The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-11-25

1t 10 q remarkable fact that while Jeff Davis
and others Of the moro intelligent rebel lead
ers have serious apprehensions of the conse-
quences Of arming their slaves to fight for
slavery, the London Times clearly sees in this
expedient the salvation of the Southern COME
deracy. Says the great English Biunderer:-
"On this question, which really appears to US
the important one-the safety Of putting arms
in the hands of the sisves-there really seems
to be no difference Of opinion. Whatever
might be the case il the mob OF New York
were instructed in military discipline, and fur
nished with weapons Of war, whatever danger
might result to the government Of Mr. Lincoln
from putting arms into the hands OF citizens OF
Baltimore, the South has no reason to doubt
that the negro will fight just as bravely 10 sup
port Of the cause Of slavery, which is the cause
Of bis master, as he will in the cause OF lib
erty." This thing Of arming able-bodied slaves
to fight Cor the perpetual enslavement OF their
families and their race does not, therefore
astonish this English philosopher. On the con-
trary, he says, $50 far from wondering that
this thing has been done now, we can only
express our surprise that il has never been
done before"
Here we have the disclosure that this super
servloeable British organ Of Davis is either an
ignoramus OF the FIRST magnitude or delibe-
rate vender Of false arguments upon false pre-
fences. He b only surprised that this thing of
arming the slaves Of the South as soldiers in
the cause OF slavery "has never been done
before But why should there be any sur
prise upon this matter on the part of the London
Times. after preaching for quarter Of GEN.
fury the horrible crime against humanity Of
Southern slavery and the constant danger Of
the slave farming himself against his master?"
The simple reason why the rebels have not
armed their slaves before now lies in the fact
that those slaves with arms in their hands would
demoralize "the institution" and "the confede-
racy," and are not to be trusted as soldiers in
the cause of slavery. From the beginning Of
this war there has not been Southern negro.
with intelligence enough to work in cotton
| field who has not comprehended the cause
and the issue. The blacks on every Southern
plantation, by Southern ire-eating politicians,
through thirty years Of the political agitation
Of the slavery question, had been prepared
for war between the North and South; had
been thoroughly posted touching the great issue
at stake, aud were patiently awaiting the hour
of their deliverance. All this was known to
the contrivsrs Of this rebellion from the be-
ginning. Hence till driven to .sthe last ditch"
they have studiously refrained from limiting or
thinking Of the possibility of . resort to their
slave cabins for soldiers Nor do we think
that even now the Shareholders concerned
wal consent to this expedient to save Davis,
inasmuch as il not only involves the abolition
Of slavery-the sscorner stone Of the confed-
eracy"-but the perils Of servile instruction;
and all for cause which Southern men Of all
classes are now beginning to consider as lost
beyond redemption.
Having thus disposed Of this mystery, why
the rebels have never thought before this late
day Of arming their slaves, we will bring for
ward an intelligent member or two Of the rebel
Congress to tho support Of our opinion, that,
as their last resort, this Negro soldier expedi-
emit will not ha triad On the 10th instant, in
the rebel House Of Representatives at Rich-
mond, Mr.. Chambers. OF Mississippi, on the
question Of arming the slaves Of "the confed-
eracy' in its service, put ia strong remon-
STRANGE. In the course Of it he said: "The
President Davis appeals to the sympathy OF
the negro but I'VE can offer him no motive
which the enemy cannot easily counterfeit by
Offering him higher one" Is not this true,
and fatal argument against the scheme. But
again said Mr. Chambers "How do gentlemen
propose to fight negro troops! ! hope
they do not propose to commingle
them with our brave white soldiers He was
ashamed OF this scheme. .sAll nature" he
continued, series out against it. The negro
race was ordained to slavery by the Almighty.
Emancipation would be the destruction of our
social and political systen." Mr. Goode, Of
Virginia, also, in the same debate, was OPP
posed to the employment of negroes as SOL
diers under any circumstances. He was op-
posed TO it because he thought II would end in
abolition. He was opposed TO II because il
was confession Of weakness TO the enemy
He was opposed to il because IL was degrading
to our men (their white soldiersl. lie believed
that the right place for Cuaee was in the corn
feldv
To meet this testimony Of Southern rebel
Shareholders and law makers, we leave the
British press. which sympathses so completely
with the rebellion as to wonder why Southern
slaves have not before been employed to eight
for the perpetuation Of slavery. We have only
to submit to the blockheads Of the London
Times this simple question Considering the
present hopeless situation Of JEFF. Davis, has
not the Southern STAKEHOLDER, in the very agi-
tation Of this proposition to appropriate, libe-
rate and arm his slaves, lest every interest and
every hope with which he embarked in this
ruinous enterprise Of a Southern confederacy,
resting on "tbe corner stone Of slavery"