The President takes Another Step.

Our excellent President has taken another step in the right direction; he has given his unqualified approval to an additional article of war, which goes into operation immediately, discharging from service any officer, military or naval, who shall be found guilty of employing any of the force under his command for the purpose of returning fugitive slaves.  That is good, “firm as rock he stands on the Constitution.”  As the Tammany men say, “he will prove himself a good democrat before the expiration of his present term.”  If this be democracy, commend us to it.  It is a bitter pill to the pro-slavery press, but it is used to such doses – it can sugar coat and swallow it without a wry face.  The ambidextrous prestidigitator who presides over the Democrat of this city, can convert it into a sweet morsel and roll it under his tongue, all the time disguising his groans with shouts for the man who “stands like a rock on the Constitution.”

Good again, say we; but where are the defenders of Gen. Stone, the admirers of Col. Oglesby, and the worshippers of “Order No. 3” of Gen. Halleck?  Gen. Fremont’s policy was right, so said the President, but the time he thought had not arrived to adopt it, the hold of slavery was yet too strong on the country, the pro-slavery press of the North would rebel, the Border States might forget their allegiance – but the time has now come, there stands the article approved by the President and who dares say nay?

Standing firm as a rock on the Constitution, and taking one more step and the policy of Gen. Lane will be that of the Government, and the death-knell of slavery and the rebellion will resound throughout ever swamp and bayou of the South.

The telegraph informed us, a few days since, that “large gangs of negroes have been set to work on Forts Randolph and Pillow.”  Previous to the approval of the above order if any of those negroes had escaped from either of those forts, and sought the Federal army from protection, it was the policy of the Government to send them back to work to strengthen those fortifications!  That this was done is an absolute fact.  Early in September last, about four hundred slaves were set to work in erecting the fortifications at New Madrid.  Three of these slaves deserted, bearing with them important intelligence, and made their appearance at Bird’s Point, and offered their services to our Government.  Col. Oglesby, then commanding, ordered their return to their disloyal masters, and they were driven back to assist in building the breast works and fortifications, to rebel the Federal army, when it should make its attack on that point.

Slaves were used in building the fortifications at Columbus.  Seven of them, mounted on horses, escaped to our ranks one at a time.  The horses were retained and the slaves driven back!

Is it not time, full time that an order was promulged throughout the country, prohibiting such inconsistency in future?  It is, and the man who would oppose the adoption of such an order is a sympathizer with the rebels.  The Government has already sacrificed enough at the shrine of slavery; and while the people of the North are willing to give their service, their money, and their lives for the preservation of the Union, they are unwilling to prolong the war a single hour to preserve slavery.  They would rather see it sink, and all cause for future hostility removed.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, March 18, 1862, p. 2