Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-11-18
fermentation of Slaves by the Confederate
Government.


Usurpation is ever prolific. When the
Confederacy, by the Confederate Congress,
claimed omnipotence over the States and
its citizens, including the officers OF the
States in its military resources, by the con-
scription law, any one conVersant with
human nature must have known that this
MIGHT not be the end of its usurpatiOns.-
A Constitution is like dyke keeping out
the sea. Out it and the influx of the wa
ters must be endless. This usurpatipn was
soon followed by the direct tax act, by
which the Confederate government claim
ed to be Umnipotent and consolidated in
its taxing, as it was Iby the CONSUMPTION
law in it's military powers. We are now
at third stage Of its usurpatiOns, soon to
he accomplished if not promptly met by
the States-the power to emancipate our
slaves.
The five Governors of the Confederate
States who met at Augusta on the 18th
instant, passed the following resolution:
Resolved, That the course he enemy
in appropriating our slaves who happen to
fall into their hands to purposes Of war
seems to Justify change of Policy0n our
part: and whilst owners of slaves under
the circumstances should freely yield them
to their country, we recommend to our
authorities under proper regulations, to
appropriate such part of them to the pub
lie service as may be required.
This resolution, recommending that sour
authorities doubtless Confederate au-
thorities, as they only control the war;
should "Gppropriate" our slaves "to tile
DIbZic sergice." cannot mean, the employ
ment of them as ostlers, wagoners and
cooks in camp-for this, law of Congress
already authorizes. They must mean some
thing more than this. What they mean
the following extract of the Richmond
Enquirer, seems pretty clearly to expose:
'sFhe proposition to extend the conscript
law to the slaves of the States, was first
formally advanced by the Enquirer, in the
issue of the 9th ult. The near approach
of the time when the Congress meets
again, requires that expression to be given
to the sentiments of the country upon this
important measure. We therefore earn
estiy invite its discussion, and open our
columns to opponents, as well as friends,
Of the proposition.
The CONSUMPTION of negroes should be
accompanied with freedom and the privi=
lege of remaining in the States. And,
when once it is understood that freedom
and home in the South are privileges
afforded by the Confederate authorities,
while the enemy extend the beggarly hos
pitality of Yankee philanthropy, not only
will desertion from our ranks-be unfre-
quent, but.the drafted negroes of the Yam
kee armies will exchange services.
IT. oo;I,E n ho1f illioo ~
fighting material which is property-shall
. we use that property for the common
cause Justice and sound policy demand
thct we make freeman Of those who fight
for freedom. We conscript the master
and we impress his horses, cattle, wheat
and every other property except slaves
This very exception is an imputation that
this war is for slavery, and not freedom.
If there is any reasons against extend
ing the CONSUMPTION to slaves, we should
Ike to have them stated, but we are de-
cidedly of opinion that the whole country
will agree to the proposition, and that at
an early day the next Congress will be
called to provide for it by law"
Here the proposition is, that the Con-
federate Congress should conscript our
slaves as soldiers; and shall emancipate
them.
Now, if there was any single PROPOSE
ton that we thought was unquestionable
: in the Confederacy it was this-that the
States, and the States alone, have the
exclusive jurisdiction and mastery over
their slaves. To suppose that any slave
holding country would voluntarily leave
it to any other power than its own, to
-, IL
ty, that we did not believe single intelli-
gent person in the Confederacy could enter
tainit. Still less could we believe, afterwhat
had taken place under the United States,
with respect to slavery in the Southern
States, it was possible that any pretenson
to emancipate slaves could be set ND for
the Confederate States. 1t was because
the exclusion of slaves from our Terrific.
ries by the government of the United
States, looked to their emancipation, that
we resisted it.
The power to exercise it, was never
claimed by that government. The mere
agitation in the Northwestern States TO
effect the emancipation of our slaves LARGE
~ contributed to our separation from
them. And now, before Confectionery
which We established to put at rest forever
all such agitation, is four years old we find
the proposition gravely submitted that the
confederate government should enamel
pate slaves in the States. South. Carolina,
acting upon the principle that she and she
Hione mad the power to emancipate her
saves has passed laws prohibiting their
emancipation by any of her citizens, un.
!eSs tley are sent out of the State: and no |
nee person of color already free, who
leaves the, State, shall ever Afterwards
enter it. She has laws now in force nr uo
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