The mountain Democrat., 1863-02-21

cion that the negro is the cause of the
war, aud ever 81 innocent contraband
is greeted with the cry Halo, that's
what's the mater.
~A&S--------
CoNDIrIoN OF THE CoNTRABANDs. Let.
tcrS from the army, written by cores
poud,ntS Of Republican journals, show
that the soldiers do not welcome with
open arms the contrabandS, nor treat them
With marked kindness and familiarity
White soldiers cannot forget that they be-
long to a superior race, that they are en-
titled to more consideration than slaves,
and arc the peers OF those who administer
the Federal Government All efforts to
place negroes upon an equality with them
must prove fruitleSs, and may end disaS-
trouSly to the Union cause. 1t is bad
enough to fight to free the negroes and be
taxed to support them, and be prosecuted
for not Sympathzing with them but to
associate with and treat them as equals,
few white men will submit to. Procla-
nations may cmancipate, they cannot
change the nature, color or intellect Of
the black race. This the soldiers know,
and self respect induces them to treat the
contrahandS as interiors.
\ correspondent Of the New York
Times, writing from Helena, Arkansas.
thus describes the pets Of the Abolti n
lists and the way they are used by the
soldiers
"Freelom in the abstract is a fine
thing, and will do to fight, preach, pray,
suffer, starvc for but when Freedom
amounts to no more than what the ne.
groes obtain at Helena, it is different af-
fair. There it means simply freedom TO
starve, rot, die, and the sooner the bet
ter. Since reached that place the av.
eragc daily mortality among the contra.
bands has been from ten to twenty. No
body takes any further interest in them
than to kick them out Of the way when
ever they get in it, and to curse them on
,
ri us decentralization to the army. Their
condition is not single remove above
that of bruteS- more degraded, help.
less class of people exists nowhere on the
continent. If our philanthropy is to end
in taking them away from their masters,
we had better in mercy to them, decree
that as fast as cnancipaied they shall be
shot"
Resolution OF CONGRESS. With what
consistency or propriety can the mem.
b Rs Of Congress who voted for Critten-
den's resolution iDdorSe Mr.. Lincoln ;
emancipation proclamation :? The Prcsi-
dent himself approved 1t, and has stulti-
fled himself and his party friends by is,
suing his proclamation. Did he approve
it to deceive and betray the people /?
That resolution declares,
"That this war is not waged in any
spirit Of oppression, or for any purpose
Of conquest or subjugation, or purpose
Of ovcrthrowing or interfering with the
rights or established institutions of the
States, but to defend aud maintain the
supremacy Of the Constitution, AMI to
preserve Union, with all the dignity,
equality and rights of the several States
unimpaired, and that as SON as these nb.
jects are accomplished the war ought to
cease"
On the 22d of July, 1861, Congress
passed the above resolution by an al
most unanimous vote. The President
was careful to conceal his real object
from the people. He knew that they
woald not sanction any interference
with the rights or established inStitu-
tions Of the States" and under a solemn
pledge that the war was not to be waged
for any such purpose, he obtained large
appropriations and immense armies.
Then it was no longer necessary to play
the hypocrite. He has thrown off the
mask and now appears in his true char.
acter, the champion Of the doctrine Of the
AbOitioniSts. Had be issued his procla-
nation at the commencement of the war
he would have obtained but few volun-
teers, for the army is composed of vast
majority Of Democrats, nearly all of
whom are opposed to it, and it would
have been received by all save the ultra
AboitionistS, with scorn and execration.
How diSgraceful that the head of a great
nation should resort to perfdy to carry
his point!