M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1864-12-08

1.-The present time. In a word, peac'
ia impossibe without Independents,
and il is not to be expected that th
enemy will anticipate nentra's in tn,
recognition of that inAepen lance
When the History of this war shll
be fully disclosed, the calm Judgment
of the impartial publicist will, fl
these reasons, be unable to absn've
the neutral nations of Eiropa from
a share in the moral responsibility
for the myriad4 of human lives that
have been unnecessarily sacrificed du
ring iIs progress.
The renewed instances in which
tor5ign Powers have given u' ju,l
ctuse OF complaint neel not hero be
detailed. the extracts from rbe cor
respondence OF the State Department
which accompany this message. VII
aflrd such further information ~ can
be given without detrim'nl 70 the
public interest, and We mdA, reserve
for tho future snch action ~ mIy
then bo deemed q lvisabe to secure 70
dress.
EMPLOYMENT Of SLAVES
The employment OF slaves hr ser
vica with the army as tea u ,tera or
cooks, or in the way Of work upon
| Notifications, or in the Government
workshops, or in the hospitals. and
other similar duties, was snthJtiZld
by the act Of l7th of February last,
and provision was mal1 for their i'm
pressment to y number Mt exceed =
ing twenty thousand, # it shouh! he
found impracticable to obtain them by
contract with the owuer.. The lAw
contemplated the hiring only Of ho Ia
Dor OF these slaves, al imposed on
the Government the liability 70 pay
for the value OF such as might be lost
to the owners from caiullities resnl
ing from their employment in thu
service.
The act has produced Iess rcsult
than was anticipated, and further
provision ls required 10 render it ef-
ticaciOus. But my present purpose
is to invite your consideration 30 the
propriety Of a radical modification iu
The theory OF the law.
Viewed merely az property, and
therefore, as the subject OF impress
ment, the service or labor oitho slhve
has b. en- frequently claimed for shor,
periods in the construction Of deten,
sive works. The slave, however
bears another relation TO the Stats -
that OF person. The law Of last Febru
any contemplates only the relation Of
the slave to the master, AMI limits
the impressment to certain torn .,
service. But for the purposes emu
meratod in the act, instruction in tie
manner Of encampiny, marching and
parking trains is needful, 81 that even
in this limited employment length VI
service adds greatly to the valu) Of
the negrl's labor Hazard is also en-
countered ia all the positions t, which
negroes can be assignol for service
with tie amy, and the duties rrqlir
ed Of them demand loyalty and ztal
III this aspect the relation Of person
predominates 80 far IA t. ren ler II
Doubtful whether the private rlgh. or
property can consistently anl bAna-
ticiaily be continued, ami il wDul1
seem proper IL acquire for the public
service the entire property in the la
Dor of the slave, and ~ pay th;rofor
due compensation rather than to im'
pross his labor for short terms; Az
this the mor5 especially as tha riftc,
OF the present law wouii vest the cn
tire property in all calei wh.r. thu
slave might be recapturol nt'or c,u
pensation for his lrss ha b,"u - the
private owner. Whenever tho un,ire
property IN tho servicI OF IA slave is
thus acquired Wy tho Government,
the question is presented by what ten
ure he should be held. Should he he
retained in servitude, or should his
emancipation be held out to him as
reward Iof faithful service, or shJul /
it be granted at once on the promise
OF such service aud if euIancipated,
what action should be taken to secure
for the freedman the permission Ofthe
State from which h. wss wiihirawn,
to reside within its limits al,ur the
close It his public servico 7 The per
mission would doubtless ba N IRE road
lily accorded as a reward .or past
faithful service, and a doubtful M tive
for jealous djscharegof duty w1uIdthus
BE- offered to those employei by !heGov
erument-thslr freedom and the graft
tication OF ths local attachment wh.ch
is 80 marked characteristic of the no
gro, and forms 80 powerful an inccn
tive to his action. The policy of ell
oaOiug TO lbsrste. the negro on his