Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-11-08

Of men is no confession of exhaustion, no
sign OF weakness. To proclaim our pur-
pose TO add the military strength of four
millions of slaves to that Of eight millions
of whites has, we think, rather the sppear-
ance of power than of weakness. As to
the effects of this proposition upon subsis-
tence, 1t should be borne in mind that the
production of supplies is not our present
difficulty, but their transportation and dis
tTibution; that we have an ample supply
of provisions for the whole country. if il
was properly distributed. Negroes now do
not aid in the transportation of supplies.
but, when in the army, they may be used
to further that great military end as well
as fight.
The objection that the negroes will give
trouble and become dangerous, is refuted
by their docile and subordinate behavior
during this war, when so many of the
whites are from home, and when the enc
my has been pressing our armies at all
points. Never have the negroes been
more easily managed or exhibited more
sdbordinaion, or less sympathy for the
Yankees than during the years of this war
The many thousand who have gone off and
are now with the Yankees, went because
hey were demoralized by the flight ofso
many whites from the Yankees, and be-
cause thev were deceived by the promises
and driven off by the military power Of
the enemy. This war has not failed. to
teach tho negro the lesson that his inter
ests and those of his master are identical;
Lhat his only friend is his master, and that
be can find no resting place with the Yam
KEGS. The suffering of those that are with
the enemy has been told over and talked
over by those who have remained, and the
lOss, though heavy upon the master, has
not been altogether thrown away upon the
negroes.
1t is objected by some, that to give free
dom to the negro soldier is to acknowledge
that freedom is boon, and that hence that
slavery is wrong-that the strong argu-
ment which this war is teaching the world,
that slavery is the GOd-sppointed institu-
ton for the negro, will be weakened and
reiuted, if freedom is given as the reward
and price Of military service-that if ne
groes are required for thearmy they should
be drafted az slaves, treated as property,
when lost in the service paid for, and after
the war returned as slaves totheir masters.
But it should be remembered that whether
freedom TO the negro is really blessing or
u curse, that B1anynegroes desire II, and are
willing TO take 1t even from the Yankees.
Freedom is given to the negro soldier, not
because we believe that slavery is wrbng,
but because we must offer to the negroes
those inducements 20 fidelity which he
regards as equal if not greater than
those offered by the enemy. The Yankee
makes the negro free at the North. We
otfor him freedom at home. Our CORES
pondent "a. b" believes the negro would
desert from US to the Yankees, and calls
attention to the fact that the negro does
not dessrt from the Yankee to us. The
reasons given for this by our correspondent
are correct and proper. The Yankee
negro at present fears US more than he does
the dangers of the Yankee service but
when once he sees negroes in our army
and understands that freedom and home
in the confederacy is the reward of service
in our army; that here the field of labor is
epen to him, while it is closed in the Uni
| ted States, We believe that the tide Of de-
sertion would set strongly in our favor.
But "A. 3" says the negroes viii not
| fight. We confess that at one time we en-
| tertained the same opinion. a distinguish
ed general officer, writing to us privately
on this subject { we wish we could give the
| public the weight and inhunoe OF his name)
answers this objection. He says:
1 Sort Gilmer, the other day, showed
they would fight. They raised each other
over parapet, to be shot as they appear
ed above" But fighting is not the only
| duty demanded of soldiers. In the Cri-
mean war tone hundred thousand men"
were employed outside of the army. The
"Work Party corps" of the British army
employed on roads, was over ten Thousand.
| The negroes are wanted, not only as sol
| diers, but as laborers and working men TO
relieve the soldiers. Organized and drill
ed, taught and instructed, they will make
good and efficient soldiers. Proud of the
resi- peot that will be due them after the war
they will be found useful and orderly in
time Of peace. A home secured them here
offers Inducements to fidelity which viii
greatly add discipline in governing and
controlling them Their organization
should give to the President an Unlimited
power of appointment,
Promotion by seniority and boards o
examiners is played out in the army a
present; we hope they never will be sp
piled 10 the army of blacks. The braves
and most soldierly privAtes Of the presen
army should be selected for company OIL
eers-men who will lead the negroes, OFF
GERS who will devote al! their time to in
structing and drllling them, not only il
the school of the soldier, the squad and tn
company, but who will explain 10 the ne
groes the nature Of their duty as well a
the rewards and inducements held out b
the people, to fidelity and cour, sc. B
, mingling kindness with frmness, tie officer
con excite the self-esteem of the nc gro an
teach him to understand that after the wa
he will be respected and pretectf by tn
: white man, and live in Old Virginny."
We are not prepared to see that this mes
sures isiemanded by our present exhaustion
: We de not believe it is. But tho futur
- must be provided for-and it must be 81
! paront to evey sensible man that e drai
upon the population Of the Coz 'ederat
States which this war has m.de mu
n eventually exhaust those States, unlei
something is done TO supply this drai
from other sources thsn the white populi
ton The Conscription law cannot be g,
: tended to any greater age, and its exec
tion, however much improved, cannot In
N the men to supply the losses as fast as Il
campaigns create them. Shall VIC perm
the enemy to use the negIoes against I
OF shall we make use of them for or oV
ID defence.
Every man should weigh well this que
tion, and disconnect it altogether from q
\! subject Of slavery, emancipation and 9th
,.,ot4a-o Tho noOroaa hava THAR Tlacas