The Continental Monthly, Vol 6, No 5, November 1864: Devoted To Literature And National PolicyVarious
History
The Continental Monthly, Vol 6, No 5, November 1864: Devoted To Literature And National Policy
Various
Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; United States -- Politics and government -- 19th century -- Periodicals
call himself Confederate, if he will.
Let it be remembered, also, that the Proclamation has had a very
important bearing upon our foreign relations. It evoked in behalf of our
country that sympathy on the part of the people in Europe, whose is the
only sympathy we can ever expect in our struggle to perpetuate free
institutions. Possessing that sympathy, moreover, we have had an element
in our favor which has kept the rulers of Europe in wholesome dread of
interference. The Proclamation relieved us from the false position
before attributed to us of fighting simply for national power. It placed
us right in the eyes of the world, and transferred men's sympathies from
a confederacy fighting for independence as a means of establishing
slavery, to a nation whose institutions mean constitutional liberty,
and, when fairly wrought out, must end in universal freedom.
We are to consider, furthermore, that from the issuing of the
Proclamation dates the organization of negro troops--a measure that is
destined to affect materially the future composition, as it is
believed, of our regular army. This is 'the employment as Union soldiers
of men heretofore held in slavery,' which the fifth resolution asks us
to approve. Can we not approve it? The fighting qualities of the
despised 'niggers' (as South Carolina chivalry terms the gallant fellows
who followed Colonel Shaw to the deadly breach of Wagner, reckless of
all things save the stars and stripes they fought under) have been
tested on many battle fields. He whose heart does not respond in
sympathy with their heroism on those fields, while defending from
disgrace his country's flag, need not approve. The approval of the
country will be given, nevertheless. There can be nothing better said,
on this point than President Lincoln's own words, as reported lately by
Judge Mills, of Wisconsin, to whom the President uttered them in
conversation. They cover also the question of the Proclamation, and will
fitly conclude our discussion of these two important measures:
'Sir,' said the President, 'the slightest knowledge of arithmetic
will prove to any man that the rebel armies cannot be destroyed
with Democratic strategy. It would sacrifice all the white men of
the North to do it. There are now in the service of the United
States near two hundred thousand ablebodied colored men, most of
them under arms, defending and acquiring Union territory. The
Democratic strategy demands that these forces be disbanded, and
that the masters be conciliated by restoring them to slavery. The
black men who now assist Union prisoners to escape, they are to be
converted into our enemies in the vain hope of gaining the good
will of their masters. We shall have to fight two nations instead
of one.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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