, 1862-07-13

Important Senate Debate on ArmIn.
the Negroes
WASHINGTON. q. C. ..Iu1Y 9th. f6Gl


WASHINGTON, 0. C.,Ju1y 9th, 1861
On motion Of Dir. WILSON Of Massachu-
tetts, the bill amendatory Of the act Of 1875
calling forth the militia, ETC., Was taken up,
and IN important debate ensued.
Mr. GRIMES, Of Iowa, offered Al amend
ment, as new section, TINT there shall be no
exemption from the performance Of military
duty under this act by reason Of any militia
Law Of the United States on account Of color or
Naeagei; that whenever the militia shall be
lied into the service all loyal able-bodied
male persons shall be called into the defense
Of the country.
Mr. KING, Of New York, moved to amend
1fr. Grimes amendment by striking ont all
but the provisions in regard to rations, etc,
and insert two sections Of the bill introduced
By him, authorizing the President to receive
into the service Of the United States, for the
purpose Of constructing intrenchments, or
other camp service or labor for which they are
fitted, persons Of African descent, and such
persons shall be enrolled under proper regula-
tlon6, and where any man or boy of the Afri-
can race renders such service, his mother, wife
aud children shall be forever free; and a1l per-
sons Nho have been or nay hereafter be en-
rolled in the service Of the United States sEau
receive the same pay and rations as the sol
diers are now allowed by Law, according to
their respective grades.
Bit. GRIMES has accepted as amendments
to his original bill Two sections Of the bill
reported by Senator King:
Mr. sAuLsBCRT, Of Delaware, thought
that this attempt to elevate the miserlnle
| niger and caIry on the WIT In this way was
never intended by the people It would not
| restore the Enion
Mr. CARLILE, Of Virginia, thought that If
| negroes were not recognised as milltia by the
| constitution Of tie United States or the state
| constitutions, congress had no right to make
! them militia.
Dir. SHERMAN, Of Ohio, said the question
| WIS whether the negroes should only be en-
| ployed to help the rebels. The time had ar
rived, in his (Sherman's) Judgment, when the
| military officers Of the United States should
! men to suppress the rebellion. Heretofore
these negroes had only worked for the rebels,
doing ali the labor Of the camp for them. He
| {Sherman) was for giving tue president power
| TO call into the service all the slaves Of the
| relels. He would not interfere with loyal men
in loyal states. This Union must be pre-
served. Rather than it should be destroyed
he would organize great armJ Of black men,
and desolate every southern state He was
| willing to pass conscript act if necessary,
and We might as well draft negroes as any one
! el=e. VIC bad right to call the negroes into
service Of the United States.
| Nr. CoLLAMER, Of Vt, said that the
1cason the States had not called negroes into
the militia service was because the laws o1
United Suites conincd the militia to white
men.
Mr.. SHERMAN contendcd that all the peo.
ple Of the country, without distinction o.
calor, were liable to be called into the service
Of the country If circumstances demanded it.
| We must, to q certain extent, follow the bad
examples Of the rebels, and infuse more en-
| into S.11T military nt1Err1PnfC ThpSt
rebels resort to al eosts OF expedients, ant
| make the negroes work and fight. When thai
is done, cannot VIC employ the negroes il
! nseful service forus: They hang Union men
such way we will never end this contest, ane
he though: the time had come when vi
should carry the whole force of the ro.ern
nent in earnest, and put down the rebellion
tnies5 VIC DO this, We shall never succeed
We cannot war against 6avage5 unless WC be
come part savage ourselves.
MIR. FEssESpES, Of Maine, said: Til
bill, sir, is thought to be al object Of ueces
slty, and IS designed, Us I understand it--ant
ne may as we'll tell the truth about it, tor II
have nothing to conceal hereto meet an,
possible contingency which may be supposed
) 10 arise from any difficulty in raising troop
by enlistment nj once, as soon as th:y may b
| required, and, therefore, it is proposed to Civ
the president power to call out the militia
: and to call on oil loyal persons without di:
tinction Of color, for sucl a time as to MAX
thcirservices available. That ie the position
thought advisable by the Committee on Nil
: tary -Afflirs 10 pass it. I doI't know, sir, bu
1t may be necessary to 90 q step farther, IN
!. to provide specifically 1oE calling out men b
drafting. And I an ready to do that if it
thought advisable. 1t is not advisable at tu
! moment, hut as Congress is to adjourn yer
soop, understand that by this bill it is prt
; | posed To meet any contingency that may arl5
during the adjournment Of Congress, aud
; such think it 3 wise and prccau!lonary inca
! | ure.
Sir, orr soldiers do not like it, and they d
not feel easy Wien they are called upon, will
out any EccrssIty, to stand guard over Il
encmy's property, and protect it while the
a1e lighting against US, md be shot down b
! concealed traitors while they are doing thi
They do not feel that it is Just to them, tn:
! they wLo have volunteered TO tight the ba
q lies Of tlscir country should be employed t
= DIG dltehes and throw up entrenchments, cz
posed to al the miserable consequences
such sort Of lite about the swa1llp5 Of tt
y. Chickahominy or elsewhere, while at IL
: same lime there are numbers and abun dant
y OF men aetllnatcd who are ready to yolu'
+ tetr their services to do the E1inc work az
d thus save our soldiers. Now, sir, spca
l. this as truth which is we'll understood, al
;, tbe government Of the United st :tes, and Il
- military authorities Of tue United States ms
f. | IS well understand that if this policy is TO
% followed, and re are not 10 avail ourselves
n | tie services Of lntn F1U art too ready to fr
h ! der all these services, out Of tenderness
n rebels and traitors and Iurderers, that II
= people will hesitate to come forward un
I; lhe5 feel and know that they are no longer
!. be exposed TO that Kind Of life.
i, Sir, why is It go? Why are nc so tend
!. towards these traitors? What makes sor
X gentlemen SO sensitive the moment WE spe
# Of Employing n.yrocs and the slaves of rtb<
in fh,. EurI.irt. 6 r. fhp NJ
Of less to feel, and AIN willing to believe
!. fell, the deepest interest in the salvation
e the country. Why do they ju1nr to their Fl
ry tAt moment the idea is propagated, that )
10 are to employ men Who are ready and will
n and able TO perform these services to save t
X lives of soldiers Of their own and ott
~ States What violation of the principles
/. warfare is proposed? Why should VIC Z
- ~eahen the enemy and attack him in
~ wc"kest point: Do you say VIC are proposi
~ an abolition or emancipation scheme:
~ 1T all. We are simply proposing to use tho
IT 11lrans in tic army which are best for us, q
'' 10 use those hest able TO perform i Tarticu
kind Of service. Did any body ever hear o
nation that WIS at WAT with any other count
ne that would sacrifice the lives Of their o
e, mcn by making them do d kind Of wo
IS when there were shout them friends u
IT. | were Wiling aud anxious to relieve TIL
I'll from tbat work? And out Of what consid
nd alton:
he Why, sir, have been utterly at 8 loss
cd imagine any. l cannot conceive the silly ght
a ground for it, or reason why the mea VI
liz came to our camps and tender their scrvi
H. against the ercmies Of their country shol
.e- be repelled and driven out, and our OWL 5
ct diers sacrificed in performing duty that oil
to men are ready TO perform. Why, sir, it
8 contrary 10 every principle Of warfare. I
IT. rot soldier, bnt ] undertake to say this
nd | general who conducts q campaign on ST
er principle is no general at all. He has for!
lis ! or never knew the first principles upon VIII
to conduct i war, which is to weaken the e
my and strengthen himself I hayc Iool
"o- upon this thing quite rs loLg as feel dispo;
r. to, do not tee! disposed 10 blame auybo
sre and I have no doubt, not the slightest in
ey world, that everybody feels as anxious as
rst ! 10 close this war, and to close it eectu.
TT But do say that mistake has been made
mt this thing. Too great tenderness has b:
or used. under the delusiye idea that these ret
lu- were to be coaxed back By tenderness.
Ise Eeu cannot deal with sayages in thu. Y
IL And the man "ho deliberately sets himself
ill Work to overthrow the institutions aud iu1
up ests Of the country for purposes Of selfish {
ny I billion is worse than savage. And sue b is q
ch scFiption Of the leaders in this rebellion,
cts 1hegreat mass of their followers are unedu
mt | ted and willing to follow those about then
ad Mr. FESsESDES concluded as follows:
:! Avail yourselves, like men, OF every po,
h., which God has placed in your hands to acee
r. plish your purposes, within the reach Of (
r. ijzed warfare. But the man who tamp
nd with this question, and who talks against
~ ployirg negroes for the services which Il
ch are ready and able to do, leads me to do
ha sometimes, whether, after all, there is
~ something wanting III the heart. The peo1