New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-02-28

q The negro soldier question Is ghost the
Richmond editors seem determined shall not speedily
be laid In the nes before they return to the charge
after the following fashion;
FTsss The Fx~1ts<v.
The question Of employing negroes IN the
syuy is NJ 70 means Get M rest by the Senate majority
OF The debates having bean secret tue can
have no the Ss0 q. a %
:. :s.Is: e.
Lee asks US TO do and directly opposite TO all the sent
mens and principles which have heretofore governed
and repeated Se%.sa Of The esdef to whom We already
owe No much and on whose shoulders rest so great
responsibility for the fuure, could induce or rather
this people aS y 70
hope to fight successfully through long wer with
out using the black population Evidently Cen Lee
think. not, be0aus q s same mee mat ne ma hS;s
posts s siso urgently demand. that Congress and the
.sis n1n s to Il. IsS R.' liz
point Of military necessity there are rev IN ,se S ,ss
federacy who would not defer 10 the Judgment VI 'o
General.
arm negroes; can they be made ,s hsc project
upon the last nsued ground and has not changed III
opinion Yet General lee has, on this question also
very decidedly expressed different judgment IN M
question purely nitary upon which, therefore, we
whole country i'll be disposed 20 acqucsce silently In
the opinion Of the commander who Undertakes 10 Use
that species Of force efficiently fol our defense mere
sre many other consideration which are moi military
but moral political and social relating 10 me iltuie Vi
the black well Us Of the white AL oil which OPP
nose themselves strongly TO the revolutionary measure
now recommended On these General Lee can
not he admitted 40 al authority Without appear;
indeed, lis esrae.tness In providing that .taos.
who ere employed should be freei." and that II
rpud be- neither Just wise 10 cqnrc them TO SI!e
a. slsyes suggests doubt whether be Is what used TO
he called good seatLctger that y gss.ler ne ~
negro Slavery as q sound. permanent basis Of our
national polty. Yet sill these considerations must also
five Way II 1t DO true thsi. 10 save our country from
Yankee conquest and domination. IL IS not only ex
Incident bit necessary" to employ negroes ~ soldiers
M is good Soutlsypor who Will guarantee Us against
that shame and dreadful DOOM, To save ourselves
drpu hat We should u course Do willing rot only 70
Tive mn fcnery and sacrifice comfort, but to put IA
sbeyaLce political and socisl theories. which IN .finc
Pile we cannot alter
question: Is this necessary. OF not necessary to
the defeat of the Yankee invaders and the estab-
r,hnent II Confederate Independence The Senators
who voted against the measure are entitled u credit
for pnrlty OF purpose II would be very iavldlons.
and ia unnecessary, ~ essIIne that any Of them
refuse the 1id Of negroes In this war from any
SLY and king sort OF lingering secret hope that II
tho couLtry is suLdued they will not perhaps he de-
ur,ye OF their slaves by the Yankee conqucr0rs. Ii
any Senator or any constituent Of any Senator. - at
OF subugaiion the enemy viii not take nom him both
his NEGROES and his plantation to boot that Seaior OF
constituent Is not to bc argaed with. Leaving
that out Of the question then, 1t nav lie az
suned that the majority OF the Senate objected 10
tho employment Of negro soldiers. either be.
cause thny think the necessity spoken VI b. Gen.
Lee doe. not exist OF because iey aie OF opinion that
would make bad soldiers and that u the whites
co,le,s themselves unable 20 continue the contest ne
uroes would not save them; beonuse they are iHicx
Gly opp.rl in principle to altering the relative status of
White and black from those moial political! and social
.derotions alluded 90 before. Az TO the two FIR,
obcctions the on'y answer that I've msdc is that
Cen Lee Is of a different opinion: he thinks he can
mike efficient soldiers Of negroes. and he thinks
lake ana VA hcm. II /. orc thing to be
aujts converted TO his opinion. and ano.bcy ~ ae
aaosce In bis decision Az 10 those othef and larger
which do not depend upon military
nor on the present cNigency but go down TO
lie foundations of society and TIE natural relation o
races, those senators who hold that IL would be cruel
niury both 10 white and black, to sever their present
relation OF master and slave; that to make freedom
reward for service r. at with the first principles
of his relation ard Is the beginning Of abolition and
that abolition means the abandonment of the bsck
race to inevitable destruction upon tLs continent
tLo,s Senators arc undoubtedly right. This Is
the true Southern principle. and the only
righteous princplei But what thenf What good
win our principlc do II the Yankees come In us
will there be- any comfort in going down 10 perdition
carving onr principle with Us ntactf The principle OF
slavery Il ssnnd one but Ia it so dear 10 rs that
,ther than give up we would ee slaves ouseFef''