The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1862-06-04

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by taxes imposed upon the laboring white
people of these States. Not satisfied
with doing this much for your especial
favorite, you extend the freedom of this
city aud the hospitality of the Govern
ment to all the runaway negroes in the
country who choose to visit the District
of Columbia. You issue rations TO them
day after day, and week after week, ra-
tions which must be paid for through the
sweat and toll of tax,ridden white men.
You are thus supporting in Incidence
hundreds upon hundreds of black men.
How many and at what cost am unable
to state, because when resolution, ask
ing for this information. was introduced
by the honorable gentleman from Ohio,
Mr.. Cox, it was Immediately tabled by
the Republican majority upon the other
side Of this House Those gentlemen
dare not let this information go to the
country; they shrink from the exposure
which a truthful reply to such inquiry
would make. The resolution of Mr.. Cox
also asked for the number of negroes en-
ployed as teamsters in the Army, and at
what wages; but this was equally objec-
tionable, for it would have illustrated the
fact that negroes by the hundred are re-
ceiving better pay as drivers than our
own white sons and brothers are for per-
ling their lives as soldiers in the defense
of the Union and the Constitution.
Having been thus deprived of obtain.
ing official information upon these ques.
tions, I am obliged to gather my statistics
from such sources as I can. I shall make
no statement that have not received from
respectable and responsible parties and
none which l do not conceive to be rather
under than over the true estimate.
Tue Government is to-day issuing ra-.
tions to about two thousand negroes in
this District alone, that cost over twenty
cents per ration-S $500 per day, in viola
ton of law, is being paid for this pur-
pose. The Government is hiring in the
District several hundred negroes, some as
teamsters and some for other purposes, to
the exclusion of white laborers. ,hous-
ands of whom, together with their wives
and children, in our large cities, are suf
fering for the want of employment J
speak advisedIy when l say that the Re.
publican party are already paying. of tax
gathered money, in this District alone,
over three hundred thousand dollars per
annum to buy, 'cothe, feed, and exalt the
African race Thus for the negro you
expend moro in a single year 10 the Dis
srict of Columbia than you appropriate
for the government and protection of all
the people in all the organized Terrific.
ries of the United Suites. The negro is
made superior. in your legislation, to the
pioneer white men that settle the great
West and, amid hardships and dangers.
lay che foundations of new common.
wealths; the hardest and noblest men Of
our common country.
So the people are taxed yearly more
for the benefit of the black race in this
District alone than it costs to maintain
the burdens of State government in either
Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota. Wisconsin,
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Con-
necticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Del.
aware, or Maryland.
Z But it is not in this District alone that
you require the people to pay tribute to
the idol of your affections. Wherever
you find our Army, with one or two hon
orable exceptions, you will 6nd that hun
dreds Of rations are being issued daily to
unemployed negroes who rendezvous in
and about the camps; wherever the Army
is they are being employed in various ca
pacities at good wages, and to the utter
exclusion of white labor that now Ian.
guishes in irksome idleness throughout
our country. I state, therefore, and ]
think truthfully, that the Government is
already paying one hundred thousand dol
lars per day for the support and employ.
ment of negroes-paying it, too. out ol
money raised through the toll, depriva-
tion, and taxation of our own kith and
kin.
In my district, Mr. Chairman, my con.
stituents are selling corn at eight cents
per bushel in order to support their fami
lies and sustain the honor and integrity
of our Government Shall money thus
raised and for such purpose be diverted
to the entertainment of the African? Will
my people, will the people anywhere, in
dorse the party and the Administration
that thus seeks the elevation of the negro,
even at the cost of ruin to their own race?
One might suppose that your ardor in
the care and protection of the negro
would stop and cool here; but no, you go
still farther Having made him your
equal as civilian, you now seek to place
him on the same level with American sail.
ors and soldiers. First came the order
of the Secretary of the Navy, M
Welles, as follows.
NAVY DEPARTMENT; April 80, 1862.
Sir: The approach of the hot and
sickly season upon the Southern coast O
the United States renders it imperative
that every precaution should he used by
the officers commanding vessels to con
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