Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-06-03
The Abolition Schemes of Ne
gro Equality Exposed.
SPEECH OF HON. W. A. RICHARDSON,

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
Nay 10, 1862.
In the Committee Of the Whole on the state
of the Unicn.
Mr.. RICHARDSON. Mr.. Chairman,
desire this morning to submit few re-
marks for the consideration Ct the House
aud the country. 1t is not my purpose to
discuss questions pertaining to the army
air eady in the field, which, if judiciously
Offered and managed, is able to crush out
the rebellion. | shall direct my attention,
therefore. to the consideration of some of
the many new questions which are contin
ualiy arising during the progress of this
terrible civil war.
MIR. Chairman, there is manifest anxi-
ETY., an oyerweening desire, a persistent
purpose upon the part of prominent men,
bers OF the dominant party in this Govern.
ment, to place upon terms Of equality and
make participants with us in the rights Of
American citizenship an inferior race
The negro race, which is incapable Of eth
er pretending or maintaining any form
of goyernment-by whom liberty is inter-
preted as icentiOusness-is sought to be
exalted, even at the cost of the degradation
of our own flesh and blood.
We all remember with what intense sat.
isfactlOn recent order of the Secretary of
State, Mr.. Seward, one of the chief clerks
of the President, was received in certain
quarters, because it declared that no fugi
tive slave should be retained in custody
longer than thirty days, unless "by special
order OF competent civil authority"
That may do no injustice TO the head
of the State Department aud his unwar-
ranted assumption of power, quote the
official paper itself:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON.
January 25. 1862.
"Sir: The President of the United States
being satisfied that the following ins.ruc-
tians cOntravene no law in force in this
District, and that they can be executed
without waiting for legislation by Congress
| am directed by him to convey them to
you:
As marshal of the District Of Colunbia
you will not receive into custody any per-
sons claimed to he held to service or labor
! within the District or elsewhere, and not
charged with any crime or misdemeauOr
! unless upon arrest or commitment, pursu-
ant to law, as fugitives from such service
or labor and you will not retain any such
! fugitives in custody beyond a period OF
thirty days from their arrest and commit
ment, unless by special order of competent
! civil authority.
| You will forthwith cause publication to
! be made of this order, and at the expira-
| ton of ten days therefrom you will apply
! the same to all persons 50 claimed to be held
| to service or labor, and now in your Gus
! tody.
| This order has no relation to any arrest.
made by military authority.
| am, sir, your ohedient servant,
| WILLIAM H. SEWARD.
While Mr. Seward was issuing this order
for general jail delivery of the negroes
he was also sending, under a usurpatiun o
power, and in violation of the laws and th,
Constitution, hundreds Of white men anC
women to fill the cells of the prisons in
this District and throughout the loyaI
Sta ties. Against many of these white met
and white women thGs incarcerated bI
this despotic Secretary Of State, no charge
has ever been made they are imprisoned
without the form or authority Of law, anC
thus the personal liberty Of the Caucasian
is ruthlessly violated while the African !
most tenderiy and carefully guarded, evel
to the notification of State enactments an,
the national statutes. Let a rumOr be
come current that a negro has been de
prived of personal liberty-either in thi
District or anywhere else-and there ar
dozens of Republican members upon thi
floor striving to obtain the attention of th
House while they may offer resolution
inquiring by what law, by whom. when
and where. these objects OF their undiyide
affections may have been arrested. Blu
never yet has any If those philanthropy
gentlemen made inquiry for the law or til
authority under which white America
citizens have been kidnapped by the Stat
Department, dragged from their home
and left to pine and Gle, perchance, in SON
Of the many bastiles which this Admins
tratiOn has established.
1t is well known. sir, that if any whit
citizen, perhaps u father or brother, desire
/ to visit relative or acquaintance in til
military service of this Government, Thu
he is obliged to secure pass" from son
competent authority add to obtain thi
he is required upon his honor TO declai
his loyalty and fidelity to the Government
But the negro goes and comes within ii
lines of our Army, whether his GestinatiC
be towards or from the enemy the col,
/ Of the black man is his passport, and is r
ceived as equivalent to the pledge of hon,
and of loyalty upon the part Of viii
person.
In this District you have abolished sla'
3 cry. You have abolished il by compenst
] ton, by adding 81 ,00O,O 600 to the nation
debt. and tax of SI3 900 to be paid al
nually, as interest upon this sum, by tax
imposed upon the laboring white people
these States. Not satisfied with doing tn
s much for your especinl favorite, you e.
tend the freedom Of this city and the ho
j pitality of the Government to all the ruI
0 away negroes in the country who chOo
to visit the District Of Columbia You is
sue rations to them day after day, az
week after week, rations which must
paid for through the sweat and toll o. ia
!, ridden white men. You are thus supper
ing in incidence hundreds upon bundre
Of black men. How mary and at VIII
cost am unable to state. because when
resolution, asking for this inflammation, W
y introduced by the honorable gentlemi
from Ohio, Mr.. Cox it was immediate
tabled by the Republican majority up
the other side Of this House Those geI
tleInen dare rot let this information go
the country; they shrink frcm the exp
:, sure which a truthful reply to such inqui
. would make. The resolution Of Mr.. G
also asked for the rumber Of negroes er
ployed as teamsters in the army, and
what wages hut this was equally ohjet
&c onable, for it would have illustrated t
Is fact that negroes by the huudred are
e ceiviog better pay as drivers that our OF
white sons aud brothers are for peril
their lives as soldiers in the defense Of /
d Union ard the Constitution.
" Having boon thus deprived Of obtain
official information upon these questions
e am Obliged to gather my statistics FRI
such sources as | can. shall make
statement that have not received from
: spestable and responsible parties, aud nc
, which / do not conceive TO be rather unc
than ove- the true estimate.
The Government is to day issuing ratio
IN lnuk pagraaa in tho ID