themselves upon us, what should we do with them? How can we feed
and care for such a multitude? Gen. Butler wrote me a few days
since that he was issuing more rations to the slaves who have
rushed to him than to all the White troops under his command.
They eat, and that is all; though it is true Gen. Butler is
feeding the Whites also by the thousand; for it nearly amounts to
a famine there. If, now, the pressure of the war should call off
our forces from New Orleans to defend some other point, what is
to prevent the masters from reducing the Blacks to Slavery again;
for I am told that whenever the rebels take any Black prisoners,
free or slave, they immediately auction them off! They did so
with those they took from a boat that was aground in the
Tennessee river a few days ago. And then I am very ungenerously
attacked for it! For instance, when, after the late battles at
and near Bull Run, an expedition went out from Washington, under
a flag of truce, to bury the dead and bring in the wounded, and
the Rebels seized the Blacks who went along to help, and sent
them into Slavery, Horace Greeley said in his paper that the
Government would probably do nothing about it. What _could_ I do?

"Now, then, tell me, if you please, what possible result of good
would follow the issuing of such a proclamation as you desire?
Understand: I raise no objection against it on legal or
constitutional grounds; for, as Commander-in-Chief of the army
and navy in time of war, I suppose I have a right to take any
measure which may best subdue the enemy; nor do I urge objections
of a moral nature, in view of possible consequences of
insurrection and massacre at the South. I view this matter as a
practical war measure, to be decided on according to the
advantages or disadvantages it may offer to the suppression of
the Rebellion."

Not discouraged, the deputation urged in answer to his conservative
views, that a policy of emancipation would strengthen the cause of the
Union in Europe, and place the government upon high humane grounds,
where it could boldly and confidently appeal to Almighty God in an
honest attempt to save His poor children from the degrading curse of
American slavery. But the President replied:

"I admit that Slavery is at the root of the Rebellion, or at
least its _sine