The Placer herald., 1862-07-12
SPEECH OF
HON. w. A. RICHARDSON

10, 1862.
The House being in Committee of the Whole
on the State Of the Union, Mr.. Richardson sad
Mr.. Chairman: | desire this morning to submit
a few remarks for the consideration of the House
and the country. 1t is not my purpose to discuss
questions pertaining to the army already in the
field, which. if judiciousy officeled and managed.
is able to crush out rebellion. l shall direct nv
attention. therefore, to the consideration of some
OF the many new questions which are continually
arising during the progress Of this terrible civil
war.
| Mr.. Chairman, there is m nifest anxiety, an
overweening desire, persistent purpose upon
the part OF prominent members OF the dominant
party in this Government, to place upon terms of
equality and make participants with the rights of
American citizenship, an inferior race. The
negro race. wdich is incapable of either compre-
hendng or maintaining any form of govern
ment-by whom liberty is interpreted as lccn-
! tlousness-is sought to be exalted, even ut the
cost of the degradation OF our own flesh and
blood.
We all remember with what intense satisfaction
recent order of the Secretary of State, Mr. Sew
ard one Of the chief clerks of the President. was
received in certain quarters because it declared
dy longer than thirty days. unless "by special
order of competent civil authority"
That may do no Injustice to the head Of the
State Department and his unwarrantabe assump-
tion of power, quote the official paper itself.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
Washington, January %, 1862.
Sir: The President of the United States being
satisfied that the following instructions contra
venc no law in force in this District. and that
they can be executed without waiting for legsla
ton from Congress, am directed by him to con-
vey them TO you:
As marshal of the District of Columbia. you
will not receive into custody any persons claimed
to be held to service or labor within the District
oil ,horo md 0f fohi wit ori,
misdemeanor, unless upon arrest or commitment,
pursuant to law, as fugtives from such service or
labor, and you will not retain any such fugi tives
in custody beyond the period of thirty days from
their arrest and commitment, unless by special
order of competent iltary authority.
You will forthwith cause publication 10 lie
made of this order, and at the expiration of ten
days therefrom you will apply the same to all
persons so claimed to be held to service or labor,
| and now in your custody.
This order has no relation to any arrests made
| by military authority.
l am sir, your obedient servant.
WILLIAM H. SEWARD.
| While Mr.. Seward was issuing this order for
| general Jail delivery Of the negroes, he was also
sending. under usurpaton of power, and in
violation of the laws and the Constitution, hun
dreds of white men and women to fill the cells of
the prisons in this District and throughout the
| loyal States. Against many of these white men
and white women thus incarcerated by this des
poic Secretary of State. no charge has been made;
they are imprisoned without any form or author
ity of law. and thus the personal liberty Of the
Caucasian is ruthlessly violated while the Afri-
can is most fenderly and carefully guarded. even
to the notification of State cnactments and nation
| al statutes Let rumOr become current that Il
negro has been deprived OF personal Liberty
either in this District or anywhere else-and
there are dozens of Republican members on this
floor striving to obtain the attention OF the House
! uh In thew Offnr resolutions inUllrInp DV what
law, by whom. when, and where, these objects OF
| their und vded affections may have been arrest
ed. But never yet has one of those philanthrop-
c gentlemen made inquiry for the law or au-
thority under which white American citizens
have been kidnapped by the State Department,
dragged from their homes, and left to pine and
die, perchance, in some of the many bastiles
which the Government has established.
| 1t is well known sir, that il any white citizen,
perhaps father brother, desire to visit rela-
tive or acquaintance in the military service of
this Government that he is obliged to secure
a "pass" from some competent authority; and to
obtain this, he is required upon his honor TO de-
clare his loyalty and fidelity to the Government.
But the negro goes and comes within the lines OF
our army without pass, whether his destination
be towards or from the enemy; the color of the
black man is his passport, and is received rs
equivalent to the pledge OF honor and loyalty up
on the part of a white person.
In this District you have abolished slavery.
You have abol shed it by compensation, by add
ing g. 100000 to the national debt, and tax OF
81 900 to be paid annually, as interest upon this
sum- 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 and the hospitality OF
the Government 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, rations which must oe
paid for through the sweat and tolls OF taX-rid-
zen white men, You are us supporting in in
doence hundreds upon hundreds OF black men.
How many and at what cost am unable to state
brcause when resolution, asking for this infor-
nation was introduced by the honorable geatle,
nan from Ohio. (Cox.l it was Immediately taDled