Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1864-05-07
The Question Of Aiming Negroes.

are the advocate Of the policy Of armng,
and otherwise using the negroes, just rs We
are the advocate Of using rebel horses,
mules, and all other Articles of JropcHg,--
From tho time Gen, Butler sci gang of
Virginia negroes to work, who escaped from
rebellion and took refuge in the Federal
lines. until now. Il dreadful howl has been
kept up in the South. The same cry was
raised against Gen Mcclellan and General
Burnside, for doing the same thing, although
the rebel army was drilling negroes at the
time, and using them by thousands to aid
and abct the cause Of the rebellion,
This matter raises the question of inter-
national law, and brings up the several pre-
ccdents that the Federal officers first com
planned Of are following A synopsis Of the
doctrine was given by Maj. Gen. Edmond
P. Gaines, at New Orleans, in 1898, Il South
crn man and slave holder. Gen, Jessup
had captured many slaves in Florida, and
had ordered them west of the Mississippi
At New Orleans the slaves We're claimed by
the owners under legal process; but Gen.
Gaines, commanding the military district,
and Il man never tainted by aJoiti0nism, re-
fused to deliver them to the Sheriff, and APP
pcarcd in court, making hi, own defense,
the details Of which were given at the time
in the newspapers North and South. We
give the following extract from the reported
defence Of Gen Gaines. and submit whether
he did not regard negroes as contraband Of
war:
aFc declared that these people lnen women and
children were captured in war and held as .",Nris-
5rnartast ar li.trrt he Icj5 them snI"rt on ~
the order of the National Executives that he could
of . ' o " rri.onc, - r is hi.
possession.
ilc "'-r''' 'H'' " ''i',s " war, al f'ne9 were
5e, sl,u Nv a ''i''n anu I"! lr3yi''os
sick, and contribute to the maintenance of the war,
ogl 'GLg I" ,g same Hn,ogr o. mss. lne
able to the support Of the war.
=
tanning the Federal Government hy force Of arm,
In such case he could only be guided by the laws Of
thew mus, yicI to the :afsty Of the FcdcrS ca ca
crrmcnt'
Ifthe Tennessee conservative. or the Dor
der State copperhead, is anxious to see the
defense Of Gen Gaines, alike able and CON
elusive, it may be found in House Docu-
ment, No. 22j, Of the second session Of the
twenty fifth Congress.
The General sent the slaves West. where
they became free. and although he was call
cd to am account for il, he was sustained bv
the then Dcpocratjc Administration. Amonc
the men in Congress who sustained him.
from Tennessee. were HUGH Lawson White
and Felix Grundy. of the Senate, and John
Bell and James X. Polk. of the House of
Representatives. Gen. Gaines was also sus.
tanned by Senators and REPRESENTATIVES
from VIRGINIA. North Carolina. Kentucky
Alabama Georgia. Mississipni. Arkansas
and Louisiana. These Southern CONGRESS
mon sustaining Gen Gaines were no, then
oboyit;orjsts-frst bccouse the reicn of So.
cesh had not then set in; and next because
Ji,coln wos not thon President but Van
R,ren vos and no woa 80 Northern man
,ri.h snrtborn nriroirIos 4" 7, w,s ,ben
M. o,Ir r;obt 70 sot nooro sloves 70 worI,
,nd % Grbti,, in time IF war I'm. II vas
,,,a.oro@sl,. nnoro. 20 ,ond than wos, 90
,bo N;ssiss;rni and lihcrote them far tbcir
coI,on, sorricos
Tr1s9s Con z,cbor;ab Tovror Tho father.
- low 90 Ior n.ri. .rd Sou,borr sIovo
haIao. ,,l Lnowr 20 tho oorr,rv ord tho
orn,, con,rred . nunbor Of moro slaves
.rLo .n,d -. % ho e,r;,;,.o. Co., .ho;r
81 r;,;.o 80 rIon;d, no
na.ad - 1900 ,,o,nso,ros % no ,ho;r lar