Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1862-06-18

y
diately 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 ex posture
which truthful reply to such inquiry would
make. The resolution of Nh Cox also asked
for the number of negroes employed as
teamsterS in the army, and at what wages A:
but this was equally Objectionable. for i
would have illustrated the fact that negroes
by the hundreds are receiving better paw as
drivers than our own white Sons and bros
theirs are for periling their lives Is soldiers in
defence Of the Union and the Constitution.
Having BEEN thus deprived of obtaining
official information upon these questions. |
am obliged to gather my statistics from such
Sources Is l can. shall make no state
ment hat | have not received from r6spec-
table and responsible parties, and none
which | do not conceive to be rather under
than over :hc true estimate.
The Government is tO~day issuing ratious
To about two thousand negroes in this Dis
trict alone, that cost over twenty cents per
ratlon-$i00 per day, IN violation Of law, is
being paid for this purpose. The Governs
meut Is hiring in the District several hun
drod negroes, some as tcaInsters and some
for other purposes, to the exclusion of white
laborers. thousands of whom, together with
their wives and children, in our large cities
arc suffering for the want of employment.
speak advi~edly when l say that the Repub-
lean party are already paying Of tax~gath
cred money. in this District alone. over three
hundred thousand dollars per aunum to buy
clothe. feed. and exalt the African race
Thus for the negro YOU cxpeud more in a
siug'e year III the District Of Columbia than
You appropriate for the government ard
protection Of all the people in ali the organs
lied territories Of the United States The
negro is made superior, in your legislation. TO
the pioneer white men that settle the great
West. and, amid hardships and dangers, lay
the foundations of new commonwealths the
hardest and nUblest 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, NHcLi>
gan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maine, New
Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut. Rhode
Island, New Jersey, Delaware, or Maryland.
But it i not in this District alone that
you require the people to pay tribute t. the
idol Of yJur affections. Wherever you find
our army. with one or two honorable exccp
tions you will find that hundreds of rations
are being issued daily to unemployed ne>
groes who rendezvous in and about the
camps; wherever the army Is they are being
employed in various capacities at good
wages, aud to the utter exclusion Of white
/ labor that now languishes in irksone idle
! ness throughout our country. l state, there
| fore, and l think truthfully, that the Govern
ment is already paying SlOO,O per day,
for the support and employment Of negroes
paying it, too, cut Of money raised
through the toll aeprivations, 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 or Ter to support their families and
maintain the honor and integrity of our Go
! vernment Shall money thus raised and for
such purpose be di.erted.to the entertain
ment of the African? VIII my people, will
/ the people anywhere, indorse the party and
/ the Administration that thus seeks the ele-
va:ion 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 stoT
and cool here but no, you go still further
Havi-g made him your equal as a civilian
you now seek to place him on the same leve
with American sailors and soldiers. First
came the order of the Secretary of the Navy
| Mr. Welles, as follows:
/ NAVY DEPARTMENT. April 10. 1862.
SIR: The approach of the hot and sickly
season upon the southern coast of the United
States renders 1t imperative that every pre-
caution should be used by the officers com,
manding vessels to continue the excellent
sanitary condition Of their crews The large
number of persons known as "contrabands'
f1ocking to the protection of the United
States flag affords an opportunity to provid,
in every department of ship, especially fol
boats crews, acclamated labor. The fias
officers are required to obtain the services o
these persons for the country by enlstins
them freely in the Navy. &c, &c.
GIDEON WELLEs.