the
South to be deducted, O,7S7, making an
aggregate Of 1888, l2l, which, when de-.
Quoted from the aggregate free population
OF the South, leaves only 4, 1851 ,042, includ.
ing men, women and children. The gen.
eral accuracy Of these figures can readily
be tested by reference to pages 1871 and
2s6, 2S7, 2ss aud 2S9 Of the Census Report
before referred to- 1t Is true that to some
slight extent troops may voluntarily go
into the Southern army from portions of
country not 10 their possession, but these
would probably be at least balanced BY
those Withholding themselves along the
coasts, 10 the towns and cities Of the South
subject 10 our control, and tor which no al.
lowauce is made in the above calculation.
I need not recapituIate the population Of
the Free States, and Of the Border States
10 onr possession.
The aggregate, by reference to the
same cesus report, will be seen to be with.
10 fraction Of 100000 (2l, 800, $751;
During the last summer, in addition 10 the
army then in the field, they raised within
the space Of two months, principally by
voluntary enlistment, 100000 men, and
there is yet another and still another army
in the reserve, as am instructed, to take
their place, 10 whole or 10 part, should that
unbappily become necessary.
In the foregoing estimate have taken
no account Of tho slaves Of the South as q
source eithetof strength or weakness. As
they have been used heretofore, they have
ceTlAiuly added strength TO their masters.
They have, IN fact, fed the army. Some
have been forced TO labor with it In the
trenches, while the great mass have toiled
10 the fields at home, thus leaving almost
the entire population Of the South free to
fight It's battles. Emancipation, should II
occur, while It liberates the slave, would
cut of this source Of strength from their
masters. Their supplies 10 the rear must
be kept up or their army cannot be kept
together. The one is essential 10 tho main.
tenauce Of the other.
A time may soon come, therefore, when,
Asile from the HpprChensi0us incident TO
emancipation, the slaves Of the South will
be to their masters a source Of weakness
and not of strength. Permit me, however,
here to add that whoever may have enter
taIned nppFchenslouS Of Servile war,
such do not suppose for moment TO have
been contemplated by the President In
fOreshadOWing his policy Of emancipation.
Tue slaves Of the South, scattered over a
vast extent of country, have no arms and
means Of procuring them. They have little
Intelligence, no means Of distant intcrcom.
municalion, and can have no general con.
of action. They may refuse TO labor
for their masters, and their masters cannot
maintain them. sa.... IH..
The map left with your EICellency show.
ing the per Ceutage OF slaves In each county
Of the South will prove this beyond ques.
tiOu. In certain large sections Of country.
along the Mississippi more especially, there
is about % per Ceut only OF white popuIa.
ton. All the rest ate slAVeS. OF this pop.
ulRtiou the Ablo.bodiCd are now almost en- i.
lirey away with the army. Could attempts
be made here or in other sections TO con.
strain the slaves to n forced obedience,
they may resist, or they may leave their
pIantaiiousns many have already done, and
seek The friendly shelter Of The Union flag.
But neither principle nor policy will induce
the United States TO encourgc a Servilc war,
OF prompt the slave to cut tue throat of his
master or bis masters family. n.y..
The Government will not even permit, "a
| have already said to you, its own SOL
ders, or tho soldiers Of the enemy, netting
Es guerrilNS or mHraulurs, belonging to no
organized lorCe md under no regular flag,
to make war or attack even an armed enc.
my without punishment. Still less would
It encourage or permit slaves to OITeud
against humanity by attacks upon the ICc-
bic and helpless That MI isolated case or
cases Of wrong may occur In the course Of
establishing y great change, il suUh shall be
established. III tue social organization Of
the South, is not Improbable hut Ia every
such case doubt not that tue arm Of the