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

up for this Lincoln measure. Tyler has
since been elected to the Rebel Congress at
Richmond, and the measure has thus been
remotely endorsed by the Confederacy 1t
Is no excuse TO say now that the United
States Government was then fghtingaganst
the Florida lndians--thc same Government
is now fighting against the SepoyS Of the
Conttdcracy, more cruel and savage set
than wore the Florida Indians,
But We come upon Tennessee conscrya-
tiycs, with n knock down argument, taken
from the acts and arguments Of Maj Gen,
Andrew jackson, when our Government
was fighting that Of Great Britain, In the
month Of December, 1914, Gen, Jackson
zed upon II large number Of slaves At, and
around New Orleans actually in the posses
sion Of their lawful owners, and kept them
at hard labor erecting dctenses, behind
which his troops won the victory Of the Sth
of January, 1878. The owners rcmonstm-
ted, denounced Jackson as n usmpcr and
tyrant, and they would have called him "a
Did old Linconito' but this opprobious
cpithet was not then in vogue, Jackson,
VINO was rather a man OF MS our,, La"d than
otherwise, disrcgardcd their rcmonstrances
paid no sort Of attention to their abuse
kept many of the slaves at work, others in
arms and ON the field Of battle, until many
of them were killed by the enemies shots,
The case went before President Madison
and his able Cabinet in the form of a com
plant. Jackson was sustained by them,
and by Congress afterwards, and when the
owners applied for pay for their slaves af-
forwards, Congress refused them any com
pcnsation and that too by Southern votes,
But that was before our statesmen in the
South were afflicted with Niger On tile braiM
These slave owners were the friends Of the
Federal Government, and were thus treated
because it was done in the exercise Of the
war power, rs n military necessity, and by
Il military chiettain whose motto was then
and to the day Of his death-"THE FEDERAL
UNIoN--IT MUST BE PRESERVED And if
the American Generals, under President
Lincoln. now in command Of or armies,
shall fail to seize upon, and use to the best
advantage. the slaves of all rcbt citizens
they will prove to be much more lenicnt,
and less Of abolitionists than our great
Southern Generals have been, among whom
we may class Jackson, Gaines, Taylor and
Jessup,
The history of our country demonstrates
that Slarcs as well as free persons Of color,
in the old slavcholding States, we're taken
into the Revolutionary Army by authority
Of the States, or Colonies themselves. Du-
ring the last war with England, the great
State of New York had regiment of colorcd
men in the service, And it is Il part Of the
history of the country, that the greater
portion of Commodore PerryS victorious
crew on Lake Erie, were as black as negroes
get to be in America.
In l77S, as cited in Bartctts Index to
the Laws Of Rhode Island, an act was pas
scd authorizing the enlistment OF slaves in
the Continental Battalions' They were de-
clared free by the act upon the condition
that they would enlist, and the ,rmy record
shows that many Of them served with fidel-
ity during the war,
In 1781, while George Clinton was the
Governor Of New York, am act was passed
for the purpose Of raising some regiments
who were to be paid off in bounty lands
unappropriatcd," and from that law we take
the following very interesting section:
"Section G. Be it enacted that am person who
shall deliver one or more of his or hci able bodied
male slaves to any warrant officer as aforesaid to
serve in either of the said regiments o. Independent
CORDS and produce a certificate Thereof, signed by
any person authorized to muster and receive the men
to be raised by virtue of this act, and produce such
certificate to the SuryeyorGenera shtll, for every
male slave entered and mustered as aforesaid, be
entitled to the location and grant of one right in
manner Us in and by this act is directed; and shall
be and hereby is discharged from any future main
tcnunce Of such slave any law 10 the contrary not
wthstanding. And such slave entered as afore-
said who shall serve for three years or until rsgu-
larry discharged, shall Immediately after such ser
vice or discharge be and is hereby declared to be
free man Of this State
As early as III, it vas the practice Of
the slaves of Virginia to desert from their
owners, in order that they might enlist as
soldiers. and thereby secure their freedom.
In 1888, before the news of the Treaty OF
Peace in Paris had reached this country,
the Legislature of Virginia, mindful of the
conduct of the slaves who lad rendered
valuable services in the army, passed the
following preamble and act in relation to
them:
"Whereas It has been Represented TO the present
General Assembly that during the course Of the
many persons in this State have caused their slaves
to enlist in certain regiments or corps raised within
the same having rendered such slaves 10 the officers
appointed to recruit forces within the State as sub
stute. for free persons whose lot or duty i, was to