Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-11-18
The RIehHlOnd Enquirer's Argument
I'm favor of ArEntng the Slaves
TFrom the ENQUIRER Nov Ill


! From the Enquirer, Nov. H.
The employment of slaves as soldiers
was never suggested as proposition pre-
ferable to any other, but solely as a
remedy to which dire necessity might
eventually drive the Confederate Govern
ment. Considerations of double charac-
| ter are involved in this measure. There
| is the moral influence which the conscrip-
| tion quarter of a million Of slaves to
| fight for their freedom and our freedom
! from Yankee masters, would have upon
our enemies and the world at large. And
their is the physical influence of such an
augmentation of our army upon that army,
our people, our enemy and our cause.
Nor should these two considerations be
separated in the discussion of this propos-
ition.
The war has been slanderously called
the shareholders war; undertaken for
slavery, and maintained and supported
solely for the perpetuation of negro slav-
cry. Our enemies have charged, and much
of the world believes the charge that we
have sacrificed the best and noblest Of our
land, hesrtlessly and cruelty, to maintain
the negro property Of some three hundred
thousand Shareholders. The unparalleled
suffering of sthis inhuman war has been
slanderously misrepresented as detailed
upon the pJOr and rich of these States, by
the selfish slsveholder for the security OF
his ahuman chattels" The people ofthese
States know the infamous character of
these charges, but that public sentiment of
the world which influences the actions
and opinions of men and nations, will not
understand the base mendacity of these
charges, if the people of this country shall
decide this question by its ulti-
mate effect upon negro slavery. Whether
or not slaves shall be conscripted, must be
decided upon some higher and nobler prn-
ciple than the evils of free negroism; the
people of these States could have escaped
those dangers by submitting to Mr.. Lin
coin.
The President in that Jaques-Gilmore
interview, Indignantly repudiated the
charge that this war was for slavery, and
the sentiment of the country approved and
applauded his declaration. If it shall sp-
pear that the necessities Of the army de-
mand more men than the white population
Of the conntry can supply, and the people
of this country exhibit an unWillingness
W uIhh0 sOl1lbIe VI kuOlE sidNOS, AOCd IL 1Ot
give color to the charge that the war is
for slavery, and that we prefer our negroes
to our liberties If the necessity exists,
then, we say, not forty thousand only, but
any number that the necessity may re-
quire, for negro slavery was the more oc-
casion, and not the object or end of this
war. We would show to the world the |
lesson that for national independence
and freedom from Yankee domination, in |
addition 10 sacrifices already made, the !
people of these States are ready and will |
ing, when the necessity arises, to sacrifice !
any number or sll ofthe slaves to the cause |
of national freedom. And we would |
teach the enemy that exhaustion" had but |
merely brought to our attention the fight |
ing resources of four millions of slaves, and |
that our spring campaign shall open with
an army OF quarter of a million of ne
groes, besides our noble veterans, and that |
the scene Of operations shall be the coun-
try of the enemy. We would respond to |
General Grants "cradle and grave" ssser-
tion with the battle shout Of an army of |
half million.