Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-06-28

The Government is hiring in the District
several hundred negroes, some as team
stors and some for other purposes, to the
exclusion of white laborers, thousands of
whom, together with their wives and
children, in our large cities, arc suffering
for the want of employment. l speak
advisedly when say that the Republican
party are already paying, of axgathered
money, in this District alone, over three
hundred thousand dollars per annum to
buy, clothe, feed and exalt the African
race. Thus for the negro you eXpend
more in single year in the District OF
Columbia than you appropriate for the
government and protection of all the pco-
pie in all the organized Territories of the
United States. The negro is made supc-
rior, in your legislation, to the pioneer
white men that settle the great West, and
amid hardships and dangers, lay the
foundations of the new commonwealth,
the hardest and nobesl men of our com.
mon country.
SO the people are taxed yearly more
| for the benefit of the black race in this
District alone than it costs to maintain
, the burdens of State government in eth.
er Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Wiscon.
sin, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,
Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey
Delaware or Maryland.
One hundred thousand dollars per day e.
pended on lazy negroes.
But it is not in this District alone tina
you require the people to pay tribute to
the idol of your affections. Whereve
you find our army, with one or two hon
orable exceptions, you will find tha
hundreds of rations are being issued dali,
to unemployed negroes who rendezvous i
and about the camps; wherever the arm,
is they are being employed in various ca
pacities at good wages, and to the ute
exclusion of white labor, that no,
languishes in irksome idleacss through
out our country. | state there
fore, and think truthlully, that the Gov
ernment is already paying 100000 pc
day for the support and employment @
negroes-paying it, too, out of none
raised through the toll, deprivation an
taxation of our own kith and kin.
In my district, Mr.. Chairman, m
constituents are selling corn at eigh. cent
per bushel, in order to support their fam
lilies and maintain the honor and intcgri
ty Of our Government. Shall none
thus raised and for such purpose b
diverted to the entertainment Of the A
rican! Willm my people, will the peopl
f anywhere, endorse the party and the Ad
ministration that thus seeks the elevatio
Of the negro, even at the cost of ruin I
their own race!
1Hc Negro placed upon a@ equality wit
Ot.r Soil0rS and SOldicrS.
One might suppose that your ardor
the care and protection of the negl
would stop and cool here but no, yC
go still further. Having made him yo,
equal as civilian, you now seek to plaC
him on the same level with America
! sailors and soldiers. First came the o
der of the Secretary of the Navy, NJ
Wellcs, as follows:
"NAvY DEPARTMENT, April 80, 1862.
"SIR:-Thc approach of the hot al
, sickly season upon the Southern coast
the United States renders it impcrati,
that every preGaution should be used |
the officers commanding vessels to contin,
the excellent sanitary condition of the
crews, The large number ofpersons know
as 'contrabands' focking to the protcctic
of the United States flag affords an oppo
tunity to provide in every department of
ship, especially for boats crews ,acclimatc
labor. The flag officers are required
obtain the service of these persons for IL
country by enlisting them freely in Il
navy, with their consent, rating them
boys, at eight, nine, or ten dollars p'
month, and one ration. Let month
return be made of the number of this ella
of persons employed en- each vessel und'
=, your command. l am respectfully 20,
obedicnt servant,
"GIDEON WELLES."
Under the plea of the approach oft
sickly season, Mr.. Welles issues this order
under the same plea the negro may |
called inte any service in the South throug
the sicky season, and the terrible effect
might have upon our army and navy, wi
5 not thought of by any Republican ofIici
, until recently.
| Having made this progressive step in o,
navy Gas my colleague from the Burei