Year: 1862

relied upon constant quantity" in the fearful problem
We are called upon TO Ioye. Albany EssHin9 Journal


II seems to us amazing that men can be
found to talk like the above; but, since they
do, it may be necessary, in behalf OF n deeply
injured and constantly slanderod race, to set
forth the obvious truth.


There are some -Four Millions OF Blacks in


hi. country, of whom fully Three and Hall
Millions are held in Slavery BY the Rebels.
They generally hear no other accounts of this
war than fnch as their masters choose to tell
them; and these assure them that the Unionists
are always and everywhere routed with enor-
nous slaugbter-,hat the Rebels carry all be-
fore them in every engagement-and that the
Unionitts are fighting for chance to Kill AL
the Blacks or TO sell them to Cuba or some
other region where they will fare even worse
than they now do beside being separated from
all they hold dear


What is our ans,ccr 10 oil hisl The slaves
do not hall believe what their masters tel
them to our discredit; but they may well wait
10 ace what We say in reply. And ~ yet we
have allthentchlIy SAID nothing.


But actions speak louder than words.


Our army ofiicers with few exceptions, are
bitterly Pro-Slavery. They scout the suggest
ion that tho War for the Union ia 10 enure in
any manner to the damage OF Slavery or the
advantage of the slaves They make Themselves
oiliciously busy in catching slaves who have es-
capped to our camps and returning them 10 their
Rebel masters. At least one slave 20 returned
has been nogsed to death for daring to prefer
the seryice OF the Union TO that OF a Seces.
sOnist. One who asked an officer why he
might not have arms and fight for the Union
was knocked down and beaten lor his impudence.
Nowhere have negroes been invited, or even
permitted, to fight for the National cause,
though whole regiments Of them have been armed
and equipped by the Secessionisls to Esbt on
their side, and more doubtless would be IT they
could be induced even to pretend a sympathy
for "ihe South" IllinOis-whch has done about
the most aud the best lighting for the Union OF
any State--lrames a new Constitution which
forbids any negro to come into that State 10
live, and rather aggravates the inhuman dsa-
bilties imposed OH those who already reside
there. And everywhere the National flag il
upborne BY men who, at the time Of their en-
listment, whatever may be their present feel
iDgs would rather have been defeated by white
traitors than victorious by the aid of armed
negroes.


Under the circumstances, the slaves have,
in remaining perfectly quiet, evnced a sagac.
ity for which their White rcyiiers have never
given them credit. They see nearly the whole
White race in arms for Southern independence
or loudly threatening TO spill their last drop Of
blood for that cause. They are not asked TO
fight on our side, nor even permitted to do so.
They only evince their natural politeness in
waiting for all invitation. To sacrifice hall
their lives iii ali insurrection against their
rebel masters, only to have the residue cap
tured by US and returned TO those masters as
runaway slaves, is not prospect fitted TO ex-
cite enthusiasm.


Let us not be understood as blaming the
Government for its action or inaction in the
premises. The subject is hedged about with
difficulties, mniDly growing out of our Northern
serilE Ia sPiog tho habit Of disparaging aud