Year: 1862

While the loyal States thus have all their prop
erty and possessions at stake, are the insurgen
rebels 10 carry on warfare against the Govern
ment in peace and security to their own prop
erty?


Reason and justice and self-preservation for.
bid that such should be the pohcy Of this Gov.
ernment, but demand, on the contrary, that, be.
ing forced by traitors and rebels to the extrem.
lily OF war, all The rights and powers OF wal
should be exercised to bring it to speedy end


Those who make war against the Govern
ment Justly forfeit all rights of property, p.ivi.
lege, or security derived from the Constitution
and laws, against which they are IN armed re-
bellion and as the labor and service OF their
Slaves constitute the chief property of the reb-
els, such property should share the common fate
Of war, to which they have devoted the prop
erty OF loval citizens.


While It is plain that the slave property OF
the South is Justly subjected to all the conse-
quences Of this rebelious war, and that the
Government would be untrue TO its trust IN not
employing all the rights and powers Of war to
bring il 10 speedy close, the details of the plan
for doing 50, like all other military measures,
must, in great degree, be left to te determin-
ed by particular exigencies. The disposition of
other property belonging TO the rebels that be-
comes subject to our arms is governed by the
circumstances of the case. The Government
has no power 10 hold slaves, none to restrain a
slave of his liberty, or to exact his service. 1t
has right, however, to use the voluntary SER
vice of slaves liberated by war from their rebel
masters, like any other property of the rebels,
in whatever mode may be most efficient for the
defense OF the Government, the prosecution OF
the war, and the suppression of the rebellion.
1t is as clearly the right OF the Government to
arm slaves when it may become necessary as it
Is TO use gunpowder taken from the enemy.
Whether it is expedient to do so is purely
military question. The right is unquestionablc
by the laws of war. The expectancy must be
determined by circumstances, keeping in view
the great object of overcoming the rebels, re-
establishing the laws, and restoring peace TO the
nation.


II is vain and idle for the Government to car
ry on this war, or hope to maintain Its existence
against rebellious forces, without employing all
the rights and powers of war. AS has been
SAID, the right to deprive The rebels of their
property in slaves and slave labor, is as clear
and absolute as the right to take forage from the
field, or cotton from the warehouse, or powder
and arms from The magazine. To leave the
enemy in possession OF such property as forage
and cotton and military stores, and the means
OF constantly reproducing them, would be mad
ness. II Is, therefore, equal madness to leave
them in peaceful and secure possession OF slave
property, moIe valuable and efficient to them
for war, than forage, cotton and military stores.
Such policy would be national suicide. What
to do with that species of property is question
that time and circumstances will solve, and need
moi be anticipated further than to repeat that
they cannot be held by the Government as
slaves. 1t would be useless TO keep them as
prisoners of war; and self-preservation, the
highest duty Of Government, or of individuals,
demands that they should be disposed of or EN-
ployed in the most effective manner that will
tend most speedily TO suppress the lnsurrection
and restore the authority of the Government.
If shall be found that the men who have been
held by the rebels as slaves are capable of bear
ing arms and performing efficient military SER
vice, il is the right, and may become the duty
of the Government to arm and equip them, and
employ their services against the rebels, under
proper military regulation. discipline and CON-
mand.


But in whatever manner they maybe used
by the Government, il is pl1in that, once liber-
ated by the rpbellious act of their masters, they
should never again be restored to bondage. BY
the masters treason and rebellion he forteits all
right to the labor and service of his slave; and
the slave of the rebelous master, by his SER
vice TO the Government, becomes justly entitled
to freedom and protection.


The disposition to be made OF the slaves OF
rebels, after the close of the war, can be safely
left to the wisdom and patriotism OF Congress.
The Representatives of the people will unques-
tionably secure to the loyal shareholders every
right to which they are entitled under the Con-
stitution of the country"


SIMON CAMERON,


Secretary of War.