The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1862-07-18
Senator Fossondon's Speech.

modified by the amendment OF Senator hins'
of New York, which, Us modified, reads rs ioi-
lows:
Lud D, u hrthsr sraet,d That the rresldsha ~.
and he is hereby, authorized 70 receive Ih,o ehe
service OF the United states for the purpose OF con-
strpcting Intrenehments or performing camp ser
vice any other labor % sd amy psr.ous o,
African descent, and such persons shall DO en-.
rolled and organized under such regulations, not
inconsistent with the Constitution and avs as we
paid such compen sation for their services rs they
may agree to receive when enrolled.
iud 30 10 64rtAsr enacted, That whom any man or
boy OF African descent shall render any such
service as l. provided for In the preceding section
Of this act, he his mother and his wife and chill
dren shall forever thereafter be free, any law, US
age, or custom to the contrary notwithstanding.
Andbe a. further enacted That the provisions of the
preceding sections shall be construed so as To APP
may hereafter be called into the services Of the
United states and all persons who have been or
may be enrolled In the service OF the United states
volunteers or militia, shall receive the pay anu
ratiOns of soldiers as now allowed by law, accord
ing TO their respective grades,
Mr.. Fessenden. wish to say few words
upon this bill before the vote is taken on II, or
rather upon subjects partly collateralto 1t, aud
| shall endeayor to occupy but very few min
utes in saying what have to say.
The bill is thought to be a necessity. We
may as well tell the truth about II here, and
have il understood by the country. The bill Is
designed, as / understand, to meet possible
contingency. II is supposed that in the pres
ent necessities of the country for raising more
troops, owing TO the fact that our forces have
been much thinned by death caused by sickness,
wounds, &C., we may find II diiiicdlt ut once
and as soon as the necessities Of the case require
a.. hxg anil. tha nuulbpr Df trDNDS
necessary 10 make up what we want; and there
fore il is proposed TO enlarge the power the
President now has TO call out the militia by al
lowing him 10 call them out for n greater length
of time. The bill is unlimited in that particu-
lar, and perhaps il would be better TO limit II
to some time. IL the militia are called out in.
voluntarily, or without their will, II might be
well To fix n reasonable time as the limit oftheii
service. merely suggest that for the consid'
GRAFTON Of the committees; they have consider
ell the matter more than l have. The tim'
should be long enough TO enable the militia tC
make their services available by receiving the
requisite instruction and drill, and to render
service after they have been thus instructed
A militia called out for three months is general
IL of very little use rs | understand.
am in favor OF this bill, If II is thought adj
yisable by the Committee on Military Affairs
and those having the conduct OF these things
to pass it. | do not know but that II may b.
necessary to go step further, and TO provide
specifically for calling out men in the ordinary
form by draft. | am ready to do that II 1t i
thought advisable. IL is not advisable at this
moment; but we are about to adjourn, and as
understand this bill, IL Is proposed to meet q
contingency that may happen during the adj
journment of Congress, and may not happen
because il may be, and hope 1t will be, thai
sufficient numbers vt men will enlist themselves
| think il n wise precautionary measure; but
while ayowinS that think IL wise precau.
tonary measure, and that shall give my sup.
port to il cheerfully. in whatever form IL may
be presented with reference TO the matters o
which have spoken, II Is worth while for u,
to inquire why even the contingency occurs
whence come the possibility that the President
may have occasion to resort to this call Of the
militia for a greater length of time than was
originally fxedl We may as well look the
matter in the face. IL is because apprehension,
are entertained that there will not be that read
mess to volunteer that there has been hereto.
fore. IL may be 50, and am perfectly ready
10 say that, from information received from my
own State, there Is not that readiness 10 enlist
that there was; there is not that enthusiasm
with regard to enlistments; men do not rush
forward and tender their services rs they did
awhile ago, Have they lost any interest in the
war; Not q particle. Have they lost anything
OF tull uetfftOlIllloH, NulOu tAlNANh
TO 10 anything and everything which might be
necessary TO put down this rebellionl Not in
any shape or form; but the people in my State,
and dare say in other States, feel that the
war must DC conducted ON some different prin-
ciples from those upon which it has been con-
ducted hitherto; that Is 10 say, that there shall
not be ON the part of the military authorities
Of the country that extreme tenderness aud del
icacy with regard to men who have no tender
ness, except that of the wolf for the lamb, to-
wards US, the people they are lighting; that
they shall be met. IL not in the same spirit, in
n spirit that is able to resist determination and
a feeling Of that description.
Sir, our soldiers do not like Il; they do not
feel easy that they are called upon, when II is
not necessary, to stand guard over enemy's
property, To protect, as has been well said, the
frnlies OF men who are fighting against US,
aud be shot down by concealed traitors while
they are doing il. They do not feel that they
should stand protecting n traitor who is sleep
ing quietly in his bel, when they need repOse
themselves. They do not feel that il is just
that they, who have volunteered to fight the
battles OF their country, should be employed in
digging bitches and throwing up intrenchments
exposed TO all the miserable consequences OF
such life in the swamps about the Chicka-
hominy river and elsewhere, when, Mt the same
time, there are numbers, an abundance Of men
acclmated, who are really to volunteer their
services, and who could be employed for the
same purpose without danger to life, and save
our soldiers tor the purposes for which they
went into battle. speak this as truth that Is
well understood; and the government of the
United States may just as well understandable
military authorities OF the United States may
just rs well understand, that IL this policy is To
be followed, IL we are not To avail ourselves of
the services Of men who areready to render
them for all these things which are necessary
Ia be dOne-and which they can do, and are ca
ger TO do-Out Of tenderness for rebels aud
traitors and murierers, the people hesitate At
least TO come forward, and will hesitate until
they know and feel that they are no longer to
be exposed to that kind of life.
Sir, why il il SO, What do we owe these
traitors! What makes some gentlemen on the
other side Of the Chamber 80 sensitive the mo-
ment that you speak of employing negroes, the
slaves of rebels, in the service of the country /;
gentlemen who profess to feel, aud who | am
willing to believe do feel. the deepest interest
IN the success OF the country In putting down
this rebellion! Why do they jump to their
feet the moment the idea is suggested here Of
employing men who are ready and able to per-
form this service, and save the lives OF their
own soldiers from their own States, NJ well Ms
thOs from mine and other Statesi What VIC.
la,on Of the principles Of warfare Is it that Is
proposedl Why should not we weaken the en-
emy, and attack him in his weakest point! Do
YOU say that we are proposing abolition by IL,
or emancipation Not at all. We are propos.
ing simply to use those arms that are presented
TO us for accomplishing needful purpose. and
which are most necessary and can be best used
for that purpose. and nothing more nor less
than that. Did ever any nation hear Of peo-
pie who went to war with another and marched
into their country who would dispose of their
ID in
service which endangered their lives, when there
Mnrc all ahnnt them friends reNlN and willing