Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1863-06-11

About Changing the Object Of the
War

uvieutiUB unu ucotioyiiB t'c icoei himieS'
Upon this all who make any pretense Of
loyalty agree. How are military organisa-
tions, which comprise half million of
soldiers. and virtually every able bodied
man in the South, to be defeated aud de.
stroyed The undertaking is war as great
as any Government ever had on its hands,
and it demands every means of war. So
for we may proceed without meeting dis
pute. But what has the Government done
In carrying ON the war that is not justified
by the usagcs, rules and rights OF war? If
anything, let it be specified, and, if shown
to be in violation or excess Of these, We will
grant thatit should be modified, and brought
within these limits. Ii the means the
Government has used are within the rights
Of war, will any one say, in the face Of the
destruction and perils Of this terrible war,
that the Government should have reirained
from using them? f..r....r
The Govern acnt has resolved to use to
some extent the black inhabitants Of the
rebel districts, to aid in the war, and to de.
prive the rebellion of that resource. The
only question in the matter is military one.
The first is, will these blacks be an assist.
ance to us in destroying the rebel armies,
whether in fighting them, or cutting off
their supplies? No one doubts that they
may be powerful assistance and the at.
tempt Of the rebels to prevent it by pro
claiming savage penalties on the blacks, and
on our officers who encourage, arm or com
mand them, shows how they regard it,
Second, is the acceptance. protection and
use of the slaves Of the rebels in carrying
on the war against them, just6able by the
rules and rights of war? We doubt If any
will pretend that it is not, We have pictures
Of the horrors of servie insurrection and
of the massacre of women and children,
but we have no argument to show that the
killing of men in battle is not as proper for
blucks as whites. and at this time there are
too many horrors of white insurrection,
and too much slaughter of strong. vigorous
young men-the very life blood of communi
ties-to permit US to waste any sympathies
on purely imaginary horrors. ......
Then if the use which the Government
has made Of the blacks, and the policy it
has adopted toward them, brings us aid in
carrying out what all agree Is the only true
war policy-the destruction OF the rebel
armies; and If, As none can successfully
dispute, it is within the rights OF war, wha,
right has any one to declare that by using
the blacks as military resource the Gov
ernment has changed the object Of the wari
Suppose that this war shall destroy Slavery,
is that any reason for charging the Govern
nent with making war on Slavery, instead
of on the rebellion. 1t might with just a
much reason be said that because the opera
tions of our armies destroy and consume
property, the Government has changed th'
purpose of the war, to raid on property
Rebellion made the war. The Govern
ment could have no other object than tt
put it down. So long as it declares its pur
pose to he to subdue the rebellion and pre-
4 serve the Nation, and so long as it uses onl
such means as will aid in carrying on tn
war against the rebel armies or which Civ
| reasonable promise Of aid, no person has1'
right to say that it has changed the objoC
Of the war; and while the rebel armie
threaten the national existence, no one bu
traitor will say this. II householder
raof were in flames, and as he was about I
! ascend with bucket of WATER, bystanG
er, should oall on the people TO seize til
householder, and pinion his arms, on Ii
charge that he had changed the Object
his exertions, and was carrying water mol
. to disturb the Leighborhood Than to Put OF
the fire, he would be set down as the il
! cendiary or an accomplice. So we mt
justly set down as accomplices of the rebe
those who, in this confagration the Natio
70 raise the clanor that the Government b
changed the object Of the var, and is wa
ing it, not to put dewn the rebellion, but
destroy Slavery. s,.I e.
30 persons itinerate the country, like o
Represehtative- called because he repr
>, sents nothing herein Pendleton, stirri
nd up lhe seditious elements, clamoring th
the war If prosecuted to success will destr
: the sovereignty, as they call it, OF t
States, and therefore the Union Of t
States wilfbe gone forever" and in t
i5 place of that we shall have unity Of ter
+ tory" and "nnmitigated despotis,n."
what right does Mr.. Pendleton declare II
4 success in destroying tho rebel armies v
q be the destruction OF State rights, OF ST.
sovereignty, or by whatever name he u
& designate the State organzations2 Is
S3belhon a State rightP Does the preser
ition OF the States hang ON the success Of
rebel armies2 If Mr. Psndieton thinks
ale why is he on this side Of the Iinesf II
3 thinks SO, what right has he to I'd ab
D. haransuing the people in the rear OF
- armies? II he does rot think that the pl
s eryation Of the States; OF the Constitut
, and of our liberties hangs ON the success
has the rebel armies, how can he declare, t
II their destruction will destroy all these
MN a. ..,.o,;.;oatad daonot;.,o9 a..