Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1864-11-16
as we'll as, that expressed and insisted on by

as we'll as LEAF ,e& &prssseu ana lnsis.eo on py |
or s:,cnlicS in al vars pricr to that nuw,
@sgeG against US. 81 none. have thefrac-
tees. Of which they are. now guilty, be er de-
nouuced with greater severity than hy tho m.
selves iil The two wacs with Great Britain
in lac last and pIcstnt century; and in the
Ecciarrlipnof Iad, pendcnce Of l911G, when
enumeration was made Of the wIongs which
justified The revolt finn Great Britain, the
climax Of atrpcity wasd,eued to be reached
ouly when the English monarch was deuounc-
ed as having arxcited domestic ipsurrecti0n
an"nsst US" -r.s
The snIject is to beyiewed by Us, there
fore, solely ihsthe light Of policy and social /
economy. When so regarded, lmustdssent
iror, those who advise d general levy and
arhling Of the Slaves for the duty. Of soldiers.
Until our white population shall prove in
sufficient for tic armies We require and can
afford to kecpin the field, toempioy as a sol:
.dier the negro, who has been merely ylraincd.
to labnr and as a:iaborer, the swhito man ac-
custoulcd frem his youth TO tie use of fire
arms, ,Swould scarcely; be deeued wire OF ad-
'yantaeecus5by any; and this ris.the question
now before us. But should the alternative
ever be presented of subjugation or of the em.
.loyment of the slave as asoldier, there seems
no reason to doubt what should then be our
decision. Whether. our view embraces. what,
would, in so extreme; q case, he the sum OF
misery eutailed blythe dominion of the enc:
mY, or be restricted solely to the effect upon
the welfare and happiness of the negro popp-.
lation themselves, the result gould lie the
same. The appalling Decentralization, suffer
ing, disease end death which. have been caus-
Ell by Notwithstanding the invaders sys-
tenn t,i police, for tie kiEd. relation previous
" subsising be!wecusthe master and slave
we becn a.sulhcien: demonstration tiat ex-
trrnal inierfarerc c. iti.our institution ofdo-
ntest;c slavery is productive Of evil only. IL
| the subject involved no. other consideration,
than the mere right OF properfyethe sacrifices
heretofore made by our people huve hecn
such'as to permit TO donbt of their readi-
ness to surrender every possession in order
to secure their independence. But thcsocial
| and political question which is exclusively
under the control oftGe.several States, las q
fur wider and more en1uringimpottancc than
.that.of pccuniary interest. III its naniteld
phases it embraces tie stability Of our repub-
| ican institutions, resting On the actual poll :
ical equality Of all lis citizens, and includes
The fulli'nett of the task which has been 30
happily besue--hat of Christianizing ahdim-
provng the condition Of TIC Africans who
have, BY ths will Of Providence, been placed
in our charge.
Comparing the results of our own expert
encc with those Of the experiments ct others
who have borne similar relation to the African
race thepeople OF the several States uithe Con-
Ifederacy have abundant reason TO be sails
fled with the past, aud to use the greatest
| circhmspection understanding their course.
These considerations, however, arc ratEer api
-plicable to the improbable contingency of our
need oil resort;ng to this element q. Resistance
,.han to our .presenr condition Title recon-.
nendaticn ahoye made, far the .trsiniug OF
torty thousand negroes iir.the strvice i;di-
Gated, Shall meet your approval. tits certain
| chat even THIS limited 'urmbcr by ;leir pre-
oaratcfy training in intcrnieiiate duties would
;orm more ra:,eb!c reserve force, in case
of urs..ncv, than ;hrce.fold their number sud.
dcn'y c.ilad i:o;t fed labor; while fresh
lew. could, t.,a certain extent, supply their
place in the spp,isl services for which they
..r>eo.s enpl"red.
OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
The rcgrl.i annual reports o. The Attorney
| General. tie S: cr,'ars # Ito Navy, and The
.Posllnasteriicncrni are appended, and give
'aufp,,. iniorrra,ion relative to the condition
of the respective departments. They contain
suggestions for legislative provisions requir-
ed to remedy such defects in tic existing laws
as have been disclosed by experience, Tut
none of so general or important character
as to require that / should do mere than
recommend them to your favorable consid-
eralion.
The provisions heretofore mado to some
extent for increasing the compensation of
public officers, civil and military, is found to
be in some. places inadequate to their sup.
port: perhapsnot more 80 anywhere than in
Richmond, and enquiry, with a'yiew 10 an-
/ prdpriate remedy, is suggested toSyour con7
| s;;deration. Your notice is also called to The
coldificn Of certain officers OF the Trea: erv,
who were omitted in lhe laws. heretofore
! passed for the relief Of other public officers,
as mentioned in the report of thesSecrelary
ofthe Treasury. ~ Tsk
DEPARTMENT OF WAR.
The condition of the various branches of
the military service is sta:ed in the aceom-
panying, report of the. Secretary Of War.
Among tie suggestions made Tor Legislative
action with view to add to the numbers and
efficiency Of the Ermy,all Of Which will receive
your consideration, there are some prom;-
ncnt topics which merit special notice.
The exemption from military duty nnw
accorded by !awto oil persons engaged in
certain specified pursuits OR professions is
shown by experience to be- un#ise, nor is it
believed to bo defensible in theory. The de.
fence Of holne, family and country is uniyer.
salisrecognizcd as the paramount political
duty Of every member efssociety; ard in
form: Ct government tikesou ours, whore each
citizen enjoys ,an equality Of rights and priv
.ileges nothing can be more,invidieils than an
unequal distribuiion.ofduties and obligations.
No pursuitnor position should, relieve any
ore who is able to do active duty, from en-.
rollment in the army. unless-h:s functions or
services are .norc useful. to the de;euce of
his country in another sphere. Bat it Is
rnapifcst.that this cannotgbe the case With
unt;ra, cIassest "A n telepr3Dh aDeratolS work.