The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1863-09-10

the United States Constitution, and that
as such | am responsible TO them.
But, to be plain, you are dissatisfied
with me about the negro. Quite likely
there is a difference Of opinion between
you and myself upon that subject. | Ger
tainly wish that all men could DE free,
while you, / suppose, do not. Yet [ have
neither adopted nor proposed any measure
which is not consistent with even your
views, provided you are for the Union.
suggested compensated emancipation to
which you replied that you wished not to
be taxed TO buy negroes. But had not
asked yonto be taxed to buy negroes, except
In such way as to save you from greater tax
alton to save the Union exclusively by other
means. You dislike the emancipation
proclamation, and perhaps you want to
have it retracted. You say it is unconsti-
tutional L think differently. [ think
that the Constitution invests its Command
er-iu-chief with the law of war in time Of
war. The most that can be said, if so
| much Is, that slaves are property.
Is there, has there ever been, any
question that by the law Of war the prop
erty, both of enemies and friends, may Be
taken when needed, and is it not needed
wherever it helps US or hurts the enemy?
Armies, the world over, destroy enemies
property when they cannotuse it, and even
destroy their own to keep it from the enemy.
Civilized bellicerents do all in their pow
er to help themselves or hurt the enemy,
except a few things regarded as barbarous
or cruel. Among the exceptions are the
massacre OF vanquisbed foes and non
com batants, male and female. But the
proclamation, as law, is valid or not valid.
II it Is not valid, ii needs no retraction ;;
if it is valid, it cannot be retracted any
more than the dead can be brought to
life. Some of You profess to think that
It's retraction would operate favorably for
the Union. Why better after the retrac-
tiun than before the issue?
There was more than a year and half
for trial to suppress the rebellion before
the proclamation was issued ; the last one
hundred days of which passed under an
explicit notice that it was coming unless
averted by those in reI Olt returning to
their allegiance. The war has certainly
progressed as farorabiy for Us since the
issue of the proclamation as before. /
know as fully as one can know the opin-
ions Of Others, that some Of the commah-
ders of our armies In the field who have
given US our most important victories,
believe the emancipation policy and the
aid OF c0lored troops constitute the heaviest
blows yet dealt to the rebellion and that
at least one of those Important successes 1
could not have been achieved when it
was, but for the aid Of black soldiers
Among the commanders holding these
views are some who have never had any
affinity with what is called Abolitionism,
or with the Republican party politics, but
who hold them purely as military opin-
ions. / submit their opinions as being
entitled to some weight against the objec-
tions often urged that emancipation and
the arming Of the blacks are unwise as
military measures, and were not adopted
as such in good faith. You say that you
will not fight to free negroes. Some Of
them seem to bewilling to fight for you /;
butno matter-fghtyou, then, exclusively,
to save the Union.
| issued the proclamation on purpose TO
aid you in saving the Union. Whenever
you shall have conquered all resistance to
the Union, if l shall urge you to continue /
fighting, it will be an apt .ime then for
you to declare that you viii not fight to |
free negroes. / thought that, in your
struggle for the Union, to whatever extent |
the negroes should cease helping the
enemy, to that extent it weakened the |
enemy in his resistance to you. Do yoa /
think differently? l thought that what /
ever negroes can oe got to do as soldiers, /
leaves just so much less for white soldiers |
to do in savinS the Union. Does it appear
otherwise to you? But negroes, like /
other people, act upon motives. Why
should they DO anything for us, if we
will do nothing for themy If they stake |
their Ives for us, they must be prompted |
by the strongest motives-even the prom
ise Of freedom aad the promise, being
made, must be kept.
The signs look better. The Father of
Waters again goes unvexed to .he sea; I
thanks to the great North west for it nor |
yet wholly to them. Three hundred |
miles up they met New England, the
Empire, the keystone, and New Jersey,
hewing their way right and left. The |
sunny South, too, ia more colors than ere,
also lent hand, on the spot; their part Of
the history was jotted down in black and
white. The job was great national one
and let none be banned who bore an hon.
orabie part in it, while those who have
cleared the great river may we'll be proud.
Even that is not all. 1t is hard TO say