Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-01-20
STOLEN AND DEPORTED SLAVES.

The New York Herald, in a late article on Lin.
s'n'S enumeration proclamation, which it declares
r,n have no effect. except where there are armies
IN position to carry it out, has the following
farasaph:
4 The Constitution defines treason and prescribes
the mode of punshing it. Whole communities
tannot be legally made traitors by proclamatiOns,
koy their property seized and confScated; and il
A,,Dc-css passed fifty laws on the subject they
Aro,d have 10 legal efficacy. Consequently, if
A,,va nroncrtv should be taken away from the citi-
lens Of the United States by Generals of the army
n virtue Ct the proclamation of the President the
rBerty must be restored or paid for by the United
&tltes Government, unless the persons from whom
had been taken should be convicted of treason in
! court of law, and after full and fair trial.
The Hera!d is correct. The slaves taken from
bur citizens during the war will have to be account
Ii for at its end either by restoration or indemnity.
The matter will not admit of controversy, for, in
Aldition to the obvious propriety of such course,
he exact question has been adjudicated by the
nted States, and stands on record against them.
.At the end of the Revolutionary war, and again at
the close of the war of 1872, this point came up,
aHd it was settled in the Treaty of Peace of 1888,
bad in the Treaty of Ghent in 1914, IN favor OF the
restitution of slaves abducted by military authority
from the South. \ Southern contemporary, who
has taken the trouble to refer to the record, presents
1t is true that Great Britain long and strenuously
resisted the fIfmcnt of these articles in the two
tr.atieS and as to the first finally succeeded by
Nearing out the patience Of the American Govern
rent in causing the claim to be waived or dropped.
lrng the revolution, thousands of slaves were car
frl away by the British upon precisely the same
rounds as is now done by the Yankee Generals, to
BIT: for the purpose of weakening and annoying
lar enemies, and because, as property OF enemies,
-r,,I OFyr kiSt nTpCpntC
with another parallel between British policy and
.nkee policy and its results. 1t informs US that
Virginia alone, $1,000 negroes taken from their
hlsterS, pcriShed of disease in British camps The
me destruction of life is now going on In Yankee
flpS from disease, exposure prIVatlon ana neglect
The statesmen of the Union never remained sat-
lied with the inexecution of the treaty of 1888. In
seventh article of that treaty, it was specifically
Stipulated that the evacuation (by the British troops)
1uld be made without carrying away any ne
rOes or other property belonging to the American
laabtants." Yet thousands were carried away
thOut restitution or compensation. The Congress
the Confederation, and afterwards the Federal
I0vernment, continued to insist on indemnity until
he claim became obsolete by being waived at the
fo7agson of jays Treaty Of 1871. But what Gen.
ra WashingtonS administration contended for IN
Faa conceded after protracte1 negotiation and
Frusgle after the war of 1912.
lie United States Commissioners AT Ghent pro-
lied against this old difficulty in the first article
The treaty. in these words: "All places taken,
shall be restored without delay &C., or carrying
y Of the artillery, or other public property orig
'Iy captured IN the sail ports or places, or any
hes ,t or other private property"
ram as this provision was, Great Britain made it
NJjeCtOf long continued controversy with the
''ed States and after seven years of vain efforts
cone to an understanding, the two powers were
Abe to accomplish it, and it was agreed to refer
tleStIon to arbitrament. The Emperor, Alex
~ OF Russia, accepted the post of arbitrator, and
=. eI IN favor of the United States. The decision
'ehmperOr was as unintelligible to Great Britain
treaty stipulation had been. A second mis-
~ standing gave rise to another negotiation
"'5 ended in an agreement to pay the value of
'FDorted slaves This took place ia 1927,
nrs Adams being President, and some twelve
DJar,s.l thousand dollars being the amount of the
uara.5 case vas solemnly presented to the Emperor
Jpnrr ": ohe United States represented by Mr..
h. e. -, n,'ulleiOn, then minister, and Great Britain
H., ~, nIharleS Bagat-the Counts NeSselrOde and
fear," i"rias receiving the arguments to be laid
fSraro,ls he Emperor. His MajeStys decision was
i.P.ry, that the United States are entitled to
,r'., i'lemnitication from Great Britain for all
k,pd ~ property carried away by the British forces,
NFvrI;: "I such slaves as were carried away" &c.
.i.rSI as was the decision, the British minister
o',.ne 'ne point that it did not apply to slaves who
,noI.ail Joined the British troops to obtain their
El0 T" and he submitted a note to be laid before
W, =. 'i''9eror on that point "To this note" said
"''''"h' IN his Thirty Years View," "Alex-