their voting population.

Nearly every man of influence at the South (and many a pretended Union
man at the North) is a member of this organization, and sworn, under the
penalty of assassination, to labor, 'in season and out of season, by
fair means and by foul, at all times, and on all occasions,' for the
accomplishment of its object. The blacks are bound together by a similar
oath, and only _bide their time_.

The knowledge of the real state of political affairs, which the negroes
have acquired through this organization, is astonishingly accurate;
their leaders possess every essential of leadership,--except, it may be,
military skill,--and they are fully able to cope with the whites.

The negro whom I call Scipio, on the day when Major Anderson evacuated
Fort Moultrie, and before he or I knew of that event, which set all
South Carolina in a blaze, foretold to me the breaking out of this war
in Charleston harbor, and as confidently predicted that it would result
in the freedom of the slaves!

The knowledge of this organization I acquired by gaining the confidence
of some of the blacks, who knew me to be a Northern man, and supposed I
sympathized with them. Having acquired it in that manner, I could not
communicate it; but now, when our troops have landed in South Carolina,
and its existence is sure to be speedily developed, no harm can result
from this announcement.

The fact of its existing is not positively known (for the black is more
subtle and crafty than anything human), but is suspected, by many of the
whites; the more moderate of whom are disposed to ward off the impending
blow by some system of gradual emancipation,--declaring all black
children born after a certain date free,--or by some other action that
will pacify and keep down the slaves. These persons, however, are but a
small minority, and possess no political power, and the South is rushing
blindly on to a catastrophe, which, if not averted by the action of our
government, will make the horrors of San Domingo and the French
Revolution grow pale in history.

I say the action of our government, for with it rests the
responsibility. What the black wants is freedom. Give him that, and he
will have no incentive to insurrection. If emancipation is proclaimed at
the head of our armies,--emancipation for _all_--confiscation for the
slaves of rebels, compensation for the slaves of loyal citizens,--the
blacks will rush to the aid of our troops, the avengin