Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-11-16

COIN mas Oeeu AOl0 70 GueSb " HAS AAAcSS
fragrant violation. And such power the
President now asks Congress TO bestOW
upon him.
win the Congress of the Confederate
States consent TO prostitute the entire press
of the confederacy to the pleasure OF the
Executivei Will they pass law limiting
the exercise of the most important tunc-
ton of editor, to his tools and dependentsH
Will they render it impossible for the Peo-
ple-their own people-their constituents
their ben efactors-to hear the truth II 1t
be unpalstable to President Davis, or his
friends, or his tools, or his mintoneT Shall
1t, through their agency, become impossi-
Bile hereafter to hear one word against of.
fetal corruption, no matter how gigantic
against Presidential mismanagemeut,
however Acknowledgements oppression,
speculation, robbery and all that class of
crimes of which a free press ia the only
possible corrective, because it is the only
instrument by which they can be exposed.
If so, then adopt the scheme of the mes
sage-detail editors and Printers-make
| them dependent for their daily bread upon
President Davis. The object will have
have no editor who dare whisper COM
plant of those high in ofice-no printer
will venture to set up line or sentence
which does not celebrate the virtues and
the glory Of the Executive.
To put printers and editors in the same
class with farmers, shoemakers, tanners
and other necessary trades and occupations
is simply ridiculous. There is no analogy
between the cases. There is no tempta-
ton for the Executive to Cypress any of
these classes. BE can gain nothing by re-
stricting the exercise of their trades and
professions to his own tools and parasites.
1t is dangerous to give him command of
the press, because it enables him to cor
rupt the fountain of intelligence; because
it enables him to blind the people as to his
own acts; because it places him in cloud
which the people cannot penetrate.
We will not say anything about the i'm
portance of free press. Every member
of Congress understands it and feels it,
We hope this monsIrOus proposition will re-
ceive such q blow as will convince its au-
thor that there is no use in prolonging its
existence or experimenting withsit any
further upon the docility of Congress.
JEPF. DAVIS OPINION OF SLAVERY.
Prom the Richmond Wing, Nov. 10.
There never has been public question
of the enrolment of negro soldiers. AL
though some unwise individuals have
preached it in the press, the question is
not at this time before the country.
The proposal in the Presidents Mes
sage, in so far as it is practical and intel
ligible, is to double the number of slaves
already authorized by law to be impressed
for teamsters, laborers, SC, and to employ
them in the additional work of "pioneers
and engineer laborers." If the Message
had confined itself to this, and not "invited
consideration to the Propriety of a radical
modification in the theory of the law"
there would have been but little to be said.
The practical business of the employment
of additional slave labor about the army
would have been treated on its own mer.
it's, and neither Congress nor the country
would have been at all sgitated on the
subject.
GAS it is, Mr.. Davis has chosen to open up
questions both deep and dangerous, which,
il Congress do not close them up peremp-
torily, may gravely disquiet our people aud
compromise our cause. 1t is truly aston.
ishing and almost Incredible, that now in
the fourth year of our independence, and of
terrible war waged TO yindicate that in
dependeuce-after breaking up the old
federal Union because we would not suffer
the Washington Congress to interfere with
our State institutions-the President of
the Confederate States should Invite" tho
Richmond Congress to consider project
for emancipating slaves by the Confederate
authorities, and should at the same time
speak of this emancipation as ia reward for
faithful SERVICE" as boon and blessing,
as something which would place these ne.
groes in better position than before. Mr.
Davis thus intimates his opinion, first, that
laws of Congress, or the action OF the Con-
federate Executive, can liberate slaves; and
second, that slavery is so dire aud hideous
an evil as to make escape from its horrors
reward and boon even to an old worn
out negro at the end OF term of faithful
service"
Many worthy Virginians have long been
of opinion, it Is true, that it were better
for the State if slavery were abolished and
tne!slaves sold off to the cotton States. It
is certain that but for the stupid insolence
of abolition philanthropy, such change
would actually have been made in the in-
ustrial system of Virginia. Possibly,
also, hereafter, when the war shall be
over, and all preteuce of coercion and
pressure shall be removed, the citizens of
this State may, if they think right-for
their own benefit, and not as a boon to ne.
groes-mske arrangements for the gradual
removal of the slaves farther south. This
may one day come to be a practical ques-
ton; but it ts no question now: and above
all, it is no question for Mr.. Davis, either
now or in the future. We warn him and
the Confederate authorities to mind their
own business; We 'inviie their considera-
ton" to their own business; and their most
pressing business now is to execute aud
enforce the military laws they already
have, to use the powers whereWith they are
already entrusted in order to keep the ranks
OF the army filled up with white men and
free citizens, who ought TO need no stimu-
lus to faithful service, and whose single
and sufficient reward will be the glorious
independence of their native land.
We have been accustomed to think in
this Southern country that the best friends
of the negroes were their own masters;
and that We were bound to Withstand the