Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-08-14

Aiming Negroes.

the white man 10 TIE army oil the Union The present
trick politicians says the Journal of Commerce is TO
profess loudly their wish to supply them only labor
ers while they carefully place in The law provision
for "any military service The Journal cT Commerce
dsapproves of ell these plans, and for the following
sons which appear conclusive
l. Regarding the question OF the custom of nations,
we believe that in America the grade OF civilization is
higher than it here when British provinces,
and higher than it is in other countries and that
it no argument to tell that what England has done
we may do War has been'more or less mingled with
barbarous practices in all ages and cOuntries Let
man preach to Americans that because England has
used savages to fight her battles has blown rebels from
the mouths of CANON has las Der House OF Commons
has proved and published) used the most horrible
tortures of slow fires, thumbscrews and mpaling in
her courts justice in India up TO within i've years.
therefore America may follow her example Set Eng
land aside She is no examp!ar for Blucher mas
sacred FrenchInen after Waterloo, AMI Napoleon was
than suspected OF poisoning his own sick to get
rid of them, as military necessity. Europe is not
at the head OF civilization in
2. The American Government is white man 8 gov
ernment. 1t is vain to tell tits TO radical abotonists
They do not believe it. But the statutes of every State
and the history OF the origin and growth OF power
abundantly affirm it American civilization, which is
tie highest form of civilization is based on the theory
that the white is tbs governing race and that the
black race Is interior end dependant Oar laws make
this distinction and have made it since born
a nation. Every white male citizen is the standing
women ought TO vote ard fight. That battaions and
regiments of Amazons ought to be sent to the South
to take of Southern rebel women, or fight with
rebel men. The progressive radcasm OF the day ad
vocates " w0mans rights IL this extent, and the ar
gument against it is that American cVlZ alton is
not based soch estimate OF the duty place Of
the female We maintain, and we defy ally historical
proof TO the contrary, that the theory OF cue national
existence is that the white is to rule the land and
the black not to be admitted to social Or political
equality.
3 he organization of blacks into regiments any
other military order, Is step and long step toward
negro equality 1t is said the step taken in revo
lutionary times. Ii is answered that the step bad
one-was at once retraced, and was forbidden by the
subsequent creation OF nation the theory that the
white race was alone the ruling and superior race
We have frequently slated the manifest propriety OF
| using slaves col rtd wherever they be
| found for the service of the white soldier. But that
is matter for the general officer in command to re-
gulae by the circumstances and necessities OF time
and place. Thus far, we do not>klow of a general
! 10 the army who does not employ negroes where be
thinks proper, to relieve the drudgery OF tie white
soldiers But this is very different matter from the
proposition by acs Of Congress to organize them in
to military forces sappers and miners engineers
or for such military service" the may be put to-
1t is willy trick OF msn who desire to put the negro
soldier by the side of the white soldier this proposed
/ act for negro brigades regiments.
We regard the pan as the arguments Of Senators in
its favor avow that they Intend it, as plan OF aiming
the slaves and naugurating Of the black against
the white in the South. Now place the radical plans
all side by side and see what they lead to- First We
are to the slaves, aud make them diggeIs aod
GraggeTs. Second, to them for other mill
tary service" Third, we are to forbid Generals from
protecting retel houses aud property; aud finally, We
to adopt all the savage styles OF warfare which they
tell US the rebels adopt. Does any need to be told
of the horrible future thus laid out, for the civilized
American people be responsible Tor now and in his
tory! Arm the negro, incucae the idea that rebel
property is free puCGer, withdraw restraint and let
him rush On
4. The plan is fraught with danger in every point Of
view. The voice of the white army has been loudly
expressed against it. Army officers say that the white
soldiers will work well with the blacks in digging
trenches. Whether this is not they will not fight
we'll with them, if they fight at all with them.
gro regiment thrown into disorder, a thousand
groes in the field sez with panic, they would be
on the slightest OCCASION mi ht destroy the entire army
The spirit OF soldiers would be in ured by the adOp
ton OF these plans. They would regard themselves all
reduced from the high rank OF tae soldier of the Union
lighting for the Union to the low grade of men sent
into the field food for gunpowder The army is now
filled with the spirit of patriotism, Every man feels
that he Is at work III great cause Tor the government
OF which he Is, or may be, part aud parcel he fights
for cause which be himself has share in, OF
the governing race. 1t is useless for men to argue
against the prejudice OF white men against blacks
in America. 1t exists, and it is type Of ciyZl.
ton, and our army do not want negro regiments
level with them, and the ect OF so placing them may
be disastrous.
s. Nothing would tend more to stop recruiting than
the acceptance of negro soldiers into the army 1t is
notorious that the who volunteer tor this
not anti-slavery men, There is not one man in hun
dred In armies, who has any affection fer the negro
as his equal There no abolitionsts who expect OF
willing TO volunteer. The recruits to come,
they have heretofore from the s1und od-lashoned anti
aboionist of the North TO tell these men that
they are to go on equal terms with negroes, will dis
gust them, and deter them from volunteering
8 g.. We might add hundred equally cogeDt reasons
against these plans Already we have the bitter know
ledge that radical plans, threats and actions have in
creased the unity ard power OF the rebellion have giver
it fury and vgor have prolonged the war, ard cost
thousands Of our brave All the stories OF the
black regiments have been proved to be Enthusiastically
thus far n one has yet seen a black soldier amonl
the thousands Of prisoners we have taken. Uut if
arm blacks can they not arm ten to one AnC
who doubts that their slaves will fight for them quit
willingly against them? But We sum up all thi
in one iua argument. We as a nation are making ;
record for history We are showing what white man
constitutional republic can do We are proving tia
the American Union is strong in in peace.
II adopt this plan of arming slaves to fight thei
masters history will record as a step towards barba
rism, precisely it records the English armlDg
North American Indians. It will be such step II
will be bid for murder, rapine and horrors in to-
slave States 1t will shock the loyal border States
. every one of which is of as much Importance to tn
Union any one Southern State. 1t vii
strengthen the rebels 1t will debiItae our forces
introducing weak and Enthusiastically element int
armies And, last of ALL it is designed, and will b
hereafter used as an argument for, and step towar
the equality of The negro with the white race, in th
Cabinet and IN the Government as in the field.
we have recorded protest against this semisavag
proposal OF the radical party not own alone, but
of the North We affirm, without hesitation, athoug
SO many of the newspapers of this city favor this idea