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

enlisting them freely in the Navy, with
their consent, rating them as boys, at
eight, nine. or ten dollars per month, and
one ration. Let a monthly return be
made of the number of this class of
persons employed on each vessel under
your command 1 am respec fully your
obedient servant, ,ass
90 sg1s GIDEON WELLS.
Under the plea of the approach of the
sickly season, Mr.. Welles issued this or
der; under the same plea the negro may
be called into any service in the South,
though the sickly season, and ths terrible
effect it might have upon our Army and
Navy was not thought of by any Repub-
lican official until recently. Z
Having made this progressive step in
onr Navy, Gas my colleague from the Bus
reau district Mr.. Lovejoy would callit)
it remains to be emulated il our Army.
Not long does it await an imitator; Gen.
d. M. Hunter commanding in the mill:
tary department Of South Carolina, Geor.
gia, and Florida, issues an order to en-
roll companies. regiments, aud brigades Of
negroes in the military service of the q. !.
States. .JeBcst }l % d
Thus, in less than two years after the
accession to power of the Republican
party, the negro is made, as far as possi-
bic. the equal Of the white maa as civ.
ilian, sailor, and soldier. Nay, more
than this, the Constitution is violated that
white men may be bereft of guaranteed
rights. White men are stripped of the
armor of American citizenship in order
that the negro may be clothed therein.
All this has been done against the earnest
protest of all conservative men. And
propositions and amendments to bills,
lppropriating money for the suppression
of the rebellion, which provided that no
moneys should be diverted either to the
freeing, The support, or the enlistment of
negroes, nave been invariably voted down
by the Republican, party in this House,
Worse than this even, General Hunter.
in his zeal for the negro, Withdraws the
protection of bis army from the loyal cit
izens of Jacksonsville, Florida, in order
to perfect bis great negro boarding house
and African military academy at the
mouth of the Savannah river. This is
undoubtedly in harmony with his brilliant
discovery that African slavery and mar
tial law are Incompatible Common minds
have heretofore considered martial law
and slavery. either for whites or blacks,
amongst the most concordant institutions
upon earth. This proclamatory command
er, who vies in profundity with the immor-
tai General Phelps, undoubtedly consid-
ers martial law the very casket jewel of
American liberty.
My mind, Mr.. Chairman, revolts at
the idea of degrading the citizen soldiery
of my country to the level of the negro.
Sir, the American volunteer has always
been our reliance in peace, and our vim
dication in war. 1 am opposed, and you
will find the volunteer army of the Union
opposed, to the equalization in the ranks
of citizens and slaves. Having made
such efforts for the negroes of the Unitod
States, it would seem that your zeal in
their behalf would lag and languish. But
no; you now go wandering among the
islands of the sea over the continents ol
the globe in pursuit of negro principal
ties and republics which you may recog.
nize among the Powers of the earth.
Hayti and Liberia furnish further matter
for your infatuation to fatten upon, and
you at once proceed to establish diplo.
matte relations between the United States
and these benighled and half-made paro
dies upon human government.
| At an annual expense of thousands O
dollars, you propose to receive negro ,di
plomats from them and send United
States ministers to them; indeed are yor
the champions of negro equality, without
without regard to cost, place, propriety
or dignity. s.s..--
This Congress has been in session near
| ly eight months, and all that I have re
viewed you have done, and more you
would do if you could. for the negro
What have you accomplished for the white
man? Have you provided for the pay
ment of pensions to the soldiers who have
been disabled while lighting the battles
Of your country? Have you appropriated
money to relieve the wants and necessi
ties of the widows and orphans OF white
men who have persisted upon the battle.
fields defending the Constitution and the
| flag of the country? Ah. no; your time
has been too much engrossed with the
negro to think of these things. Y OF
have not appropriated one dollar for these
urposes-purposes which should enlis
the ability aud the sympathy of every
patriot in the land.
If this statement is incorrect; if thi
Republican party or its Administrator
have ever made a single effort in behal
of the MANNED soldiers, single appro
priation for the support of the Orphan
and widows of slain soldiers, hope som,
gentleman upon the other side of tn
House will correct me. There is no re
sponse, and / am reassured in the cor
| raofuovo IF mn aeoortion lnu vour c;lanoo