The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-11-16
SHALL, THE NEGROES BE
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SHALL, THE NEGROES BE
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[From the Richmond Examiner, Oct. IS ]
The proposition to extend the Conscript
law to tn, slaves of the States was first
formally advanced by the Enquirer in the
issue of the 9th inst. Since that time we
have received many ASSURANCES of its pop
ular favor, and none whatever of opposi-
tion to it. We learn that the planters in
the extreme Southern States favor the
proposition, and some have signifed their
their slaves if they will enter the army.
The near approach of the time when the
Congress meets again, requires that ex-
preston be given to the sentiments of the
country upon this important MEASURE
We therefore earnestly invite its discus
sion, and open our colmuns to opponents
as we'll as friends Of the proposition. -
The result of the late election is still in
doubt, and whether Lincoln or Mcclellan,
will be elected, it is yet impossible to de-
termine, but there is no uncertainty as to
the question of carrying the war. Wheth-
er Lincoln or Mcclellan be the next Pres
ident, the voice, and tho almost unani-
nous voice, of that people is for vigor-
GUS prosecution Of tho war. The duty,of
prep airing to meet that issue will be be-
fore the approaching session of the Con-
federate Congress; that body will have
before it for consideration, the ways and
means, as well as of money, for carrying
on the war on our part. ~ -
The war cry Of the enemy, "no parley
with the rebellion in the field /; no compro-
mise with slavery in the re-adjustment,"
fully inform our people that, in plain YER
,nacular, the whites of these States are to-
be subjugated to slavery and their slaves
reduced to the condition of Yankee free
negroes. This is the view. Of the people
among our enemies. and this will be the
result of the war, whether ended by Lin
coin or Mcclellan, if the people of these
States permit themselves to be conquered. 1
The conscription of negroes should be-
accompanied with freedom, and the priv
ilege of remaining in the States; this is no.
part of Abolitionism, it is the exercise by
the master of the unquestiunable right of
manumission it is remuneratlng those
who defend our cause with the privilege
Of freedom. Nor should this important
subject be prejudiced with questions about
putting negroes on an equality with our
friends, brothers, and fathers. Many of
the soldiers in their childhood were fond
Iceland nursed by faithful negro nurses,
and yet ne question of equality was ever
raised. Many man has manumitted
slaves without ever being subjected to the
suspicion of being an Abolitionist.7
Il,
exalted in their Importance and character
for us to permit them to be compromised
by being degraded to question of prop
erty. The liberty and freedom of our
selves and of our children, the nationali-, /,
ty of our country, the right of enjoying
any kind of property, the houses over our
heads, and the very graves of our chill
dren and friends, are involved in tho
struggle. Failure makes slaves of all,
white and black; robs all of property,
real and personal; divides our lands
among our conquerors, who wall plow up
the very graves of our dead as fertlllzed
ground for making money We have in
our midst a half million of fighting mate
rial which is property-shall we use that
property for the common cause JUS
SlOO dHN ofsOuHu pOaIOy USiHopo y1uS nO
make frcemen of those who fight for free
dom. We conscript the master and we
impress his horses, cattle, wheat, and
every other property except slaves. This
very exception is an imputation that this
war is for slavery and not for freedom
By conscripting the negroes We show to
the world the earnestn ess that is in, our
people; We prove to our enemies that at
the moment of .our supposed exhaustion,
in the fifth yearof the war, we shall meet
them with larger armies than we have be-
fore raj sed and we explode the false ac-
cusation fthat we are fighting for slavery,
or a Shareholders Confederacy: iysi' e-s
There are those who doubt. whether
sound policy would trust negroes with
arms. We are not of those who enter
tain any fears upon that subject. Drill
and discipline make valuable soldiers of
Russian serfs, and no negroes in these
States are so ignoront and brutal as those
serfs. Between service with the Confed-
eracy and with the Yankees, between liv-
ing among us, with all their strong local
attachments, and going among strangers,
who are now openly buying and selling
them to recruiting officers, our slaves will
find no difficulty in choosing. And, when
once it is understood that freedom aud