The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-09-10
not consistent with even your view, provi-
ded you are for the Un,on suggested |

not consistent with even your view, provi-
ded you are for the Union suggested |
compensated emancipation to which you
replied you wished not to be taxed to buy
negroes Bat had not asked you TO be |
taxed to buy negroes except in such way
as to save you from greater taxation to save
the Uniori exclusively by other meaus.
\ You dislike the Ernancipa ton Proclaim
ton, and perhaps would have it retracted.
You say il is unconstitutional. think
differently Il think tho Constitution invests
! its Commander in Chiefwith the law ofwar
( in time of war. The mot that can be said
If so much, is, the slaves are property. rs
there-has there ever been-any QUESTION
THAT, hy the law Of war, property, both Of
enemies and friends, may be taken when
needed And is It not needed, whenever
taking ithclps sor hurts the enemy 2 Ar
mics, the world over. destroy enemies,
1 property, when they cannot useit, and even
destroy their own TO keep it from the enc
my. Civilized belligcrcnts do all in thei
power to help themselves Or hurt the enemy
except a few things regarded as barbsrous
or cruel. Among the exceptions are the
massacre Of vanqiehcd foes and non combat
ants, male and female.
I But the Proclamation, as law, either is
valid, or is not valid IF II is not valid it
needs no retraction. If it is valid ;, i. can
not be rctractcd anymore than the dead can
be brought to life. Some Of you profess to
think its retracton would operate favorably
for the Union. Why better after the ret 'ac-
ton than before the issue There was
more than year and half Of Trial to sup
p, ess the rebellion before the Proclamation
was issued, the last one hundred days OF
} which passed under an explicit notice that
it was coming, unlessaverted by those in
revolt returning to their allegiance The
: war has certainly progressed az favorably
! for us since the issue of the Proclamation
as before. -
, know, as fully az any one can know
/. the opinion Of others, that some Of the com.
\ manders Of our armies in the field. who
s have given us some OF our most important
: successes, believe the emancipation policy
: the use If the colored troops constitute tn.
y heaviest blow yet dealt to the rebellion, an'
y that, at least one Of these important snc
It eesscs could not have been achieved at tn
"
n, time it was but for the aid Of black soldiers
le Among the commanders holding these view
ID are some who have never had any affinit
,r with what il called abnlitionis.n, or wit
N Republican party politics, but who hol
n them purely as military opinions. submit
these opinisns submit these opinions a
Y. being entitled to some weight against IN
n objections often urged, that emancipatio
Az and arming the blacks are unwise as milits
Al ~ measures. snd were not adopted az sue
in good faith.
You say You will not fight to free negroe
= Some Of them seem willing to fight for yor
u. but no matter. Fight Won. then. exclnsiv,
,n ~ to save the Union. issued them rocl
nation on purpose to aid Won in saving II
Union. Whenever Won shall have conoue
ed all resistance to the Union, If shall urs
you to continue fighting, it will be an al
fine then. for You to declare you will NJ
fight TO free negroes s... a.s.
| thought that in your struggle for II
al Union, to whatever extent the negro,
nj. should cease helping the enemy, to that G!
ON tent II weakened the enemy in his resi- stan
ma to Won Do you think differently, i though
yn that whatever neg,oes can he got to do
INF soldiers, leaves Just much less for white 80
70. diers to do, in saving the Uniox. Does it Al
pear otherwise to YOU s.... f.. .rs. efl
ho But negroes, like other people, act upc
~ emotions. Why should they do anythir
do for us, if we will do nothing for them ?
Ia they aiaka their lives for us, they must
o, prompted by the strongest motive--even ii
ma promise of freedom and the promise, beir
: made, must be kept. ,s .as
It'll The signs look better. The Father
ire Waters again goes nnvcxsd to the sc
OF Thanks to the great Northwest for tn
ere vetwholly 10 them. Three hundred mil
I o up they met New England, Empire, Key
his stone, and Jersey, hewing their was rig
ou and left. The Sunny South, too. in mo
,ot colors than one, also lent hand. On III
IN spot, their part Of the history was jottt
/ down in black and white. The job was
,,. great national one and let none be bannt
,,c who bore an honorable part in it. Ar
%. while those who have cleared the great riv
n may well he proud, even that is not all.
a is hard to say that anything has been mo
of bravery or ably done than at Antieta,
at Murfreesboro, Gsttys burg, and on man
- fields oflcss or note. IS
ms Not must Uncle Sans web feet be for
re, gotten. At all the watcry margins the
h. have been present Not only on the dee
or sea, the broad bay and the rapid river. b,
&c also M the narrow bayou. and wherever II
de ground was little damp. they have bee
IL and made their tracks. Thanks to all. Fl
he the great Republic-for the principle
ne lives by, and keeps alve-ior mans vast fl
e. ture-thanks to all.
:" Peace does not appear so distant AZ it die
r. hope it will cone soon, and come to stay