St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-15

| low such success I will not venture to ex.
press. Conceive the worst and it is that
have written to Mr. Barnwell, and asked him
to present to you my opinions as to the effect
of the fall of Charleston. repeat it now, a:
my solemn conviction, that our cause now
| depends on our success here. Without aid
here, all hope will be lost. The state has now
| in the field, in the militia. every man who
can come out. But these troops can not YET
be efficient. If Gen. Hoods army can be
sent to Augusta in time, we may yet arrest
the course of disaster which threatens ruin tc
US. A. G. MAGRATH, Governor.
Col A. p. Aldrich Wants the Negro Placed
Hors de Combat
BARNwELL COURT House, Jan 16, 1865
SIR: The threatened advance of the en-
envy through our state exposes large num-
Der of negroes to capture, which if possible,
should be prevented. do not recommend
to families to desert their homes, because
some have not the means to move. Most of
the residences out of the line of march have
been taken up, and experience has shown
that refugees have not generally bettered
their condition in leaving the comforts by
which they were surrounded to seek new
means. | am therefore, not at all surprised
that many have determined TO stand their
ground and hold to their homesteads rather
than seek safety in flight.
What most fear, and what l desire to call
your attention to, is the number of able
bodied young negroes that may fall into the
hands of the enemy. hold it to be criminal
in a slave-owner to allow. his young fellows
70 ha ~ ly hn
Confederacy of an able-bodied laborer, but
it furnishes the invading army with good
recruit, who makes ut least as good a soldier as
the ignorant and debauched foreign
err In the opinion of many
who have seen service, he is much
better material Now, what l at present
wish to bring TO your attention is the neces-
sity of making some arrangement by which
these recruits from our laborers may be put
out of the reach of the enemy, either by the
owner of the slave or by the state at the ex-
peuse of the owner. 1t is a very common re-
ply now of men who own slaves to say: 81
do not intend to move; have no place to
20 to, no land on which to put my negroes,
anu, if l had, no money with which to move
aud support them
Is it not much better for man who has
! two, ten, or fifty young fellows to sell third
or one-half of them TO raise the means to
save the remainder, than TO give all Of them
to the enemy2 What does it do for South
Carolina to call out three or four thousand
militia, old men and boys incapable of active
service, without competent officers, not hav-
ing the ordinary camp equpage and supplies
with no discipline, mere mob, while at the
same time we give to the enemy eight or ten
thousand able bodied negroes. strong, healthy,
active, accustomed to discipline, in the very
prime Of life, who will be i'm m ediately distri-
1 buted among an army of veterans and made
good troops against their late mastersl
Il is not our policy TO remove this fghtin Q
material before the enemy comes, nav, to Kill
all who will not go, rather than to have to kill
them after they are armed and put in the
ranks against usi therefore regard it as a
matter Of the greatest importance that you at
once issue such orders As will save these la
borers to the Confederacy and will keep them
out OF the ranks of the enemy, or if you have
not the authority, and do not choose to as
sumo so large a responsibility, that you con-
vene the legislature for that purpose. The
danger is pressing, aud, in my opinion, any
power that YOU may assume will be cheerfully
sanctioned, aud any movement in this direc-
ton will be promptly legaIized. Very re-
spectfully, your obedient servant,
a. P. ALDRrcH.
To Gov Magratb.
SECOND LETTER on THE SANE DAY.
TIE OAKS, jan. is, 1865.
MI DEAR GOVERNOR: I am afraid YOU
will think me afflicted with the ''cacoethes
scrbendt'' Of that is the right way 70 write
it), but the fact is have been a good deal
among our people 10 the last week, getting
10 this militia organization, and do not like
the feeling which I see prevailing. There is
q good deal Of dependency. and it is very
common to hear I'VE are gone. Sherman
viii overrun the country. There is no use to
try any longer"
know this is the result Of the first shock.
and as the people become accustomed to the
state OF things more beautiful disposition
viii prevail: but vet, have been impressed
thai some Of our largest slave owners talk iu
this way. I have not beard them myself but ]
cannot doubt it. Gen Hagood is GOV With Us
and We have conferred freelv. He
aerees with me that Il will be Grim
iaaI TO allow our Young fellows TO fall
into the hands OF the enemy Ny sons
sre also Al home. They are all in the ser.
/ vice, and, as you know. have had opDortun-
tiles - fora opinions entitled to weight aud
/ consideration. Tney sll agree that while the
\ negro does not make soldier to compare
4 With the men who az our ranks, be does
l make 4 soldier who CON parss fzvorably with
I the soldiers who 81 Up the ranks Of tue
I Yankee army. aaj generally is better sol
/ der tasn the eTaigraui ana the Yankee negro.
I I Sish yO1 would take this matter in yOur
/ own hsnds and order the thing done at once
know yUa are net afraid Of responsibility,