The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-05-01
Speech ofSenator Grim es
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suRRENDER-0E -0E, SLAVES -RY. THE


1ec3St0ctes INV tftC OsprVtlltVteer<SV Nr
Affiirs and the Militia be directed TO cnnsis
er and report whether any further legislatio
is necessary to prevent persons emplOved
the military service of the United State
from aiding IN ths ssturrtsrcsutrol over pc,
sons claimed as fugitive slaves. andy to pur
ish them therefor fesL ta a57tse - ss5i1s s.
Mr. Grimes. Ipropsse toamepd the RESI-
luton BY adding TO IT, 4saas sesA ss : ssss' ss
And to repert what Reorganization. OF I'll
Army In its 1asrsoEnel, or otherwise, may b
necessary 10 promoH fhe ,'public sswrel!aryt
and lHing the rebsllionxt q speed y and tp
uniphsnt end ysa h.eees ss' ''aeaH -,sa'51 .
sHis, ofcourse, to be expected that ther
will te great differences Of opinion anon
the friends Of the Government az to the mar
ner in which. tbs present war should -he, con
Quoted. Such diffefences Arey the naturs
results of our vasfons dsnestic institutions
systems gf edacstisn .tfaodesof thodght. de
etees pfeiviltz4ipn, and Of ofi1dividuall opin
ions ofthe necessities ofour situation. Blu
there are certain great fundamental princi
Piles upon which, one would thing, all ongh
to agree. We certainly ought to- do nothin,
and suffer nothing to be done calculated i,
any degree 10 repel or paralyze the effort
Of our friends at home, who are doing every
thing in their power to encourage and sustain
the soldiers in the field, While inculcatiin.
the, necessity Of the strictest obedience t.
military duty, il should be constantly born,
in smindthat ours are citizen snldiery, soor
to return to the bosom OF civil society, ant
that the performance Of no unsoldery duty
shenld be required of them that would b,
calculated to impair ,theirselfrespect, ,dimin
ish' h'ther regard for their officers, incite then
tosrebei agaiast. discipline, or taint thei,
regulations. at home. IT must not be OK
pected thatthe natural instincts ofhumanity
will be sti1ed by military orders, and surely
our soldiers should not be required 10 assis
in the preparation 'of acts against which
every enlightened sentiment OF their hears
revolt. One would think that all men woulc
agree pronouncing that cruel and des
patic order whichrepeals the Divine precept
'!inasmnch as ye did it to one Of the least Of
these ye did it not to me-" snd arbitrarily
forbids the soldier to bestow a crust Of fbreaG
or a cup OF water upon wretched, famishet
fugitive escaping from our own as well a:
from his enemy. Yet, Mr.. President, i
grieye to say that there are those high ir
rank in the service Of the United States who
have sought to break down the spirit of man
hood, which is the crowning glory Of true
sSaaisrsi by reqring themsto do acts out
side of their prof ssion which they abhor
and to smother all impulses to those deed,
of charity which they have been taught tc
believe are the characteristics Of Christian
gepaemeu.es ntss Nfsaya e vgTssEA s
1t was known to the country at an cary
day after the comm.acement Of the war, tina,
some military commanders were abusing the
great power intrusted to them, and were
employing the Army to assist in the capture
and renditionsof fugitive slaves, net, in aid
of any judicial process, but in, obedience to
their own unbridled will. The effect Of this
assumption Of unauthorized power was to
incite the soldiery to disobedience, and to
arouse the people to the necessity oil. proper
legislative restraints. i was in compliance
With the popular sentiment on this subject
that Congress enacted the additional article
of war, which was asarptrredNrthy 18th Of
March last, and which declared that
"All of6cers. or persons in the military or
naval service Of the United States are pro-
libited from employing sny lof the forces IN.
der their respective scommands for tho pur.
pos. Of returning fngitives from service or
labor, who may hayesescaped from any per
sons to whom such service or labor is claim.
ed to be due, and any officer who shall be
found guilty by c0urt-martial Of violating Q
this arti.le shall be dismissed from the
service. ".S.tr Hg 8 ga .is4esA HasW "a 3 ea
Itwas intended by this article to prevent
toe military service from becoming odious
to the people who support the war, and de
to those who have. volunteered, 70
fight b Sderourbsnners. Itsimp'y declares
that the Army Of the United States shalinot
be perverted from the Legitimate use for
which 1t was raised, while it interferes in no
degree with the claim Of any nan to per-
son alleged to be slave it leaves questions
Of that chaiaetef to beaettled, and rights Of
that description. to be enforced by other than
the military anthofity. The intention Of
those who roted for that ,artislewE, nyt 70
absid e any msh's rights but tdleaye every
one to his legal Fsmadies Is though no war
existed.
How il thts new article aof war seaforced ?
It has been promulgated to the Army it
true. It may not be openly and avowedly
violated. Soldiers may not hereafter bore
quired to actually perform the hpyniliating
Office Of fastening manacles upon the limbs
Of persons said to be slaves, nor to escort
them to the residences Of their masters but
the experience of the last, few days has tau't
usthat, notwithstanding the new article Of
var, puri military officers suffer their camps
to be Invaded by armed detachmepts q
slave hunters. without the support Of any
process Of law, who there attempt, to shoot,
ruin, and kill with impunity those whom
they claim to be slaves. while our soldiers
are requiscd to stand aiudiferently by and
witness TIE inhuman work. There seems
to be purpose in some quarters to do BY
ndirectionwhat raanot b. done directly.
The object being 70 serve slavehoaden
.h.Ale. lo, Il a. Hohol (a1nd fhax sxn le1,osan