Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-06-03

An act of the rebel congress-" approved
by Davis on the LIST of June, orders
''That every white person, being a commits
stoned officer or acting such, who, during
the present war, shall command negroes or
mulattoes in arms against the confederate
states, or who shall arm, train, organize or
prepare negroes or muattoes for military SER
vice against the confederate states, or who
shall voluntarily aid negroes or nulattoes in
any military enterprise attack or conflict in
such service, shall be deemed as melting SER
vile Instruction, and shall, if captured, be
put to death, or be otherwise punished at the
discretion of the military court"
1t is further decreed that
'All negroes and mulattoes who shall be
engaged in war or taken in arms against the
confederate states, shall give aid COM
fort to the enemies of the chntedarate afataa-
SHAH, when captured in the confederate states,
be delivered to the authorities of the state or
states in which they shall be captured, to be
dealt with according to the present. or future
laws of such state or states"
1t seems hardly probable that the rebels
will really attempt to enforce these bloody
and barbarous menaces but it is unsafe to
say what mad and savage thing may not be
attempted by men who boast that they are
hostile to the ages civilization" and
also that they take their principles from 'the
ancient world, that is to say, the dark ages.
But these threats of Davis and the rebel ICON
gress" present question which our govern
ment will find it necessary to settle without
delay. We have now in the field dozen or
more regiments of colOred troops differed by
white men; and we can not suppose that the
! Il.
cold-blooded assassination, if they should be
taken prisoners, without being called to order
The policy they threaten to adopt is in def
ance of all the established rules of civilized
warfare, and has hardly been equaled in afro
city by the bloodest savageS. The New York
Evening Post discusses the matter as follows
''By the rules of war we have undoubtedly
the right to detach persons from the service
of the enemy wherever we can. Thus, n,
one denied that Napoleon had the right to call
the serfs to his side when he invaded Russia.
He was advised to do SO; he refused only be-
cause he desired to conclliate the emperor and
the arlstocracy, to whose principles he had
become convert. He failed in his campaign,
and was ruined, because of this re fusal and
the aristocrats whom he sought to conciiate
remained his relentless enemies.
"The case of the rebels stands thus at pres
ent they must press into their armies every
white man in the south; they are doing this
as fast as they can hunt up fugitives and press
conscripts; they cannot in any way short of
this maintain an army in the field. But if
they put all the whites under arms, they must
depend upon the industry of the negroes to
raise food for the army. Now the negroes
are not friendly to the rebellion; they run
away whenever they can; they are ready to
fight the re bells, and thus to release other ne
groes. This is the weak poiut of the rebels;
they feel it, and peremptoriy denounce death
against all who take advantage of it.
''Such threats are only boys play SO long
as they remain threats; when they are carried
into effect they will require prompt and stern
retribution. Gen. Burnside has just declared
that he will hang all the rebel officers in his
hands, in case the rebels aSSassinate two of
his officers as they threaten. Gen. Hunter
some time ago announced to Beauregard that
for every officer or private of colored regi-
ment falling into rebel hands, whom Beaure-
gard shall maltreat or hang, he would mall
treat or hang two rebel officers; and that in
selecting objects for such retaliation he would
pick out always those who were the most ex-
tenslve shareholders.
'No doubt Gen. Banks will take care to
project Ills black soldiers and their officers in
IKE manner, II he has not ALREADY done so.
IN inc tneantime, as Grants captures give us
considerable surplus of prisoners, the gov
eln'nen', we are glad To see, has at once
eIopPeo the parolnng Of prisoners of war nm
Ia WI laws p,euges himself to treat as pris.
oners OF war All oheers and soldiers al the
United States" Vi the