, 1862-07-14
GREAT DEBATE.
Important Senate Debate on Armlpg
the Negroes.
SPEECHES OF SUMNER, FEssENpES AND
OTHERS.


GW6 NEE1Ot4s
SPEECHES OF SUMNER. FEssENDEN AND
OTHERB.
WARRINGTON, q. U.,JuIY 9th, 1852.
On motion OF Mr. WILSON of Maseschu-
sets, the bill amendatory Of the act Of l795
calling forth the militia, ETC., was taken up,
and an important debate ensued-
Nj. GRIMES, Of lows, offered an amend !
ment, as new section, that there shall be no
exemption from the performance Of military
duty under this act BY reason of any militia
1aw OF the United States on account Of color or
lineage; that whenever the militia shall be
He'd into the service all loyal able-bodIed
male persons shall be called into the defense
Of the country.
MIR. KING, Of New York, moved to amend
Mr. Grimes amendment BY striking out 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 o. constructing insrenehment, or
fitted, persons Of African descent, and such
pertons shall be enrolled under proper reguIa-
tlons, and where any man or boy Of the Afri-
can race renders such service. his mother, wife
and children shall be forever free; and all per
sons who hare been or may hereafter be en-
rolled IN the service Of the United States shall
receive the same pay and rations as the SOL
diers are now allowed by law, according to
their respective grades.
~ Nj F. GzaES e1s'ns7 h2s 6 qesspted as
reported By Senator KING
Mr. SALISBURY, of Delaware, thought
That this attempt to elevate the miseriblc
nigger and carry on the war in this way was
never Intended BY the people. 1t would not
Mr. CAnIuE, Of Virginia, thought that if
negroes were not recognised as militia by the
| constitution Of the United States or the state
constitutions, congress had no right to make
| Mr. SHERMAN, Of Ohio, said the question
was whether the negroes should only be em-
| ploged to help the rabele. 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 all the labor OF the camp for them. He
| Gsherman) 7Sas for giving the president power
to call into the service all the slaves Of the
rebels. 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 CREST army Of black men,
| and desolate every southern state. He was
wiling to pass conscript act if necessary,
auA Nc Ai LII dh hElA Uldli AtEsIUE5 ~ lilly uuE
else. We had a right to call the negroes into
service Of the United States.
MI. CoLL4MER, Of Vt, said that the
reason the States had not called negroes into
| the militia service was because the laws Of
United States confined the militia to white
men.
N1r. SHERMAN contended that all the peo-
| PIE Of the country, without distinction Of
ca1or, were liable to be called into the service
of the country if circumstances demanded it.
IN rfn$x, Fail H,.1
examples Of the rebt1E, and iufu5e more en-
e1gy into our military movements. These
rebels resort to all Forts OF expedients, and
make the negroes work and fight. When that
is done, cannot we employ the negroes in
but We must not talk Of hanging traitors. In
such q way We will never end this contest, aud
he thought the time had come when We
should carry the whole force Of the govern
ment in earnest, and put down the rebellion.
Unless We do this, we shall never succeed.
We cannot war against savages unless We be-
come part savage ourselves.
Mr. FEssENDEN, Of Maine, said: This
till, sir, is thought to be an object Of neces-
sity, and is designed, as I understand it-and
We may rs well lell the truth about it, for We
have nothing to conceal hereto meet any
possible contingency which may be supposed
to arise from any difficulty in raising troops
by enlistment at once, as soon rs they may be
required, and, therefore, it is proposed to give
and to call on all loyal persons without dis.
. 1inction Of color, for such time as to make
theirservices available. That ic the position,
and, sir, am in favor of this bill, if it is
thought advisable By the Committee on Mill.
: tary Affairs to pass it. don't know, sir, but
it may be necessary TO so step farther, and
to provide specifically Tor calling out men b7
drafting. And am ready to do that if it i
thought advisable. It is not advisable at thi.
moment, but as Congress is to adjourn very
soon, / understand that by this bill It is pro.
posed to meet any contingency that may arise
5nring the adjournment Of Congress, and as
J such think it wise and precautionary meas
l | nre-
+ Sir, our soldiers do not like it. and they Dc
; not feel easy when they are called upon, with
, out any necessity, to stand guard over tht
) encmyss property, and protect it while They
, are fighting against us, and be shot dosn b5
l concealed tEalto1s while they are doing this
G They do not feel that it is just to them, thai
they who have volunteered TO fight the bat
! lies Of their country ehcnld be employed to
! dig bitches and throw up entertainments, ex-
posed to all the mitcrable consequences q
such sort Of life about the swa1nps Of ths
= Chtckahon1iny or elsewhere, willie at tht
= same time there are numbers and abun dance
y Ct men acciimated who are ready to voiun
# teer tftlr services to do the same work ani
d thus saEe our soldiers. Nov, sir, speat
l. this as truth which is well understood, ant
= the government Of the United States, and ths
= military authorities Of tue United States maj
r SIS well understand that if this policy is to bi
e followed, and nc are not to ayuil ourselves 0
n tie services Of mcn who arc too ready to rem
b dcr all these services, ont Of tenderness tc
n rebels and traitors and murGererE, that til,
:. people viii hesitate to come forward unit
y thc5 feel and know that they are no longer t,
/ be exposed to that Bind Of life.
le Sir, why is it so: Why are we SO tende
i, towards these t1aitors? What makes som
~ gentlemen 60 sentative the moment we spea]
1T Of employing negroes and the slaves Of rebel
n in the service Of the eouutrys Men who pre-
nf fess to ftel, and an willing to believe
T. feel, the deepest Interest in the salvation {
Re thc country, Why do they jumf to their fee
t|o are to employ men who are ready and willin
m and able to perform these services to save th
X lives Of soldiers Of their own and othe
~ States? What violation Of the principles
l. warfare is proposed? Why should NJ ne
o. weaken tho enemy and attack him in h
~ weakest polnts Do you say we are proposiu
#. an abolition OF emancipation sehenle? NJ
NO at all We are simply proposing to use tho;
- means in the army which are best for US, an
~ to use those best able to perform partieu1;
nation that waE ut war with any other count
he that would sacrifice the lives Of their ON
le, men by making them do kind Of wor
IS when there we're about them friends nj
it. were willing and anxious to relieve tile
en- from that work? And out Of what conside
I'd alton?
he Why, sir, have ben utterly at loss 1
ed imagine any. I cannot conceive the slighte
las gro1lnd Tor it, or reason why the me1 vi
liz came to our camps and tender their servic
n. against the enemies Of their country shou
ee- he repel1ed and driven out, and our own sc
'ct diers sacridced in performing duty that 9th
to men are ready to perforn1. Why, sir, it
contrary to every prindple Of warfare. d
IT. not soldier, but I Undertake to say that
nd general Tho conducts campaign on sus
er- principle is no genera1at all. He has forg
his or never knew the first principles upon whit
10 conduct a var, which is to weaken the en-
my and strengthen himself. ! have look
ro- upon this thing quite Is long as feel dispos
ry- to-. do not feel disposed to blame any bod
arc and have no doubt, not the slightest in Il
icy world, that everybody ::eels as anxious a5
rst 70 close this war, and 10 close it etfectu III
rty But do say that mistake has been made
ent this thing. Too great tenderness has be-
LOT used, under the delusi.e idea TINT these rebt
an we're to be coa1ed back By tenderness. 8
ase | yon cannot deal with sarages in that #.
II! and the man who deliberately sets himself
V1u Wefk TO overthrow theinstitutions and int
up ISIS OF the country for purposes Of selfish 81
ing bHlon Is worse than EaEage. And such isa
lch scfptlon OF the leaderE In this rebellion, q
cts the great mass Of their followers are unedu,
ant ted and willing to follow those about them.
~ ~ MI. FEssEsDEN concluded as follows:
Is Avail yourselves, like men, of every pow
the @ Thlch God has placed i, your hands to acco
to | plsn your purposes, within the reach OF G
II lhzeo warfare. But the man who tampe
md Wlth tnis question, and who talks against el
Qn- plo5lrg negroes for the services which tn