Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-02-20

uA6 emUEHCtu all tuo Hb6 VI
eighteen to forty-6ve years. Their armies
like our own, waste away by tho casualties
Of war, and there can be little force in re-
serve to supply tho drain. An examination
of the preliminary report of the cenaus OF
1850, Of which have had the honor to trans.
NIT you copy, will show on page l3l that
that the body Of tho population upon which
the South must draw for tho supply Of the
drain III less evon tkan | suggested in our
recent communication. THO aggregate FREQ
population Of all the save States, including
Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, kentucky and
Missouri, is only 8,2S9,763; but from this
must be deducted tho population of thost
Blayo States in the possession Of the United
States where no conscription law of the South
could possibly be enforced, aud likewise the
free blacks of tho South, in whose hands
they dare not place arms. The free popula
tion Of these States shown by the census of
1860 is rs follows: Delaware, l10,4l8; Mary
land, 5Oe 800; Kentucky, 930,20l; Missouri,
l,O67,0Sl; Ksnswhs, or Western Virginia,
with Jefferson, Accomsc and Northampton
counties; estimated st SIS, ,7z4; fros blacks
Of the South to be deducted $50, ,7S7-mAking
an aggregate of 3.338,l2l, which when de-:
Quoted from the aggregate free population of
the. South, leaves only 4,95l,642, in
cluding men, women and children
Tho general accuracy Of these figures
can readily be tested by reference to
pages l3l and 28G, 287, 28S and 2s9
of tho Genius Report before referred to-
1t il true that to some slight extont troops
may voluntarily 20 into tho Southern army
from portions If the country not in their
possession; but these would probably be at
loast balanced by those withholding them.
selves along the coasts, in the towns and ckios
Of the S,uth sub jcct to our control, and for
which no allowance is made in the above oslcu.
lation. need not recaptulato the popula-
tion OF the free States aud oft border States
in UT possession. The aggregate, ty a ro-
ference TO the same Census Report, will be
seen to be within fraction of 100000
(2l 99G. 345.) During the last summer, in
addition 10 tho army then in the field, they
raisod within the space Of two months pIin-
cipally by voluntary enlistment 100000
men, and there is yet another and still another
army in the reserve as am instructed, to
take their place, in whole or in part, should
that unhappily become necessary.
In the foregoing estimate have taken no
o count Of the slaves Of the South as a source
either Of strength or weakness. As thay
have been used heretofore, they havo GER
tainly added strength to their masters. They
have, in fact fod tho army: Sons have boon
forced to labor with il to the trenches, while
the great mass have tOlled in tho folds at
homo, thus leaving almoat tho entire popula-
ton Of tue South free to fight its batllls
Emancipation, should it occur, whilo it liber-
ates the slave, would cut off this sGurce of
8trcnsth from their nlastsr1. Their supplies
in tho rear must he kept up or their army can
not be hold together. Tho one is essential to
tho maintenance ofthe otLer. 4 time may soon
come, therefore, when, aside from the appre-
hepsions incident to emancipation, the slaves
Of the South will be to their masters source
of weakness, and not of strength. Permit
mo, however, here to add that whoever may
have entertained apprehensions Of servile
war, such do not suppose for moment TO
have been contemplated by the President in
forrshadowing his policy Of emancipation
Tho slaves of the South, scattered over \ vast
extent of country, have no arms and no
means Of procuring them. They have little
intelligence no means Of distant inter-com.
muuication, and can have no general concert
of aetioo. They may refuse to labor for their
masters, and their masters cannot maintain
them.
Tho map left with your Excellency show
ing the por centage Of slaves in each county
of the South will prove this beyond . ques-
ton. In certain largo sections of country,
along the Mississippi more especially, there
is about twenty eight per cent. only of white
population. AL the rest are slaves. Of this
population the able-bodied are now almost
entirely away with the army. Gould attempts
| L 10 1nr al To- o,,txr
the slaves to forced obedience they may
resist, or they may leave their plantations, as
many have already done, and seek the friend
ly shelter of the Union flag. But neither
principle nor policy will induce the United
SOates to encourage serVile war, or prompt
| tho slave to cut the throat Of hia master or
his mastor's family. The government will
not evon permit, as l have already said to
you, it's own soldiers, or the soldiers Of the
enemy acting as guerril'as or marauders, be-
longing to no organizea force and under no
regular flag, 10 make war or attack even an
armed enemy without punishment; still less
would it encourage or permit slaves to offend
against humanity by attacks upon the feeble
and helpless. That an isolated case or cases
of wrong may occur in the course of estsb-
liahing a great change, if such shall be estab.
lished in the social organization ofthe South is
not improbable, but in every such case doubt
not that tho arm of the government would
promptly interfere to protect and to punish
This, how ever, 10 matter incidental only to
the subject of my communication.
Leaving the question of population, pass
for m6mont to the other great element Of
strength in war, and that ia money. l have
already said that the resources Of the South
in men would seem to be practically exhaus-
ted, and their RESOURCES in money, think,
must bo equally 30. / sm instructed, that
with floating debt of $4O0, 100000, repre-
sented by papor at discount Of IS per cent,
they have neither raised, nor have they the
means of raising, revenue equal to
$4,000, 900 in any form or for any purpose
| Want and diatress arc already disclosing
themselves in painful firms throughout the
entire region occupied by the insurgents
On the other hand, the government Of the
United States has, rs am instructed, reve-
nus available in the procious metals of more
than $lOO000,000, whio its mines are yield
ing gold more rapidly than foreign trade
withdraws it from the country. In this vital
matter OF finance, therefore, thore does not
seem to cxist betweon the parties an equality
of stri myth. So far, indeed, IS can SEQ, such
equality has existed nowhere, except on Ger
tain battle fields, especially between The two
armies in Virginia. Here tho insurgents have
advanced and rotreated. They have gained
battles and lost them. do not mean to de-
prooate their gsllanty; they are yet my
countrymen Hero at least they have shown
equality of strength; But everywhere else the
permanent gain has been with tho armies Of
tho Union.
laval myself of this occAuion to rcnow to
your Exoellsncy Assurances OF the most dis
tinsuished consideration, with which have
tho honor to be your Excellency's very obe-
dient servant WILLIAM L. DAYTON.
Mr.. DAYTON TO MR. SEWARD.
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