New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-02-04
That insOient

y" w """Soo NhcuoVef captured Ihes In5Olenb
threos remains unrevoked, yet Gen. Hunter
has just been sent back by our Government TO
hi, Department with unlimited authority TO
arm and employ black troops. Tho proca.
nation in pursuance Of the same defiant
aud barbarous policy, awarded the doom
of an outlaw to Gen. Butler and oil
commissioned officers under him, aud 10 hand
over 10 state authorities all negroes taken ia
arms and all officers serving with them. This
proclamation was issued OIL the 23d Of last
December, and we are yet waiting for the
official response by our Government. Gen.
Butler, it is said is speedily 10 be re-
stored 10 the command Of his Department,
and most Of bis officers Lave all the
while remained in s6ryice-among them not q
| few ia command Of negro troops. Moreover,
BY his message TO the Rebel Congress, Davis
extends this seqteDce-Yhicb is practically
| hanging--tO all officers of the United States
armies taken in the States embraced in the
Emancipation Proclamation. in other words,
our officers, when captured are no logger
prisoners of war, but fclOns. They cue not
paroled nor exchanged, but imprisoned to await
their trial under State laws as aocomplice1 in
scryle Instructions, a crime Of which the
penalty is death.
Prompt aud fitting response by our. Govern
ment to these menaces is Of even more coase-
TO the lives OF its defenders The only
action known 10 have been taken is be
issuing Of on order from tie Office Of
Gen. lIaeck fOrbiddiug the parole or e1-
change of Rebel officers until the Rebel proc
lamation Is revoked We do not even pos.
itiyely know that that order was general, nor
whether It has been enforced though We are
slow to believe there is any basis in fact for
the House resolution of inquiry whether any
Rebel officers have been paroled since its Issue.
lIe that as ii may, our officers and the negroes
in our service are practically fighting With II
halter about their nccks, and the Government
hits not finger for their protection. Their
peril is imminent aBd their fate certain unless
aycrted by the fear Of retaliation. Negr0es
not taken in arms, but serving rs Transfers,
haze been barbagousy murdered in repeated
instances within The last month. There Is 10
possible doubt that tue Rebels are il earnest
Just 50 earnest that they viii 10 what tbey
threaten, unless deferred by tue certainty that
their captured officers will meet the same fate
with which ours are menaeed.
Reclamation then, il orr Only possible policy
a measure Of necessity 30 plain that we DO not
stop to argue ii. What we do think il neccs.
sary to urge is that tits policy shall be officially
announced by The oYernmen.-annouuced at
once, and in the most uumstakable method aud
terms-no matter what may DO Mr. Jefferson
Da,iss political position or relation TO the
Government He il at least the military chief
of insurgcut Stotos, whose armies are confront
ing ours in open war, and as such be has the
power TO carry bis threats into execution. We
have over aud over Hgala acknowledged the
beligerent character OF the Rebels, by flag,
Of truce aud exchange Of prisoner. We
cannot stand now Oh technically. Ii IS
necessary not only TO reta!late, but TO say that
We shall retaate--eyen if, in order to say it,
some recognition of Days's existence, or some
reference to his proclamation cannot DO avoided.
Possibly that is no! the punctilio on which our
silence rests, bat if not, for what other reason
is that silence unbroken
The probable passage of the bill to which
We have referred makes the necessity Of az.
nOuncing some positive policy more pressing
aud imperative. Davis may hesitate long be-
fore he hangs white officers. But black soldiers
are to be employed and are liable to capture.
We know that rs matters now stand, they
eau expect no mercy from the Rebels-nO rec
ogn;tou az Union soldiers entitled 10 life and
parole aud exchange. IL is this character and
safeguard which We must bestOw on them be-
fore We have q right to use them. Possibly
we may hang as many white Rebels as Davis
hangs black loyalist' But the eject of the
announcement Of It's purpose By Govern.
ment ia advance, should that be- necessary,
viii be 10 avert tho slaughter on both
sidss, and therefore may become u mea-
sure Of humanity, not less than ot policy
and hcuor. Public opinion will compel us be.
lore long to protect with equal care every SOL
der who fights under our flag. Lot US pro-
tect thom without needless bloodshcd, without
the saDginary horrors of actual retaliation, by
the declaration that iis most awful penalties
will be rclrntlessly inflicted tho moment the
necessity is imposed on US.
Aud finally, if retaliation is TO be adopted.
our record must be clear one. Before we
can enter on "A career 50 terrible as that, IT
We mean to appeal to the federation Of Chris
tendon and tho verdict OF History for our