Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1863-09-12

law of war in time of war; The most
that can be said, if so much, is that
slaves are property. Has there ever
been any question that by the laws of
war, property, both enenies and friends,
may be taken when neeled, aud is it not
needed whenever the tsking of it helps
us or hurts the enemy Armies, the
world over, destroy the enemy's proper
ty when they cannot use it, and even
destroy their own to keep it from the en-
envy. Civilized beIIigerents do oil in
their power to help themselves or hurt
the enemy, except in a few things regar-
ded as barbarous ard cruel. Among
the exceptions are tie massacre of van
quislied foes and non-combattants, male
and female. But the proclamation as
law is valid or not valid. If it is not
valid it wants no retraction. If ii is val
id it cannot be re,raded any more than
the dead can be brou Int 10 life.
Some of Won profess TO think that re-
traction would operate tavorably to The
Union. Why better after the retraction
than beioYe the issue There was more
than year and half Of trial TO sup
press the rebellion before the pfoclama-
lion was issued, the last one hundred
days Of which passed under an explicit
notice that it was coming unless averted
by those in revolt returning to their ale
glance.
The war has certainly progressed as
favorably 10 us since the issue Of the
proclamation as before. know, rs full
" rs one can know the opinions Of 9th
ers, that some of the commanders OF our
armies in the field, who have given us
our most important victories, believe the
emancipation policy and The aid of col
ored troops constitute the heaviest blows
yet dealt to the rebellion, and that at
least one of those successes could not
have been achieved where it was, but
for the aid of back so!diers.
Among the commanders holding these
views are some who have never had any
affinity with what is called aboiiionism,
or the Republican party politics, but who
hold them purely as military opinions
| submit their opinions, as being entitled
to some weight against the objections
often urged that emancipation and arm
ing blacks are unwise rs military meas
ures, and were not adopted as such in
good faith.
You say that you will not fight to free
negroes; some of them seem willing
enough to fight fo' you, but no matter.
Fight vou then exclusively 70 save the
Union. | issued he proclamation and
propose TO aid you in saving the Union.
Whenever you have conquered all rcsis.-
ance to the Union, if / shall urge YOU to
continue fighting. It will be an apt time
then for YOU to declare that you shall not
| fight to free negroes. | thought that in
your struggle for the ULion. 10 whatever
extent the negroes should cease helping
the enemy in bis resistance to YOU. You
think differently.
thought that whatever negroes can
be got to do as soldiers, leaves SO much
less for white soldiers to do in saving
the Union. Does it appear otherwise TO
You? But negroes, like other people,
act upon motive. Why should they do
ANYTHING for us if we will do no;hing
for them? If they stake their lives for us
| they must lie prompted bv the strong
est motive, even the promise of free
dom, aud The promise Icing made mast
be kept.
The signs look better. The Father of
Waters goes unvexel to the sea, thanks
to the Great Northwest for it. Nor yet
wholly to them. Three hundred miles
up they met New England, the Empire
and Keystone states and New Jersey,
hewing their way right and left. The
sunny South too, il more ceIors than
one, lent hand. On the spot, their
part of the history was jotted down in
black and white. The Job was a great
one, and let none be barred who bore an
honorable pant in it. And While those
who have cleared the great river may
well be proud, yet even that is not ALL
1t is hard TO say that anything has been
more LraveIy and better done than Mt
Antietam. Murfreesboro. Gettysburg and
on many fields of less note.
4NOl must VI INlt hCttii MCOUSu lSCt
be forgotten AT al the waters mar
gins they have beer present. Not only
on the deep sea, the broad bay, and the
rapid river, but also up the narrow mud
bayou. and wherever the ground was
lite damp they bad been and made their
tracks.
Thanks to all; for the great Republic;
for the principles by which it lives and
keeps alive; for mans vast fortune
thanks to all! Peace does not appear SO
distant as il did. | hope it will come
soon, and come 10 stay, and so come as
10 be worth tie keeping an all future time.
Il will then have been proved that
among freemen there can be no success
full appeal from the ballot to the bullet,
and that they who take such appeal are
to lose their case and pay the cost. And
then there will be some black men who
can remember that with silent tongue,
and with clenched teeth, and with steady
eye, and weIl-poised bayonet, they have
helped mankind to this great consmma-
ton; eohile J. fear Met there a0W be some
wtife men, aoJle 10. forget that soith
malignant heart, md deceibM speech,
Mey haze Striven TO hinder al.