Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-12-21

ing to the outside world, and South Caro-
lima made the theatre Of a new and I'M
exsmpled winter campaign and now that
they see their money at 1000 per cent. be-
low specie, and their capacity to produce
the barest necessities of war completely
frustrated, all hope of independence must
die out among the masses, and they must
soon reach point beyond which human
nature is not proof against despair.
WHAT to do with the slaves aud the free
negroes is now the problem with the
Richmond rebels. The question is revived
with more force than ever since the invest
ment of Savannah by Sherman aud since
Hoods failure at Franklin and before the
fOTti6eatioas at Nashville. Wh6n they get
the latest news from Tennesse, we think ali
de feheIs will make up their minds tusF
even their claws cannot save them. Tue
dispatches have already given as the sub.
stance of an article in the Richmond En-.
guirsr of the 18th. The whole article is
very interesting and significant. Among
other things the Enquirer goes on to speak
thus:
"When We supplicate European nations
for help, We must DO prepared to receive it
on their conditions; which will bs the
abolition Of slavery. If we are prepared
to abolish slavery, it will not be necessary
to go to European nations for protection,
they will give Us not only recognition, but
will follow recognition With such interven-
tiou as will secure nationality aud liberty"
1t goes on to state that Gen. R. E. Lee
has written a letter to W. Porchor Miles, of
South Carolina, Chairman OF the House
Committee on Military Affairs, in favor of
armipg negroes. Itargsss that fisherman,
when he gets to tlie coast, will tarry there
only long enough to rest and recruit his
men, and thsntake shipping for City Point,
to act in the spring as movable column
upon our lines Of Communication, and this
necessitatss like column onsonr part.p
Continuing in an at enpt-to show that
their present army Is unable to stem the
torrent it ssys;
"shall.we pfoloUg the war for the sake
of our negroes1 Shall we sacrifice our
children to preserve our slaves 2 Shall We
exhaust our country, destroy our noble
defenders and endanger every institution
rather than test an experiment that may
give US the means of recruiting our army,
of assuming the offensive, ard of conquer
ing speedy peace2 Neither rhetoric nor
argument nor authority can determine
whether the negroes will make for us faith.
full soldiers. The experiment must test
and decide this question. Gen. Lee asks
that this experiment be made. For us this
is sufficient Never will we put our pre-.
JUDGES against his deliberate Judgment aud
advice. He is a rash man that does. Heis
not wise man that imposes responsible.
ties and yet wilhholds means for tbeiEkc.
complishment." -
The Enquirer concludes the subject as
follows:
"But we hate, detestand despise the en-.
envy far more than we love and admire
slavery. If our liberties cannot be gained
but by the sacrifice Of slavery, we are pre-.
pared to make that sacrifice and to urge
that sacrifice upon our couutrymen. We
would not return into the Union if every
slave could be returned to his master, aud
if every guarantee that human ingenuity
could devise, were secured for the protec.
tion of the institution We prefer liberty
with free society to reunion upon the Sc.
curest basis of slavery. Such We believe
to be the sentiment of the people of Virgin
la but we know that great moral doubts
beset this question of armiug the negroes,
and yet the experiment ought to be tested,
and the fact ascertained, whether negroes
will make soldiers"