, 1863-09-01
JENF.S LAST f,4Hn.

The announcement that Mr. J. Davis,
the President Of the Pirates C0nfederacv,
has, alter conference with the Governors
Of the rebellious States, decided to put half
a million pf co1ored troops into the field as
a reinforcement Of the shattered armies
under his command, is not wholly une1-
pected. We know nothing Of the authority
upon which it is made; bnt if the story be
not true today, time will verify it. The
rebels mean to arm their slaves.
We hear, in anticipation, the shouts Of
de1is3on and defiance By which the knowl-
edge Of this determination will be received,
and we hear also tie confident expression
Of opinion that all such auxi1laries will be
curse rather than help to the rebel
cause; that the blacks will not fight in
such a cause; that, If forced into the ranks
they viii fire upon their allies; and that
they will not fail to desert by companies,
regiments and brigades, and, beneath our
flag, do valiant service against their op-
p1cssors.. There is reason in all such an
ticipations, and doubtless We may look for
here and there a partial realization Of what
Northern optimists will be sure to expect
as the consequences Of this desperate ex-
pedient that the enemy are about to adopt.
Cooler and wiser heads will see, however,
in this new measure only new danger to
the triumph Of the loyal arms. Two years
Of war in which the potency Of slavery as
an aggressive power, has been tested, have
taught them that the slave, even in this
case, where his intereste, his inclinations,
and his hopes are all on our side, is pow
crful and obedient tool in his masters
hands, and that, accustomed as he is to
habits Of obedience, defenceless, acting
without concert with his fellows, without
means, ignorant and fearful, he may be
made to do more than Yeoman's service in
cause that he loathes and abhors Again.
though We believe that the promise Of
emancipation to the slaves who take up
arms in defense Of treason, is premedita-
ted cheat and lie born Of the deceit and
cruelty that slavery engenders, it will
not be without its effect upon those to
whom it is addressed. With the assurance
Of freedom and freehold, Of a continued
residence in the scenes amid which thew |
were born, with the wives Of their choice |
and the children with which they are
blessed, ~ we shall not be surprised to
hear that companies, battalions, regiments
and brigades are organized with q degree
Of speed tint will shame the tardv efforts
TINT our authorities have made in thet
direction. These, skilfully distributed
among the drilled and disciplined troo2s
will, BY the spirit Of emulation, if from no
higher motive, soon be in condition to do
the greatest possible injury to theirftiends.
That they will, ifthc object for. which
they are recruited wins, be again renanded
to slavery made ten-fold more bitter
by the hopes that brief freedom has ex-
cited, is fact that they will not know
until too 1nte. Content with the mere
promise from the rebels Of what they
would hare as a certainty among the
Union men, they will be the backbone Of
TIC rebel army. Some will desert, and
othe1s VIII betray, and a few with arms In
theif hands Will be well revcnged for what
they have suffered; but once In the army
the great body Of them viii be soldiers
And our readers know that re believe In
their efficiency in any field.
It remains to be seen how this en]ist;nr
Of blacks will react upon the nobulur
mind Of the superior racs of the South
Our own idea Is, that 1t will produce firm
Resistance, and well directed aud organized
effort for putting quick end 10 the war.
The object for which it was waged viii
be set aside, and there will remain only
the old hale That may be easily assuascd. !