Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-03-24
Shall the Slaves be AIlIes or Foes :


Nowhere have We seen clearer EXPOSE
ton Of the justice and necessity Of the en-
plOyment of negroes in our armies, and of
gaining the slaves Of the South as allies,
rather than leaving them as allies Of the
rebels, than in the following extract from
the speech of General John COchrane at the
Loyal League Mass Meeting at New York
on Friday evening last;
"NOw, fellow-citizens and members of
this National Loyal League, well reeol-
Iect that when to utter the sentiment that
q people at war should use every means
to secure victories over its enemies was
pronounced to be Abolitionism-emanci
pation-and that no person could speak
even with bated breath Of the propriety of
employing those means without being met
with the stigma, and Of being impressed
into the ranks Of the dispised. There was
a time when you dared not, 60 peculiar and
sensitive were the nerves of our politi-
clans, proclaim that even a black mule Of
the enemy should be used, much less pro-
claim that black man should be used
Now, the country opening its eyes to the
facts, announces that it always believed
that the masses had always adjudged, and
knew to be true, that if we are to pursue
victory, the policy Of victory must be
adopted. Applause How stands the
case2 Let me give you q few figures
They will not detain you long; they are as
interesting as troops on this OCCASION
The figures are from our census, taken in
1859, and prepared by q skillful hand, and
[ give you the results. We have in these
Northern States, or the loyal States Of the
Union, four millions of loyal whites be-
tween the ages of eighteen and forty-fve
And in the South, or disloyal States, there
are one million and three hundred thou
sand whites between the ages Of eighteen
and forty-hve. Thus you will see that
we are more than three to one.
Could we conquer-cOuld we subject the
South, even with that proportion of men
in our favor? II may be that we could;
it would be extremely doubtful, however.
In their own Businesses they had allies
these allies we're the blacks. Now these
blacks or slaves within those dislOyal
States numbered three and half millions
and of that three and half millions, two
millions we're lsberers, plantation hands,
mechanics, artisans, and others. OF those
two millions, perhaps three hundred
thousand were employed in domestic ser
vice, leaving one million seven hundred
thousand Of men to be employed in sub
sisting 100000 warriors. These men
and women are actively engaged every
moment in the day in procuring the sub
sistence of the army Of the South. Thus,
they have in the South some three millions
of men consisting Of black laborers and
warriors or in other words, we have four
millions of whites in the North, and three
millions Of whites and blacks in the South.
Could we conquer them by any such pro-
pertion2 No. 1t was too clear and ap-
parent There is no instance in history;
there is nothing upon which to ground a
belief in any rational mind, that with
such proportion between the North and
South, victory would perch upon our ban
ner, and that the result would be in favor
of her institutions But then, fellow
citizens, il we resort to the only means to
be employed, those means which are at
length determined upon and are being
adopted, with the position and this state
ment-and upon this statement it is that
we elucidaie the cogency of the position
that the duties Of the armies Of the United
States at this present moment is to de-
clare that the war must be brought readily
TO a successful conclusion. Say that we
have 100000 of whites at the North; add
TO them !, 100000 blacks at the South, and
you have 5, 100000 engaged in this war for
the Union, and very large proportion of
this number engaged in the enemy's coun-
try,-familiar with its fastnesses,-me
rHho or an nrnars womb be mnsE Valuable
to us as adjuncts---most useful as auxiliar-
les. The South would then be reduced to
l,300, 900 men, and we would then stand
relatively to the South ss five and three
quarters to one and one-third, or as nine
TO two. In that result there is success
loud applause.) In no other result can
it be found. 1t is, therefore, only when
you have invoked the aid and assistance of
that portion Of the Southern strength
which is disafected toward the rebellion,
and which is able and willing to war for
free institutions, that this war is to be
fought successfully and won. Loud
cheers. There was time when even this
statement would have been received with
doubt. That time has passed. Our armies
accept the truth; our citizens receive its
strength; and, united upon that point,
there will be congency in their united sp.
plication and vigorous action in their on
ward stride, which will teach mankind and
the world on the other side of the Atlantic,
that the American people have at length
determined to finish and conclude the war
which the rebellion has thrust upon them"