The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-10-21
A NEW AND STARTLING DEVELOP.
NTENT

MENT.
From the Times
We publish an extraordinary article from the
Richmond Enquirer of Tuesday of this week, on
the subject of arming the negro slaves of the
Confederncy to do battle for its existence. This
is the second discussion of the subject by the
Enq,0'er; and il tells us that, since it first for
maly and favorably advanced the idea of creating
negro army for the South, it "has received
many assurances Of its popular favor, and none
whatever Of opposition to it," It adds that the
'planters in the extreme Southern States favor
the proposition, and some have signiaed their
readiness to free five ten or fifteen Of their slaves
If they will enter the army"
1t says there is in the South "half million of
lighting material which is property shall We use
that property tor tho common cause ?" It argues
that the ''cOnscription of negroes should be ac-
cOmIaUed with freedom, and the privilege Of
remaining in the States" and that "justice aud
sound policy demand that we make free men of
those who fight for tresdOH." The whole sub
ject is discussed at once with an earnestness,
and absence Of bombast, that shows il was iu-
tended to have practical effect, and the closing
words are these :-"If there are any ruasoas
against extending the couscriptiOn to slaves wo
should like to have them stated, but we are de.
Cldediy OF the opinion that the whole country
will agree TO the proposition, and that at an early
day the next Congress will be called upon 10 pro-
vide for it by law"
Besides the favorable discussions of this policy
in the Rebel press, there has been published, by
order OF General Candy, our commander at New
Orleans, an intercepted letter addressed by the
Rebel Governor of LouSians to tho Rebel Secre-
tHry OF War al Rlchmond, urging the policy of
putting INTO the aTuy every ablc-boded negro
man rs n soldier He takes the same grOnud as
the KichmOnd Enquirer, both as to 'arming aud
freeing, or rather nc was in advance of the Er-
q'rrCr on both of these points, for his letter is
dated the 26th Of September, while the subject
preached the p't,u tha I.rh nF
October.
We confess that this development takes US by
surprise, Few who knew the South ia her Old
days Of pride ard chiyalTy-tew who knew tho
unutterabe conempJ entertained by the dOmi
nant race for the humanity of the negro, could
believe anything whatever could ever reduce her
TO the adoption OF such policy as this, or even
20 its discussion.
OF all the slgus of the fearful straits Of the
southern Contederacy, OF all the proofs Of the
desperation Of Rebel fortunes, this is By far the
most striking and conclusive.
Moreover, il furnishes ground Of justification
OF our own Government ia its policy OF using,
milltArly, the negro element of the South as an
ald Ia operating upon the Rebellion. When our
Government first proposed TO use the negroes as
soldiers, it was iurluusly denounced, ou several
grave grounds, both by the Rebes and Conner
heaus. II was saiu 90 be atrOCiOusly cruel 10
arm an inferior against a superior race as the
former would luduge IN general massacre, rape,
and arson.
1t was said to be against the law of nations.
placed on the same level with well poisoning and
we were challenged 20 produce q precedent for IL.
and though iast not least il was prouOunced N
''mtan Yankee trick No brave peoplc they
declared, with particle Of self-re'pect would
consent tC owe any thing, not even the Dres1ryl-
tlOn Ol us Government, 10 u race which, from
time inmemoriaI, had been hcWerS of wood and
drawers OF Waer for any body who chose TO
catcL and fog them.
We beg Of the Southern Chivalry 10 remember
now their own doctrnJs, and TO rcspcct them
Let them consider tor moment what the conse-
quenCes viii be in case the Contederacy shOuld
De saved ny tue ihstumentality OF black soldiers
II the blacks should succeed in winning Southern
Independence, after the whites have tried ana
failed, It will be de tactO, as well as de jurs
negro Republic. The negroes will carry Off ali
the honors of the struggle and will bv eySry rnIe
Of law and justice be entitled to all the rewards of
pTictOry.
For it must be remembered that if all the able.
hoded blacks are put under arms they will form
not an auxiliary force, but the main army of
the Contederacy, 10 which the white skulkers
patTlarchs, ana boys, who are now nearly all that
is LETT OF the Southern white males, will be
attached as sort Of reserve, and a very small
one at that. Under these circumstances the gifr
Of freedom to the slaves will be a ridiculous
farce. They will laugh in the faces of the cheva.
lieIs, &C the mere mention Of such thing.
To inform an army of five hundred thousand
men who have been called into service as the last
hope OF desperate cause, that they shall not be
Paddied any more on the bare back, that they
shall not be robbed Of their wages, that their
mothers shall not be treated as cows nor their
children as calves would be simply piece of
wasteful and ridiculous excess. Whenever there
is that number of able-bOdied blacks under arms
in the South, ,it will be wholly unnecessary to pass
Sny act or make any appropriation towards be. |
Gst0w!ng their freedom on them.
Moreover, II they secure the triumph OF the |
|COntederaCy, IL will be by doing wha. the |
100000 Of Southern whites have failed to do
|oonquerng the North. Any body OF men who |
succeed in doing this will be inevitably masters
|ot the situation afterwards. The country they |
lhaye saved will be theirs, by the laws Of war |
and every other law. The legitimate Govern. |
|ment at Richmond will be a black government |
t1nd its members will be the most respectable |
EQdy Of men to be found anywhere.