Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-01-06

that thereby a better discharge of duties
will be obtained.
WE would direct attention to the article
on our first page, this morning, from the
Richmond Sentinel, JEFF. Davis organ, an
extract from which was given in our des.
patches yesterday.
There seems no reason to doubt but that
the Richmond rebels are coming round
great deal faster to unanimity in favor of
employing negroes as soldiers than our
authorities at Washington after the matter
began to be first preached there. The
Washington City Star has had CONVEX
ton with George D. Prentice, of tho Louis
willie Journal, who has just returned from
Richmond, after a stay there of FIVE weeks
in behalf of his rebel son who was being
tried for shooting a brother officer. He
tells the editor Of. the Star that the public
men in Richmond seemed to be prepared
for the experiment and its legitimate con-
consequences, viz: the abolition Of slavery.
They all propose to set free the negroes in
whose hands they may place arms, and to
donate lands to them, leaving the question
OF the liberation of their families in abey-
Huce for the present.
Commenting on Mr.. PrentiCe's views the
Star observes AS follows:
We lock for the speedy announcement
OF the commencement OF the experiment
with redoubIed interest, because firmly
convinced that the negroes of the South
will surely use their arms against the oil
gArchy- We know well that every negro
with whom any portion of our armies has
been thrown IN contact 80 far has proved
Rn enemy of their cause, and do not believe
that they will fight the troops, white or
black, IN our service, We care not what in
ducoments may be held out to them to do
so.
The tone of the Richmond Enquirer in
favor of the experiment, regardless of all
consequences, is even more decided than
the SeHtIHei'T article. The last number of
that paper received at Washington closes
an editorial on the subject as follows:
''lf we were confident and certain that
the employment of the negroes involved
the abolition OF slavery, we could not but
advocate its adoption. We are aware that
all the principles and Prejudices of the
people oppose anything that approaches
abolition; but irankness OF discussion must
be permitted when beset by such periIs as
now endauger our cause. The defeat of
General Hood and the loss of Savannah are
but events in the war which may or may
not involve the safety of our country, ac-
cording as the authorities act upon them.
But the diminished aggregate OF our ar
mics is the cause which produced these
events, and unless that aggregate is
brought up to the proportion which our
Hrmies in 1862 held TO those Of the enemy
these disasters cannot be rtmedied nor
Similar ones prevented in FUTURE
Such articles as those of the Enquirer
and Sentinel superadded to the we'll known
opinions. OF General Lee in favor OF ma.
king soldiers OF the slaves, together
with the report brought by Mr.. Prentice,
Lhow US plainly in what direction things
are now tending. 1t was said before the
war began that its result would be to
''cruciiy slavery" and the expression is
finding it's viudication rapidly, not only by
The assaults of the north upon the iustitu-
tiOn, but by the enforced resort of the
Fouth 10 the use of the slaves in their
armies.
1t is idle for the Richmond papers to
speculate as to what they will do with the
wives and children of their slave soldiers,
Swords and muskets in the hands of the
men slaves will soon settle that question.
They may depend that in entering upon
taeir long dreaded and delayed experiment
they are entering upon the beginning
ct the end SO far as every vestige of their
Institution is concerned. No remnant of
1t will remain for vOxatiOus dispute after
the war.
We do not share the opinions of those
who suppose the slaves will not Eight for
their Southern masters. We have seen moth.
ing to SO convince US as yet. Their rels-
tons with the whites are in thousands Of
Instances such as to inspire them with
natural desire to share their fate. Iono.
raut as they are OF the philosophy of thu
CONTEST time and closer relstion tn thu
UuiOu side of the question are needed to I
nadeeeivs them. They certainly however
will bear watching, and we have no donbt
bat thata careful watch to protec, them
from all Yankee contamination will bo