The mountain Democrat., 1863-02-14
White or Black.

Stephen A. Douglas used to declare that
i this was a nation of white men; at our
government was government OF white
men, established for the benefit of white
men, to be administered by white men,
and to stand or fall as white men should
prove true or false to their own highest
interests. Mr.. Douglas is dead. Were
he alive to-day, no might possibly learn
that he had mistaken the theory and pur-
pose of the government he so long anS
faithfully served.
"Is it true" asks the Providence (R. I.l
Post, THAT our government is adGIn's-
tered COR tie benefit OF white zen! Look
through the record Of the ThirtJ J-seventh
Congress what IL il but 4 record OF
legislation for the benefit OF BLACK men !
There are bills to increase the white
mans tariff, and the white mans tax.
There are bills appropristing eleven hun
dred millions OF dollars, the hard earnings
of the white men Of the North and in the
West. There arc bills authorizing the
ST a[:.-:, =. 1ASiitAA * ThiIe men 20
fight the battles Of the country, ard other
bills By which they may 60 forced into
the ranks ;f they prove slow in answer
ing the call for volunteers. This is the
white mans legislation. All the rest is
for the especial benefit Of the black man.
\ million Of dollars IS appropriated to
give freedom 10 the LACK men Of The Dis
trict Of Columbia. One hundred thou
sand dollars is appropriated to pay :he
expenses Of colonizinS them. A resolu-
ton is passed piedging the country-the
white men-to pay foT all the slaves in
the South, whenever the States in which
they are held shall consent TO their e'nan-
cpation. Confscat;on bills look to the
black mans intereSts--not % the white
mans. The white man who IS found in
the ranks of the enemy is traitor; the
black man, by the very fact Ct being en-
ployed to cid the rebellion, becomes con-
traband, and is entitled to his liberty.
Then there is bi, to give freedom to his
wife and childTen-a bill to give food and
clothing and protection to all men and
women and children Of African descent.
And finally, there is authority some
where-we don't know precisely where
for gathering these African people into
little communities, and learning them to
cultivate cotton, make rush baskets, and
read the spelling book-at the white
mans expense. Gen. Butler issued more
rations to runaway negroes than to his
entire army, the President says; and all
the other camps southwark, it is well
enough known, are filled with colored
gentlemen and ladies, who are waited
upon by white soldiers.
Recently the President has issued two
proclamations or orders. The first refers
exclusively to negroes, and proclaims
freedom to the four millions Of slaves af
ter certain definite date. The whole ar
my of twelve hundred thousand white
men is to be employed to aid these four
millions in getting their liberty. They
are to be welcomed within our lincs-fed,
clothed, protected, transported, nnrsed
and waited upon by white soldiers at the
governments expense. Rations for four
millions must be served to them, If four
millions they number, every day-and
Unc!e Sam, the white man, must pay the
b,is lie must keep on paying the bills,
for these negroes c.ast re: be left . the
tender merc;es oc the South, lest they be
reen:lav.d. Tney muct be K pt in States
whcrc freedom is certain, Lo matter
whether sn employment cen be found for
them or not. They are to oe free, bear
in mind, and 10 labor is to be wrested
from them against their will.
These are the main provisions of the
first proclamation. The second is not
Z" like unto the first.' It relates chiefly
to white men. It establishes martial law
over twenty millions Of free people. 1t
strikes down trial By jury IN all cases
where there Is suspicion of disloyalty,
or charge of disloyaity, without any
such suspicion. Following so closely
upon the negro proclamation. it IS sup
posed to have some relation so:t; to
be a measure, really, for its Enforcement.
It looks like IN effort 70 strangie, b. the
strong arm Of military power, all opposi-
ticn tc an unpopular measure. 1t seems
to say: Government has taken q bold
step. 1t means to make this war for the
negro-the white mcn Go the fighting
and pay The bills. You whit. men NAV
not like it. or course you will rot like
it. But look out! There is to be no free
dom OF speech, hereafter ard if you are
arrested Cor di2loyal practices, no matter
what they may be, trial by court mar
tial, in another State, is all you can ex-
pect Ifyou are found guilty, you may
be hung, or you may be shot, or you may
be sent to prison. But guilty or not
guilty, your lips will be padlocked. Re-
member, We are 6ghting in the cause of
freedom; and it becomes absolutely ne
cessary, therefore, that we should adopt
the policy of freedom-loving Austria,
where it has been ascer,ained by actual
experiment, that free talking does more