Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1864-11-16

XDn1nlS0 nnDnL SLAVES.
- &c salraehfks - a -
D0kif ~ nesu . th4 - CO
81 ., I pw4g his 81 n in "a =
~ heniag ~ lIsyl acths q kfbeIr.
acy:
Thu smploymcnt pfnlayes fer service With
the army 6 teAmstess, 81 cooks or IN the
nay Of work upon Notifications, or IN the
government work shops, or in hospitals, and
other similar duties, was authorized by the
act Of the 18th Of February last, and ppviss
ion was made for their imprcssmeht % =
|ppmheK not exceeding twenty thQnsands 4
Il should be founj i'nrractfcabie 70 obtatn
then By confrst with the owners. The
law contemplated the hiring only Of the Ia
Dor Of these slaves, and imposed upon the
government the liability 70 pay for the value
Of such as migb Be lotto thoow nsrsfrdtn
casualties resulting from thsh emrtoyment
IN The service.
This act has produced less result than
was anticipated, and further provision is re-
quircd to render it cfIicacicus. Blu. my
present purprse is to invite your considers
lion to the propriety Of 4 radical modifica-
ton il. the theory 1.-THE law.
Viewed merely Is property, and therefore
as the subject Of imprisonment, the service
or labor Of the slave has been frequently
claimed for short periods, in the construc-
ton Of defensive works. The slave, how
ever. bears another relation to the State,
,!lat Of = person. The law Of last February
contemplates the relation Of the slave to his
master, ind limits the inpressment to
certain term of service. But for the purpos
es enumerated in the act, in,tructing in the
MANNER o.. cncamping and parking trains is
ncedful, so that, even in this limited en-
ployment, length Of service adds greatly. to
the value Of the ncgro's labor. Hazard is
also encountered in all the positions to
which negroes can be assigned for service
with the army, and the duties required Of
them demand loyalty and zeal.
In this aspect the relation Of person pre-
dominates so far as to render it doubtful
whether the private right Of property can
consistently and bencfically be continued,
audit would seem proper to acquire for the
public service the entire property in the la
Dor Of the slave, and to pay therefor due
compensation, rather than to impress his
labor for short terms and this the more cs-
pecially as the effect of the present law
would vest this entire property in all cases
where the slave might be re-captured after
compensation for his loss had been paid TO
the private owner. Whenever the entire
property in the service ola slave is thus &C
qnircd by the government, the question is
presented, by what tenure he should be
held Should he be retained in seryitudc,
or should his emancipation be held out to
him as a reward for faithful. service or
should it be granted at once on the promise
Of such service; and il cmancipatcd, what
action should be taken to secure for the free d
men the permission Of the State from which
he was drawn to reside within its limits az
ter the close OF his public service. The per-
mission would doubtless be more readily ac-
corded as a reward for past faithful service !;
and double motive Tor jealous discharge
OF duty would thus be offered to those en-
ployed by the government, their freedom,
and the qualification of the local attachment
which is so marked characteristic of the
negro, and forms so powerful an incentive
to his action. The policy of engaging to
liberatc the negro on his discharge after SER
vice faithfully rendered, seems TO me prefer
able to that Of granting immediate manu-
mission, or that of retaining him in seryi-
tnde. If this policy should recommend it.
self to the judgment Of Congress, it is sug-
gested that, in addition to the duties hereto
fore performed by the slave, he might be
advantagcously employed as pioneer and
engineer laborer; and in that event, that
the number should be augmented to forty
thousand.
Beyond this limit and these employments
it does not seem to me desirable, under tx
isting circumstances, TO GO. A broai moral
distinction exists between the use of slaves
as soldiers in the defense of our homes and
the Indictment Of the same persons to insur-
r.ction against their masters. The one is
unsuitable If necessary, the other is iniqui-
tous and unworthy Of a civilized people !;
and such is the Judgment Of all writers on
public law as well as that expressed and in
sisted on Ivy our enemies in all wars prior to
tlat now waged against US. BY none have
the practices of which they are now guilty,
been denounced with greater severity than
by themselves in the two wars with Great
Britain in the last and in the present centus
ry; and in the Declaration Of Independence
Of 1916, when enumeration was made Of the
wrongs which justified the revolt from Great
britain. tho climax Of atroeity was deemed
to be reached only when the English mon
arch was denounced as having excited do
mes'ic insnrrection among u.s."
The subject is to be viewed by US. there
fore, solely in the light Of policy and our
social economy. When so regarded must
dissent from those who advise a general
lew ard arfniuv of fpe elavca for tho du.v
Of soldiers. Until our white population
shall prove insufficient for the armies VIC
require and can afford to keep in the field,
to employ as a soldier the negro who has
me ely deen trained to labor, aud a. q Ia
borer he the white man accustomed from,
bis youth to the use of firearms, would
scarcely deem wise or advantageous by
any. and this is the question now before
Us. But should the alternative ever be
presented Of subjngation or Of the employ
mcnt Of the Slave as a soldier. then be our
decision. Whether our view embraces
what would, in SO extreme case, be the sum
Of entaIlcd by the dominion Of the enemy.
or be restricted solely 10 the effect upon
the welfare and happiness of the negro pop
ulation themselves, the result would be tho
same. The appalling decentralization, suf-
fering disease and death, which have been
caused by partially substituting the inva-
dcfs'. system Of policy, for the kind relation
previously subsisting between the master
and slave, have been sufiicfcnt dcmonstra-
ton that external interference with our in
stitution Of domestic slavery is productive
Of evil only.
If The suh;oct ;,v,l~..1 ~. 49,. .,.;a.>