Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-10-14
The Negro Controversy I'm the South

The Negro Controversy In the South.
The authenticity of JEFF. Dayis's despe-
rate speech at Macon, Ga, has been doubt
ed; bat the Richmond Enquirer and the
southern papers generally print it as genu-
ine, aud there can be no reasonable doubt
of the fact Nor is there any doubt that
the proposition of the Richmond Enquirer
to free and arm quarter of million of
slaves to fight the Yankees is made in all
sincerity. 1t has always been predicted
by those who knew the rebel eonspirators
that the arming of the negroes would be
their last resort. The Enquirer proposes
FIRST to conseript enough negroes to perform
all the severe labor connected with the
rebel armies, so that every white man may
be put into the field, and afterwards te pur-
chase 25o, 900 able. bodied negroes of their
owners and drill them for soldiers. 1t
Davis was correct in saying that we have
already freed half the slaves, there are not
q quarter of a million, nor half that num-
Der, of able-bodied black men left in the
coufederacy. No matter; the proposition
is in substance to arm all there are, and
let them fight for their freedom. This
would be universal emancipation in behalf
of the rebellion. The Enquirer argues well
for it's proposition, as follows-
1--WE believe that the negroes, identified
with us by interest, and fighting for their
freedom here would be faithful and reliable
soldiers, and, under officers who would drill
| oa7Id ha dod - - Fo. F,k .
ordinary service, and even for the hardest
fighting. 1t is not necessary now to dis
cuss this matter, and may never become
so; but neither negroes nor slavery will
be permitted to stand in the way of the
success of our cause. This war is for ma
tional independence on our side, and for
the subjugation of white and the emauci-
patton Of negroes on the side Of the enemy.
II we fail the negroes are nominally free
and their masters slaves. We must, there.
fore, succeed. Other States may decide
for themselves; but Virginia, after exhaust
ing her whites, will fight her blacks
through 10 the last man. She will be free
at sil costs"
The Richmond Punch takes the other
side of the question, and contends that to
free the negroes will be to give up the
whole. cause of quarrel with the Yankees,
thus
"iThe people of the South are not fight
ing for slavery, but for independence
Why, this is tantauount to saying that the
South is fighting for independence at the
expense ofslAvery. II is an acknowledge
ment that slavery is either an evil or un-
limportaat-A doctrine which we hold to
be opposed to the experience Of ethonolo-
gisfs and Of every RgricuIturist of the
South. If2the new heresy is intended to
conciliate European nations It will fail, for
It does not tally with our history, as the
southern, public know. The first are not
TO be hoodwinked by so transparent q
fGIIaey; the second cannot agree to hold
our great Industrial Institution at 80 low
figure. Is the new heresy intended 70
copciliate the Yankees2. II so, worse still,
as we should never consent 70 eat our
words aud our principles face to face with
that negro stealing race. Oar doctrine Is
this We are Sighting for independence,
that ont great and necessary domestic in:
stftutfon Of slavery shall be preserved, apd
for the preservation Of other Institutions
Of which slavery Is the gronpdWork."
90. OkLiYoRs1A will make u. 500. 600 gals