feels that this carrying out involves some action
at the same time on the great trouble which first caused the war, and
which, if neglected, will prolong the war forever. He feels that the
future of the greatest republic in existence depends on settling this
question now and forever, and that if it be left to the chances of war
to settle itself, there is imminent danger that even a victory may not
prevent a disrupture of the Union. For, disguise it as we may, there is
a vast and uncontrollable body at the North who hate slavery, and pity
the black, and these men will not be silent or inactive. Did the
election of Abraham Lincoln involve nothing of this? We know that it
did. Will this 'extreme left,' this radical party, keep quiet and do
nothing? Why they are the most fiercely active men on our continent. Let
him who would prevent this battle degenerating into a furious strife
between radical abolition and its opponents weigh this matter well.
There are fearful elements at work, which may be neutralized, if we who
fight for the _Union_ will be wise betimes, and remove the bone of
contention.

Above all, let every man bear in mind that, even as the war stands,
something _must_ be done to regulate and settle the Negro question.
After what has been already effected in the border States and South
Carolina, it would be impossible to leave the Negro and his owner in
such an undefined relation as now exists. And yet this very fact--one of
the strongest which can be alleged to prove the necessity of legislation
and order--is cited to prove that the matter will settle itself. Take,
for instance, the following from the correspondence of a daily
cotemporary:--

THE ARMY SPOILING THE SLAVES.--Whatever may be the policy of the
government in regard to the status of the slaves, one thing is
certain, that wherever our army goes, it will most effectually
spoil all the slaves and render them worthless to their masters.
This will be the necessary result, and we think it perfectly
useless to disturb the administration and distract the minds of the
people with the everlasting discussion of this topic. Soon our army
will be in Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana, and the soldiers will
carry with their successful arms an element of liberty that will
infuse itself into every slave in those States. The only hope for
the South, if, indeed, it has not passed away, is to throw down
their a