The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1863-04-10
For the Union and Journal.
How to toll a Traitor.

Mr.. Eprron:-Sirce many people read but
little and get most Of their knowledge OF pub
lie affairs orally from others, II is important
that the sources OF their information should b
pure and patriotic. propose to give few
tests by which honest people may surely know
the character Of their political instructors.
And first the rebel papers have boosted, that,
though the actual number Of whites in the
slave States was less than their number in the
free States, yet they could place as many men
In the field as We, because. while large part
of our able bodied men must stay at home to
carry on our different branches Of industry at
tho North, their slaves do all their work for
them, and every white man OF them can 90 TO
the war. And this boast has been proved to be
true in fact; for in most Of our battles since
this war began, the rebel soldiers have out
numbered ours. Their CONSUMPTION act forces
about every able bodied white man of the South
into their army. This is not all, the slaves not
only raise the corn. grain, beef, aud do the
other home work of the rebels. as they have
heretofore been accustomed to do, but large
numbers of them ore impressed into the public
seryiye Of the rebels. whenever and wherever
needed by them. Slaves build their fOrtihca-
tons, dig rifle pits and entertainments, man
their pickcts and even fight in their ranks.
Now II is perfectly plain, Mr.. Editor, that il
the holders Of slayes-I don't sag blacks, for
many-very many Of the slaves are a. white rs
you or I. 1t Is perfectly plain, say, that. IL the
rebels could be deprived Of the services of their
four millions Of slaves, both Mt home and in their
camp, they would be greatly weakened, and
equally plain. that IL we could secure their
services. we should be greatly strengthened in
this conflict.
Now the Presidents Proclamation of Free
dom to these slaves was designed to do these very
things, that is, to detach the slaves, from the
service OF the rebels, and attach them to our ser
vice; and most admirably Is il cflecting these
objects. Witness Col. Higginson's finely dis
ciplned and brave First South Carolina Regi-
ment, the FIVE colored regiments in Louisiana.
Witness the alacrity, with which the slaves
come and work for us, in the hope of their lib
erty. The coming Of our army Is every where
hailed by them "as the harbinger of Free
DOM
Further. the proclamation Of freedom became
military necessity not only rs it would weaken
the enemy and strengthen us, but also to pre-
vent foreign intervention in favor Of the re-
bellion. What has turned the current Of pub
lie opinion aud sympathy in England, which
until lately ran so strongly in favor of he
South, so suddenly In favor of us, do not
alludc to the aristocracy OF England, who hold
all the landed property in the kingdom by right
of conquest in an aggressive war. under the feu-
dal laws Of Entailment. the robbers right, and
the same by which the South holds It's slaves
and the thief his plumber, and keep the masses
of the people.-if not down in slavery. ut least
down in abject poverty. do not speak Of the
lords and mobiles Of England for these have an
Unborn fellow feeling fer the oppression Of com.
mon people everywhere. and fear that our sue
cess in this war viii make quaking in Eng
land as that Of our war Of 10 did in France,
but OF the masses Of the people of England,
who IS naturally love equality and liberty and
those who fight for them. Nothing has made
/, those masses our friends, but the proclamation
Of ,seedom. The Southern commissioners had
told the people Of England. that the North was
fighting for slavery, as much as the South, and |
had paraded the sayings Of some Of our Timber |
backed statesmen, and the acts of our demo- |
cratic general, before them as evidence OF IL;
and they naturally turned from us with aver
sion and loath;ng. But that great measure Of
freedom turned them at once in our favor. and
the danger Of foreign intervention has gone BY.
Il Is believed. forever.
And. thirdly. that proclamation is perfectly
legitimate. 1t is precisely according to the
Laws and usages Of war. The French did the
sams thing in st. Domingo. and the British lib
Grated slaves a. war measure In our revolu-
tionary war; and no one. not even Mr.. Jener-
son, some Of whose slaves they took from him.
ever questioned their right TO do 30. I