Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1861-07-12
TRE DUTY OF Z. s. SOLDIERS.

of such men.
TRE DUTY OF Z. S. SOLDIERS.
A very important question was deci-
ded in Congress on the Sth inst. There
has been decided difference Of opinion
among the leading men of the country
as to the duties of the officers and SOL
.diegs Of the United States in the present
war. Many editors, and a considerable
proportion of the officers of the army
and navy, understood that the ehaef duty
Of our forces acas to capture and return
fugitive slares, achile tAeir rebel masters
acould thus be left at greater liberty to Pnr-
sue their noble object Of orerthroging the
Government Acting upon this under,
standing, several of our newly y-made
Generals have devoted themselves with
great zeal to this business And We ad-
nit it is calling for which they are
most admirably qualified. And if that
is the purpose Of the war, they are the
right men in the right places.
But there were also a large number
of people, and many officers, and it was
thought a very large majority of the
soldiers, who did not volunteer especi-
ally for that service. And while they
were impatiently waiting for permission
to strike down the rebels to the Union,
were not willing to spend their time in
catching and returning to slavery the
slaves who might escape from these
same rebels. This was bringing on a
conflict, which might have ended in mu-
tiny. To settle this grave question,
Mr.. Lovejoy, of Illinois, on the 7th inst
offered, in Congress, the following reso-
luton:
Rcsozced, "That IN tie Judgment Of this
HOUSE, it is no part Of the duty Of sohltyrs
Of the United States to capture or return
fu3itire slaces.'
This resolution, it will be seen, is plain,
and to the point. 1t says, that, in the
judgment Of Congress, it is NOT the duty
J L. S. sozc'irrs to capture and return
frgittce slures. OF course, an effort was
made to prevent vote, which proved
successful on the 9TH Bat, as the ques-
ton was one of great moment, Mr..
Loveioy brought it up again on the 8th,
and forced u direct vote upon it. When
no longer able to dodge, members were
forced to show their hands. There
were but two sides to the question. 1t
'c0s the duy of our noble Free State
volunteers to earn the title of slave
catchers, or 1t 1c,s not And Congress,
In the face Of the world, was about to de-
eide that question. And, thank God.
they did decide it in such Il way that
children need not hide their heads in
shame, that their fathers had voIuu-
teerel in the armies Of their country!
The resolution passed. by % ayes, to
55 nays. This vote will rcassure the
friends of civilization and human prog
ress throughout the world. It will wipe
the brand of infamy from the brows Of
our loyal soldiers, who have been COM
pclled to play the blood hound at the
i q
tion of manhood is to play the hunkey
to a boasted aristocracy. In the name
of patriotism, free government, human
ity, and common decency, we thank Con-
gress for that vote!
But we must protest against the blum
ders of the telegraphic reporters. The
special dispatch to the Cincinnati C6m-
mercial, i'll giving the vote of the Ohio
members, on the resolution, places the
name of our Representative, Mr.. HoR-
TON, alongside of Tallandighuns, and his
compeers, turning the great campaign
intended for the maintenance Of the
Constitution, into a contemplate slave
hunt!
This is so evidently blunder of the
Com mcrctal that we call upon it to cor
rect the mistake We do this, because
a blunder of that kind is not only calcu-
lated to damn Mr.. Horton in the opin-
ion of all good men, but is burning IL
bel upon the people or this District.
The Republicans Of this District are
not of that class Of people who could
be fairly represented by Vallandigham
They have worked with an energy
never surpassed, to place Mr. Horton in
the position he occupies. They have
ever been proud Of their Representative
Their reputation is, in large measure
involved in this question. In thcil
name, therefore, we protest against such
carelessness Of reporters.
We have only received the vote as
given in the Commercial, and that, just
as we are going to press, and have ne
time for further comment. When off
cially advised, we will have more tc
say.