The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-08-26
Oopperhead Lies.

Should any one undertake TO reiute all the
alsehoods and confute all the inuendoes tina
iaily appear In the copperhead press, he coulo
lind years work in asinge weeks issue OF
some of our smallest and most insignificant
provincial papers; TO say nothing OF such
wholesale factories as the World, NJ cs, Chi
cago Times and others of equal influence an d
circulation. But occasionally, in the exuber-
tnce of their malice, these professional de-
anieFs let slip ealumny which can be easily
efuted, and the weak points OF which they
)verloox-either from Ignorance, or from
he haste with which they invent their vast
nultitudes Of canards
The following appeared in the Argus OF
Tuesday. Whether il is original with that
seratIous sheet, or has been captured bodily
rom some ether patriotic and yirtuous news
laper,we do not know. 1t appears as editorial
There is double the number OF negro troops
IN the PAY roll that there is in The Serttee'
Officers are working their LEASED plantations
Town South with them, ana Cheie pam
cots the bills Old Abe says 1t IS all right
" acquiescing 10 it without word oil pro
est.
We have tue authority ofpersons who have
,een cCnversant with the enlistment OF ne
,roes in the Southwest, for declaring the above
O be utterly false. Most elective measures
ave been taken for separating the negroes
sho work on plantations from the soldiers
nd all the army officers, anxious to increase
he force in the field, have been particularly
sigilaut in carrying out the orders on this
subject. There are very few, indeed scarcely
sny-negroes on plantations who could be ac-
epted as recruits. Every drove that comes
n from the interior is at hrst carefully culled
OF the army. Those not fit for service are
placed in camps or on plantations. An order
issued neatly year ago forbade c, lored SOL
,iers visiting plantations without military pass
;. We defy the Editor of the Argus or any
me else TO point out asingle case where com
aissioned officer is carrying on a plantation
Their with or without the help Of his soldiers
Che statement is absurd on the face oft AL
,lauta iions are outside our lines or subject to
attack from guerihas. Every officer found
ut,ide our lines without orders, aud captur-
d, is dismissed the service without trial on
lis return from captivity. Neither he nor
he soldiers are liable to be treated by the re
,es as prisoners Of war but may be la,cftlls
shot as spies. Can the Argus point out any
one who is running this risk?
We may go still further. In the Depart
ment of the Gulfplsntstions leased to the gov
.rnmcnt were tabooed 70 recruiting officers
Il was thought reasonable that those who bad
Invested their capital in stocking plantation:
aud buying laborers should not be liable tC
rave their hands taken suddenly away while
raising a crop. Recruiting officers were Their
ore forbidden TO go to plantations. Recent
ly however, under the exigencies OF the service
General Candy has ordered recruits to b
taken from The plantations. Does this look
ike favoring spectators at the expense Of
The government?
As we have said it is profitless task to fer
rst out aud expose all the lies OF the copper,
.ad press. The reputation would not touch
them. They would never acknowledge the il
error, on the contrary we should find our
selves in the condition of Hercules when BIZ
undertook to dispose OF Hydra. No sooner
h I'd he cut OIL one head than tNo sprang in.
nedately from the stump. When however
as in this instance, we can without much
trouble cut dwon ialsehood and brand IT
u may not be a waste Of lime to dose.