Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-03-16
FROM RICHMOND.
The negro EnFollment Act.

The Negro EnrOllment Act.
THB MEAsURE REsoRTRp TO AS HEoEsslRY
To THE ExIsTEHoB OF THE SOUTH.
From the Richmond Enquirer, March 8. 4.
The subject of putting the negroes in the
army was on yesterday before the Copfed-
crate Senate for final action. The discus.
sion was one OF great interest. The Vir-
ginia Legislature having instructed her
Senators to votsfoEthe proposition secures
the passage Of the law. IN sr.,s......-. .,,
Mr.. Hunter, of Virginia, opened the dis
cussiop, and though announcing his pur-
pose to: vote for the bill, yet gave the
reasons which Influenced him to oppose it.
Sen tors Graham, Orr, Wigfail and Caper-
ton coDcurFed with Mr.. Hunter in opposi-
ton, and Senators Semmes, Burnett, Henry
aud OLDHAM addressed the Senate in favor
of the measure We shall not attempt to
give any sketch of the debate. The mea
sure is one of necessity, not of choice-a
measure which the country has resorted to
in order to defend her existence. There
may be much difference Of opinion. as to
the good result of the measure, but there
can be no question as to the good motives
of those who either advocated or opposed
the measure. It's influence upon slavery
is more of apprehension than reality, for
I slavery. is dead in Virginia. This State
never took up arms for slavery; she fought
for principle OF self. goyernmsnt, which,
in the case of slavery, had been assailed.
The point of interest was altogether con-
iued to the border States; to them rendi-
tion Offugitive slaves was of much pfaeti-I
i cUl impUEER tlsP q u SsiafAs it wRa
of no practical importance Whatever. EoI
the border States the Territories we're odt-l
let's for the increasing slave populations;
but the Gulf States wanted slaves aud had
none to remove. Yet for neither the
failure to execute the Fugitive Slave law,
nor for participation in the Territories,
| would Virginia dissolve the -Union. The
Gulf States, indhe exercise oftheir clear
right, chose to make these questions the,
occasion OF their resumption of powers for
merly ceded to the general government.
If the Union was one of consent the con-.
stitulion of the United States was the or
ganic law of self-government; but If the
Gulf States could be coerced into obedi-i
ence to the Union, there was no consent
no lf-goVernment, The issue thus made
up was undecided from the organization of
the Confederate government at Montgom-
cry until the fall of Sumter. Virginia, in
convention formally rejected the Mont
gOmery constitution. She sbided by the
Union. But when the April proclamation
of Mr.. Lincoln called her to war, and she
was called upon to fight either for or
against the principle Of consent and the
right of self government, the convention
did not hesitate moment. She seeded
aud took up arms with those States who
asserted tbe@ principle of consent, and
against those States that 1efiled that prin-
ciple. Slavery and negroes we're, the occa-
sion which developed the actual fact of
hn 0rin in1n 81 I'D i0h h., oF
: self: government, just as the tax on tea aud
the Stamp act brought permanently out
the claim of the British government to tax
the colonists. The war, on the part of
Virginia, was undertaken no more for slaves
than was that of the Revolution fought for
the tax on a pound OF tea. The occasion is
too often copfounded with the cause of
this war. -. -.454 - +
Itisno surrender of the principle of the
contest for these States to emanCipate their
. slaves, ii they think proper to dc SO for
their defence. The Yankees may be fight,
iug to emahcipate the negroes y but we are
nOt Sighting to keep them in slavery. ! We
are fighting to preserve the great principle
of self-government. In the conflict the
: means used by both parties may become
the same, without changing the end and
object of the conflict, We may emacipate
our slaves to induce them, to fight for our
right OF self goverument. The Yankees
emanciPate them to prevent them fighting
for US. 1- - I
Virginia has more to fight for in the
point Of honor than she ever had in the
fpoint of interest. She cannot and she will
not yield the right Of seif!goYerntnent.-
She will sacrifice very material interest
and the life of every man, white and black,
f6ther than yield the right of coerGi6I9Rd
, force to her enemy to drag her back into
the Unfon.. Tf-this putting oftthe negroes
into the army. involves the abolition Of
slavery, Virginia cannot hesitate, since the
failure of our armies to maintain and de,
tend the cause involves not only the abo!
lition of slavery, but the enslavemsnt OF
her people. 2 Virginia did not instruct her
Senators to coerce other States, but she
instructed them because she desired to
tsigeify to the world that she would never
yield up the contest ss long as she had q
Z man, white or black, to tight for it. Her
Instructions are her virtual pledge to fight
ION aud never to yield, She may be con
qUered-the. Providence, of God may de-
sign for this State future of slavery; bui
as long ss abe has any meausof main.
tanning the conflict she win devote them
to the sacred cause Of self government.
The Congress, by its delay, has csnsed
+ men 70 iuqalEe5Eneknert the Congress latin
fully represents the people, II it does
then further sacrifice is useless; but if i
does not, then the Congress has no bust
, ness 10 Richmond. If negroes are to b
Y kept in slavery At the hazard of enslavinl
the whites, then the further sacrifice Of tn
: whites is useless; but if every means is =
be devoted to the cause, thea on with tn
light. ds.1J5H
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