The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1864-12-09
W HOLE No. rs.
Arming the Slaves.

The proposition to manumit and arm
200, 900 or 300 900 slaves, to fill up the do
pleted ranks of the Rebel armies has raised
a tremendous breeze among tho patriarchs.
Ii is the severest test of Loyalty that has
yet been applied to them, aud few there be
that seem disposed to stand IL. One fellow
gives bis views in tho form of an advertise
men. in Richmond paper. He says that.
as general rule, fogging, as a punishment,
ought to be confined TO negroes-that il 10
derogatory to the white race to fog white
man but that he is willing to make an ex-
ception in this case. and soundly fog any
white man, on the naked back, who proposes
to manumlt and arm toe negroes. Under
his ruling. jeff Davis himself would be
likciy to catch IL; for his organ, the En-
quirer, advocates the measure. IL SAYS;
The proposition 10 extend the Conscript
law to the slaves will not fail to meet with
some opposition; but, as far as we can
judge, it is daily increasing in popular favor,
and we believe ~iiI find favor with large
majority in the next Congress
The Montgomery Appeal regards the
measure as "unwise, IT not dangerous;
that it involves q serious, ii not fatal, blow
| at the institution of Slavery.
The Mobile Tribune rather favors tho
measure bnt does not regard it as immedi-
ately necessary. 1t is, however. prepared to
make any sacrifice for independence. At
ter remarking that independence will just.
fly any sacriice--everytb thing 10 we'll spent
that purchases the boon"-it goes on to say {:
"The question OF using the slaves for
service ia the army Is not, by any means,
q com piex one. 1t 10 as easy as an element
ary arthmetical problem, and the substance
is simply this. The independence of the
Coniederacy is paramount. Everything
must be sacrificed TO that. All the nego-
tiations. whether with Abraham Lincoln or
Gen. Mcclellan, will amount TO nothing un-
less that shall be attained. Less than that
is cowardice. Less than that is subjuga,ion
by tho slow instrumentality os craft. Less
than that is putting off the evil day TO our
posteri'y. Without independence, and With
reconstructon, We shalt be sutjuga,ed
finally just as much US though Lincoin's
army occupied every foot of our country"
Further on 10 the discussion, that paper
ge,s round a very difficult point thus:
\ ut is objected BY some that TO give free.
dom to abe negro soldiers 10 to ackDowl-
edge that freedom is a boon, and hence that
slavery is wropg-tbat the strong argument
which the war 10 teaching the world, that
slavery is the God-appointed institution OF
the negro, will be weakened and refuted, il
freedom is given ss tho reward and price Of
military servics-that if neeroes are requir
cd for the army they should be drafted q
slaves. treated az property. when lost 10 ser.
vice paid for, and after the war returned al
slaves to their masters. But it should be
remembered that whether freedom 10 the
negro 10 really blessing or curse, that
many negroes desire il, and are willing t0
tako IL even from the Yankees. Freedom
is given to the negro soldier, not because
that wo believe that slavery is wrong, bu,
because wo must offer &c the negroes in.
ducements to fidelity which he regards az
equal. il not greater. than those offered by
the enemy The Yankees make the negro
free at the North. We offer him freedom
at home 'es
Verify those rebels are 10 q tight place
for do what they will, slavery is gone
Their editors and political leaders talk
largely of sacrificing everything for iDde-
peDdence but the planter who can live un.
der Lincoln as well as under ANYBODY else,
so that he has plenty OF "niggers" TO culti-
vale and pick his cotton, will see those poll.
ticisns hung as high as Haman, and their
"iDdependence" in Tophet, before he will
consent to make any such sacrifice. What
would a man with thousand acres of land.
and no negroes. and who never thought OF
laboring with bis own hands, do without
"nggers," even were the independence OF
the Confederacy established as firmly al
the bills: