New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-07-31

slaves. provided those States would consent
Laursns was cent as Commissioner to remove
obstacles to the success Of this project, backed
BY tho warm approval of Gen. Nathaniel
Greene who certified that the Blacks would
make good soldiers. But the slaveholding leeis-
lators of South Carolina repealed the PROPOSE
ton. Again Col Laurens pressed it, aud again
it was rejected. Laurens thereupon wrote 10
Gen. Washington as follows:
wss ouvoted having only on my side and being
opposed by triple besded monster that shed the baneu'
auenoe Of svsrce, prejudice and pusllannisy 10 all on,
assemblies IL was consolation to me. howe'u 10 ma
ts, philosophy truth had made some little progress
my last effort obtained twice many suhr'ses" before
Washington's sagacity had already foreboded
tbs result. and he 80 told Col. Laurens in his
response. adding: i
"Tb., sprt of freedom which at the commencement oil
this contest would have gladly sacrificed everything 10 'ne
attainment Of s object has long since subsidized and every
.e M passion has taken M place. 1t is not the Puihc pu'
private interest which Influences tins generality Of nanAnd
nor can the Americans any longer boast an exception Under
these circumstances it would rsthsr have been surprising
you mad succeeded"
Lanrens tried again in 1882, but The slave
holding instinct was too strong for him, and he
was again defeated.
A partial return signed by Adjutant-Gen.
Scanned elbows 100 negroes serving in the
main Continental army under Gen. Washing
ton on the oath of August, 1775 But that il
known to have been very imperfect. utterly
excludes the Rhode Island battalion then in rxst-
ence, composed wholly Of slaves who had enlisted
to gain their freedom. Gen. Cooke had been en-
gagged in raising this battalion, believing that
at least three hundred good soldiers could thus
be obtained in that little State And, says
Mr.. Moore, d.
Ills eI pectson, not disappointed and these saves
who weis to win their freedom in fighting for American
took the field In force. Before the end Of the
year. these men were ed ard not found wanting Ia the
battle Of Rhode Island Aug 49, 49, ssd BY Lafayette to HAYS
been the fought action Of the whole war this newly
blsck regiment under Col Greene distinguished itself
by deeds Of desperate vsor renens three times the ece
assaults Of overwhelming force Of Hessian troops And
30 they continued discharge their duty with real and dsisy
never losing shy their fire, aures CALAMITY won I'll
not I'm probable that Col John Lsurens witnessed snd drew
some of hi, ,pirson from the scene oftheir m trs in the
field"
Maryland and New.York in Isl expressly
authorized by law the enlistment of negroes in
their respective quotas; New-York alone offered
freedom TO all slaves who should servo three
years or until discharged. Virginia and other
Southern States promised one slave az bounty
to white volunteers. JAMES MADISON im-
proved On the idea ~ follows:
fWrbou. deciding tho eIp,deney OF tho mode under
liberation, would Il not be we'd to hbeTste and
make scldiys Of ne haek. Dsn'ei,o msse
for eniistrg white soldiers. II would
taaly be to tho principles Of Liberty which
ia; be lost sigh, Of In eou,e. for liberty and
with white officers ard majority Of white soldiers no
danger could be feared from themselves there
cetsiny CO be from the effect OF the sraur. on
tho,e who should remain in bondsse experience having
tbs. freedman inmsd.isJ ioses III attachment Az
sympstiy with his former feo~ slaves"
The fact that the Virginia Shareholders, when
drafted to serve against the British, often sent
their slaves a. substitutes promising them free
dom as the reward of faithful service, and that,
when the war was over, many Of them al
TEMPTED to cheat their slave substitutes out oil
their weIl-esrDed reward, is already well known.
The Legislature, under Mr.. Jeferson's iDilu-
ence, compelled these rascay rcpudators to
too the mark authorizing every slave so cheated
to sue as pauper and recover bis Liberty,
without cost to himself
$50 much for the leading /acts. Let them
be duly and fruitfully pondersd.