Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-11-09
ARMING NEGROES.

The following able article in opposition
to the arninS of negroes We extract from
a leading editorial in the I.ynehburs Re
publ'cn:
Now. we are free 70 say that if the
South is TO lie abaliticnizad in the end. it
would have been far better for us to have
been abolitionized in the beginning. and
that, if such terrible calamity is to
befall us at all, we infinitely prefer that
Lincoln shall be the instrument OF our dis
aster and degradation, than that We our
selves should strike the cowardly and sui
cidal blow. Lincoln steals our negroes
and burdens his people with keeping them
the EaQairer proposes to free orr ne
groes and make them aperpetual burden
to the Confederacy, a standing insult to
the manhood Of our people!
But this is not the most hateful aspect
of this question. "Justice and sound
policy" says the Enquirer, " demand that
1--WE make freeman Of those who fight for
freedom" This is the beast in all its
frightful deformity. Lincoln apd Butler
declared that the negroes whom they make
fight for " freedom" are entitled to it, and
therefore should be treated and exchanged
as the equals of Southern gentlemen. Ii
the wild doctrines of the Enquirer be
sanctioned by our people or government,
then President Davis cannot gainsay the
propositions of Butler and Lincoln, and
must consent to the exchange of negroes
for white men. But this is not all. If
"those who fight for freedom are entitl-
ed to it, then they are entitled" to it
equally. If the negro is made to fight
our battles of g freedom" then he must be
governed by the same laws Of war, and
he must stand upon the same footing of
the white man after the war. What will
be the consequence Why, if 100000
negro men are entitled to their freedom
> because they fight for it, then their wives,
children asd families are also entitled to
the same boon, just as tho wives, children
and families Of the wife men who fight the
same battles. In other words, the South
is to be converted by this war into an
aboitionized colony of free negroes, in
stead Of band of white freemen, know
ing their rights, and daring to maintain
them. If the negroes are to be free they
must be equally free with the master. If
they are to be armed like the master, then
they are i'll fact equal to the master What
is the result? Why, they never can be
enslaved again, and must be treated as the
master, politically, civilly and socially
"Those who fight for freedom are en-
titled to freedom" says the Enquirer, and
we say so too. If the white men of the
South are willing to make the shameful
confession that they have accepted a war
which they cannot fight to successful is
sue, and that they claim rights in slaves
which they are incapable of maintaining
by force of arms, then we say we deserve
no other fate than to be leveled to the
equality of the negroes.
There are other revolving aspects in
which this question presents itself to our
mind, but we have not space to discuss
them this morning. We shall revert to
the subject again, for we honestly believe
that should such doctrines meet with any
considerable favor at the South, our cause
is hopelessly lost, and the country not
worth one drop Of the precious blood which
has been shed in its behalf. Instead OF
being war for the freedom of the white
man, it will degenerate into a struggle for
the freedom and equality of our slaves
If our people are not capable Of vindicat.
ing their title to property in negroes, then
they ought to quietly surrender. the ques
ton, stop the war, abolish slavery and
confess themselves eternally disgraced.
SENATOR B. H. HILL, OF Ga, AND TIL
PRINTERS. letter lately published