, 1862-04-21

withdraws aid and support from the rebellion,
and brings it so much nearer TO an end. They
cannot understand, nor can Il that refined
casuistry that justides us in+conVertfng the ::
enemy's horse or OK to our use and In turning :
their tnanimate engines OF destruction them
aIaTese, their animate, hostile5 engines in hui
man form, to the same purpose They cannot
imagine why it is that some gentlemen me so
willing that men. OF the African race
should labor for them and :: SO
:nnwilllng that they should fight for them
timent there is on this subject between the
officers Of the army and navy2 While officers
Of the army have disgraced themselves, annoy
ed and fncensed their suborulnates, dishouor-
ed the country and injured the public service
by the pIomn1gation OF their ridiculous orders
about slaves, no officer Of the navy, thank God,
has ever descended TO follow their example
Their noble, manly, generous hearts would
-xsEalt at ethe idea OF having imposed upon
them the duty Of capturing and returning
rebe1 slave-ownera. They think that duty to
the country requires them to avail themselves
Of the services of these people, instead Of
d1iFlng them back to their masters or suffer-
ing them TO starTe; and they act upon this
:conEiction. At the taking Of Hatteras one Of
manned and worked BY persons called s'coa-
Habandsn and no gun on the ship vas better
served. These people are, it is veil known, re-
markable for the proficiency they soon ac-
quire IS cannoniers. On the same ship is
Q boats crew, every one Of whom, including
the cockswain, Is colored man, and there ara
none moTe skl1ful Or render more satisfactory
service to the officers of the vessel The
whole country knows the services rendered by
them to Commodore Du Pont and the vessels
under his command. Taey have acted as
pilots mud in the most important positions,
and have the authority Of the two superior
oheers Of that feet for saying that they have
never been deceived or misled By any one OF
them am convinced that our expedition to
the south Atlantic coast would not have been
80 perfect success as it has been bat for the
slaves found there and who were employed by
cur naval officers. There are mere or less Of
them On all OF CUR vessels Of war.
They are efficient men, and their pres
ence produces no discord among the
crews. Nj. President, wish to be distinctly
understood I advocate no indiscriminate
armipg of the co1oted men, although frankly
confess that would do so were It necessary
to pnt down the rebellion I do not favor
this proposition merely because Of Its anti
result in 3 saving Of human life, and il bring
ing the rebellion to speedier termination. It
is my business to aid in bringing this war to 3
close by conquering au unconditional peace in
the least expensive ndspeediest manner posi-
BILE: Acting upon this idea Of my duty, and
INA4NfAAE @AA@At AUu tuC tE5t 1uttEE5LS
Of the country require the enrolment Of
Q few colored regiments for grrison-
iHg the southern forts, shall
vote whenever an opportunity shall
be offered me, for converting portion of the
colo1ed refugees into soldiers, Instead Of fore
ing them back into servitude to their rebel
masters and their rebel government We
may hesitate to do this-our hesitation will
cost rs the valuable lives Of many Of our own
race who are near and dear to rs. Our hesi-
tation to use the means which Providence
seems to have placed in our hands for crush
ing the rebellion may carry desolation to
many loyal hearthstone. But we mu st adopt
this policy sooner or later, and in my opinion
the sooner we do it the better. The rebels
have this day thousands Of slaves throwing up
entrcnchments and redoubts at Yorktown,
and thousands Of them performing military
duty elsewhere; and yet We hesitate and
doubt the propriety of employing the same
race OF people to defend ourselves and our
Institutions against them. Hop long shall VI
han1fufa q