clause 'shall be delivered up,' their oaths are
unanimous. Now, if they would make the effort in good temper,
could they not, with nearly equal unanimity, frame and pass a law
by means of which to keep good that unanimous oath?

"There is some difference of opinion whether this clause should
be enforced by National or by State authority; but surely that
difference is not a very material one. If the slave is to be
surrendered, it can be of but little consequence to him or to
others by which authority it is done; and should any one, in any
case, be content that this oath shall go unkept on a merely
unsubstantial controversy as to how it shall be kept?"

So the issues were joined in war. The South aggressively, offensively
sought the extension and perpetuation of slavery. The North passively,
defensively stood ready to protect her free territory, but not to
interfere with slavery. And there was no day during the first two
years of the war when the North would not have cheerfully granted the
slave institution an indefinite lease of _legal_ existence upon the
condition that the war should cease.

FOOTNOTES:

[72] National Intelligencer, Tuesday, May 7, 1861.

[73] National Intelligencer, Tuesday, April, 2, 1861.

[74] Barrett, pp. 177-180.

CHAPTER XV.

"A WHITE MAN'S WAR."

THE FIRST CALL FOR TROOPS.--RENDITION OF FUGITIVE SLAVES BY THE
ARMY.--COL. TYLER'S ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA.--GENERAL
ISAAC R. SHERWOOD'S ACCOUNT OF AN ATTEMPT TO SECURE A FUGITIVE
SLAVE IN HIS CHARGE.--COL. STEEDMAN REFUSES TO HAVE HIS CAMP
SEARCHED FOR FUGITIVE SLAVES, BY ORDER FROM GEN. FRY.--LETTER
FROM GEN. BUELL IN DEFENCE OF THE REBELS IN THE SOUTH.--ORDERS
ISSUED BY GENERALS HOOKER, WILLIAMS, AND OTHERS, IN REGARD TO
HARBORING FUGITIVE SLAVES IN UNION CAMPS.--OBSERVATION CONCERNING
SLAVERY FROM THE "ARMY OF THE POTOMAC."--GEN. BUTLER'S LETTER TO
GEN. WINFIELD SCOTT.--IT IS ANSWERED BY THE SECRETARY OF
WAR.--HORACE GREELEY'S LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT.--PRESIDENT
LINCOLN'S REPLY.--GEN. JOHN C. FREMONT, COMMANDER OF THE UNION
ARMY IN MISSOURI, ISSUES A PROCLAMATION EMANCIPATING SLAVES IN
HIS DISTRICT.--IT IS DISAPPROVED BY THE PRESIDENT.--EMANCIPATION
PROCLAMATION BY GEN. HUNTER.--IT IS RESCINDED BY THE
PRESIDENT.--SLAVERY AND UNION JOINED IN A DESPERATE STRUGGLE.

When the war clouds broke