Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-11-22

successfully for us now tn the pIeseat death
grapple with our eRemies. In what form
of Organization is it proposed to use them7
1t can hardly be designed to intermingle
them in the same companies with our citi-
gen soldiers; no man has yet had the au-
ldacity 10 propose that. No military man
would venture to confde 10 hegee troops
so much of his line of battle as would Be
occupied by regiment or q brigade, much
| less a division or corps. To surrender to
them the duty of defending forts or out
posts would be to place the key of the sit.
nation in their hands. Then, but one al
Tentative remains >, 1t is to form them Into
companies and place these in alienation
with white companies IN the same regi-
ments Behold this military chain stretched
along the "perilons edge OF battle"- chain
which the electric spark Of sympathy and
mutual confidence can no longer traverse :,
the answering smile, the triumphant glance
the understood pledge of mutual devotion.
heretofore transmitted from company to
company in the crisis of the conflict, with
the continuous shout from left to right
and from right to left, along the
advancing line, all, all interrupted
and destroyed ). and in their stead dis.
trust, hesitation, flight; the cSPrit de cOrPS
gone, heroic memories impossible demor-
aliIation, desertion, subjugation en5ue.-
God grant that our noble army of martyrs
may never have to drink this cup.
That our army will be recruited so as to
maintain it's present strength; andprobsbly
with a large increase of its present num-
bers cannot be doubted. But even with
out another recruit ct the present slow
rate of decrease of its veteran force, it
would long maintain q defence of the
country; long enough to wear out the re.
sources of the enemy. Do gentlemen see
no signs of exhaustion ct the North? Do
they derive no hope from the consideration
of financial disasters impending theref
How long they can carry on an aggressive
war under a debt whose annual interest
already equals that of the debt Of Great
Britain, accumulated during centuries
marked by expensive wars-a debt still ac
cumulatlng at the rate of over two mil
lions a day-cannot be precisely calcula-
ted, but the end is certain and near. The
intelligent Northern mind is already grasp
ing the great fact that the entire property
of the South, less the slaves, If conhscated
and sold Tomorrow would not pay their
present debt. The property of the thirteen
Confederate States exclusive of slaves,was
in 1860, estimated at about four thousand
millions OF dollars, and the Northern debt
already audited, is about two thousand
Eve hundred millions. Allowing for the
depreciation Of values in the South, which
would ensue on abolition and snbjugation,
it is obvious that our whole property would
not discharge it. How long they may be
able to put of the day of bankruptcy, when
every hour but adds to the amount of gov
ernment obligations, which with every hour,
grow more worthless, and which soon must
be valueless to hire even foreign mercena-
ries, cannot with certainty be toretold; but
at least this can be said, and In the name of
our brave army of citizen soldiers say il,
that under such circumstances we can de-,
fend as long as they can strike.
This argument proceeds upon the pre-
sumption that the negro, whether slave or
tree, cannot be made good soldier The
law of HE race torbids 1t. OF all others
the best adapted for slavery, he Is there
fore of all others the least adapted for mill
itary service. OF great simplicity of dis
nosition. tractable, prone to obedience,
and highly initiative, he is easily drilledj
but timid, aYerse to effort, without ambi.
ton, he has no soldierly quality. 1t is
difficult to conceive Q being less Fit for
plucking honor from the cannon's mouth.
At the beginning of this war, he fed to
the enemy to avoid work; his local attach
ment was not sufficient to retain him. nov
be remains to avoid military service in the
Yankee army-his aversion to work being
only less than his aversion to war. His
tory established this chataCter for him. Il
is not denied that, under the influence of
revenge, of a desire for plumber, Or other
maddening or special excitement he has
been known to surrender himself 70 slaugh-
ter and to wade deep in bloodi so IN his
native Africa, he surrendered himself .
sacrifice to his gods; but history will be
hearched in vain to prove him good col
dier. In the Revolution of l776, Lord
DunmOre proclaimed all the negroes of
Virginia free, and invited them to jOin his
standard; but less than 300 accepted the
invitation. They preferred slavery TO mil.
Iitary service. And in the battle he fought
near Norfolk against the Virginia militia
we are informed by the historian (Botta)
that his negro troops 'behRved very shah
billy and saved themselves by flight, In st.
Domingo the English,i in 1892 with less than
900 men, captured several fortified places
from the French authorities, who had over
20 900 troops, chiefly negroes and mnlat-
toes; aud finally, with lessthAn2 2 600 men,
captured Port au Prince, the capital of the
leland. The French, in extremity offered
freedom TO the slaves, more than 10000
in number, on condition .ot military SER
vice; but only 5000 accepted the boom
Yet the hands of these slaves were still
bloody with the massscres Perpetrated in
the memorable insurrection of 1870. Sir,
on what motive is he to fight our battles 2
He is after all a human being, and acts
upon motives. Will you offer him his
fFeedomi The. enemy will offer him his
freedom, and also SO dsseEteF immunity
from military service, Will you offer him
the privilege of return home to see his
family, a freeman, after the ywaFl That
YOU dare not do. ..remembering 1t was the
free negroes of Saint Domingo, who had
been trained to arms, that excited the in
surrection Of the slaves. Aud the enemy
would never meet that offer withithe prom
ise of a return free to his Southern home
and the right of property in it. The
amount of il all is, that in despair Of
anh;nr;nr nnr indanandenca with our Own