The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-05-01

3 l.sr-F'is fssf, ,~.s57aaf adi - bshaiHr
them were forced by enemies into thei
military Sc rvice, and have deserted from it,
They implore our projections, and we mus
give IL, il we,wouid not become \ f'scorr
and derision" among tn. nations of the earth
They have shown on divers occasions, botl
on sea aud land. that they belong toa warlik'
race. They are obedient and eteacha5les--
They can be subsisted.,nuch cheaper thar
white soldiers, can perform more labor, anf
are subject to fewer diseases ina warm eli
mate. 9-ip t,ss sstsr fzerss asy a. aEs 40
Now, with these facts before u.s. shall W.
refuse 10 employ themas What substantial
reason can be given for not doing so . Is il
because they have not the proper capacity
for commando Then give them white off,
GERS. as is done by the British Govcrnmen.
to the same race, by the,French Gcvernmen,
to the Arabs, and bv the -.Rususn Govern.
ment to the Tartars and other semilbarba,
rous soldiers Within that eppire,, is 1T be.
causethey do not possess the average courage
of soldiers? In addition to The testimony
in disproof Of this Furnished few days ago
bv the Senator from Massachusetts,, Mr..
Wilsonll refer you to yourvcssels Of war,
where You harefhundreds of these men ern-
ployed, and none more valiant Is ii because
th1F are not obcdicnt to Commands The
whole history of the race shows the contrary
for ifthere is any one thing for which they
are remarkable more than another. it is their
confding submission to the will of their Sus
periors. Isit said that we have white SOL
diers enoughfor all Of our purposes? True,
we have q large army. composed Of mon ycf
unsurpassed 'va'orand patriotism. who, if
we require ii. will sacrifice their lives for
their country. whether;by tie sword or by
the disease bnf II would. i'll could, recall
a portion Of them to their homes and to the
industrial pursuits oflife AMI told that
the enrollmentsof few colored soldiers will
be regarded hy the Army as Illuminating, to
them Mr. President, those public men
fail to comprehend dihecharacter Of American
soldiers who suppose that theyaarc Sighting
FIR mere military glory or thatrih this; criti-
cat hour they are controlled by ignoble prei
udice against color ofrnce They are citizens
and tax payers as well rs soldierss They
want the rebellion spesdilv crushed and the
supreme authority of the law established.
leaving social and political qrestions to be
settled afterwards They feel that the de-
sertion ofevery colored soldier, artiacer ror
laborer from the rebclious States withdraws
aid and support from the rebelhon.a and
brings 1t so much nearer to an end They
cannot understand. nor canI. that refined
casuistry that justifies us in converting the
horse or OK to our use, and in turn
ing their insninate ENGINES of destruction
against themselves but denies to us the right
to turn their slaves, their animate hostile
engines in human form, to the same pur-.
pose. They can not imagine why it is that
some gentlemen are so willing that men of
the African race should labor for them,
and SO unwilling that they should fight for
them. 3. 'yassHg -
What wonderful difference of action and
sentiment there is on this subject between
the officers of the Army and Navy. While
officers Of the Arrnv have disgraccd them
selves. annoyed and incensed their snbordi
nate ',dishonored the country, and injured
the public service by the promulgation Of
their ridiculous orders about slaves, no off
GER of the Navy, thank God, has ever de-
to follow their example. Their no,
Die, manly, generous hearts. would revolt at
the idea Of having imposed. upon them the
duty ofcapturins aud returning
fugitve slaves. They serve their country.
not rebel fugitive slaves They serve their
country not rebel slave owners. They
hink that duty to the country, requires
.hem to avail themselves of the services of
,hese people instead of driving them back to
heir master. or suffering them to starve
md they act upon this conviction. At the
taking Of Hatteras, one Of the large guns Of
he Minnesota wholly manned and worked
By persons called "contrabands," and no
gun on the ship was better served. These
pecpel are. il is well known, remarkable for
the. proficiency they soon acquire as cannon
GERS. On the same ship is a boats crew,
every one Of whom. including the coxswain,
IS a colored man, and there are none more
'kilful, or render more satisfactory service
% the officers of the vessel The whole
country knows the service endered by then,
% Commodore Dupont and 10 vessels un.
Ter his command. They have acted as pi-
ots, and in the most important positions and
have the authority Tof the two SUPERIOR Off.
,ers ofthat feet for saying that they, have
never been deceived or misled hy any one Of
hem. I am convinced that our expedition
10 the south Atlantic coast would not have
been so perfect a success as it has been but
'or the slaves found there. and who were
employed by CIR naval officers There are
more or less Of them on All of our vessels of
war. They are efficient men, and their
presence produces no discord among the
crews. &st3 - AHf taTad -
Mr.. President, ] wish to be distinctly un-
I advocate no indiscriminatc
arming Of the colored race. although frank
" confess that would DO 50 were'it neccs-