The Union. [volume] (Georgetown, Del.) 1863-1866, 1864-03-04

letter from IS OccasionaH.s
We take from the Philadelphia Press the
following :-Whenever hear an intelligent
man trying to arouse and exaggerate the pre-
JUDGE agaipst the eelored sraee, in the face Of
the practical experience Of the war. it ID no,
difficult thing to decide against the sincerity
OF his motives. A much higher estimate
must be placed upon the Judgment of one
who is simply ignorant and bigoted, and who
exclaims against the negro in the spirit of
party hatred. The FIRST shows that he is par
tisl and unjust; and the second is strength
ened in his intolerance by the example of his
leaders. The bad men who fomented and
forced this war knew only too we'll that there
wasa mighty element in the South, which
Tin the event of the hostility so recklessly,
br2ved or olse so eagerly desired by the Sc
cession politicians), must either be the foes
or the friends of the Government. Had the
shareholders been able to use their human chat
'ets against the Government, the rebellion
'ronid hare prevailed IN the first year of Mr..
Lancot't's. Administration. Who does not re-
member how frequently it was SAID by these
men, that their slaves would fight and die for
their mastersf how they despised the Yam
KEGS? and how they hated the men who were
trying to ameliorate condition, which, as
hlppantly alleged, was only calculated to in
crease their sutferings? And who can forget
the predictions that one Of the objects Of: the
friends OF the Government was to excite the
slaves to instruction, and to set them upon
their masters and mistresses2 And, also,
that every attempt to give them freedom
would fail before the centemptuous refusal of
the slaves themselves of this barren boon,
and the certain subsequent dastitation of their
entranchised racer Not one of these prog
nostlcations or threats has been yindicated by
the events. In the first week of the war the
traitors We're agonized between doubts and
fears of the slaves. In fact, they made their
own chattels (too often their own children)
their remorseless enemies, by constantly sus-
pecting aud watching them. They have
feared to put muskets into their hands, lest
: these might be turned against themselves
No slave has been found who ia ready to die
for hrs owner. Instead of hating and betray-
ing the Union soldiers, they have helped them
IN BATTLE and in defeat have concealed them
from pursuit and punishment. There has
not been single "servile insurrection. AZ
The slaves have not only accepted their free.
dom, but have begged for it with piteous
prayers, and have fled in droyes from the pa.
triarchal estates of their lordly owners. In
the army Of the Union they have fought like
heroes. In the walks of labor they have
worked like honest, and conscientious, and
self-respecting men. They have not gone
North to arouse prejudice, and wherever they
have located in the South, when protected BY
the old flag, they have shown themselves ia
be possessed of many practical qualities. Is
1t not strange that, with all these strong
proofs before them, intelligent men still toll
to iced the prejudices of the ignorant, and to
grope in the ashes of old party fires for some
spark with which to re-kindle deadly ami
mosities? The Southern negroes are the
friends Of the Union, and the devoted adj
mIrers Of the Union troops. Who would wish
to change this feeling? Who is ready to re-
fuse the help of the grateful slave who offers
to save the life Of white soldier, other bv
taking his place in the ranks, by attending
to him in battle, by nursing him sick or
wounded, or by sheltering him from the
bleod-hounds of slavery, who hunt him when
he escapes from pentllential prisons, or flies
irom unutterable cruelties2 And yet it is
such results that the bitterness Of party lead
ers and the bigotry of party followers would
produse,S There is in this question of the
Sqnthern. negro and his fathiulness to this
Union cause, and his idolatrous devotion t,
the Union soldiers, retributive philosophy
which may some day, and that very shortly
react with fearful effect upon Copperhea,
politicians. If these politicians desire to an
tcipatc iheir do9m, lei them consult the es
capped officers who. on. their dangerous jour
ney from Richmond to the Union lines, fount
their pathway sm9othed by the kindness o
the slaves, aid Frightened by their smiles.
OCCASIONAL.