The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-04-26

suffer more. And why: because Wo 0csite 70
preserve the integrity Of our nation; because
we believe that Heaven designed Us to be one |
people with one destiny; the freest and happi-
est on earth. II WAS TO preserve that unity OF
our national existence that our sons and bro |
theirs have gone forth 70 do battle For this II |
was that the gallant men of Iowa have freely, |
triumphantly, laid down their lives at Wilson's
Greek, Blue Mills, Belmont, Fort Donelson, Pea |
Ridge, and Pittsburg. And sball We, after these
great sacrifices of life aud treasure, hesitate |
about employing any Of the instrumentalities in
aid of the country that are known to civilized
warfare? Shall we not be recreant 70 our high
trust If we doubt or delay.in this particulars
This war will 60 on until rebellion is subdued.
Upon this point there need be no controversy
Rely upon it the northwestern States will sub
init to no temp0rizng or compromising policy
They are too much in earnest; they have suffer
| ed too much already; they know too well what
| they would be compelled to suffer in the future
| to allow treason to 20 unpunished. 1t is be.
cause they desire to prevent the recurrence OF
the rebellion that they demand that it shall now
| be thoroughly crushed cut. Among things ne
| cessary to be done to fully accomplish this pur.
pose, we must conquer and hold all Of the forts
| and etrong positions on the south Atlantic and
| Gulf coasts, How shall they be garrisoned
when captured? This is question We shall soon
| be compelled to answer; and am prepared for
| its solution. / answer it unhesitatingiy that we
should garrison them, In whole or in part, by SOL
| ders of African descent; that instead of return
ing slaves to their rebel masters to tight against
us, we should employ them in our own military
service.
know very we'll that this proposition en-
counters at once all the prejudices that have
been engendered by differences Of race, educa-
ton and social position; but let us look at it 3
moment soberly and practically. 1t is assumed
<toJ xbo
be captured and strongly garrisoned for some
years to come They are situated in warm and
enervating climtte, and the particular location
of nearly all of them renders them more than
usually unhealthy, even for that section of the
country. In addition to the forts already ca.
tablished, we shall be compelled to build new
| ones. The rebels rely upon the diseases of
their climate to decimate our northern army
in the summer and autumnal months; and
their confidence is well placed. Our troops
| will wither before the fevers of the Gulf coast
as vegetation does before the blast of the siro-
CO. Now, we have in our midst thousands Of
hardy, athletic, colored men, fitted by nature
| to endure the heat and miasma of the tropics,
| and some of them accustomed to it, who are
| painting to be employed in the capacity of SOL
diers. Many of them having been in state
| of bondage, have been abandoned by their
| masters, and are now thrown upon US for sup
| port Some of them were forced by our enc
| mics into their military service, and have de-
| serted from it. They implore our protection,
and we must give it if we would not become
| a "scorn and derision" among the nations of
| the earth They have shown on divers occa-
| sions, both on sea and land, that they belong
| to warlike race. They are obedient and
teachable. They can be subsisted much cheap
| er than white soldiers, can perform more labor,
and are subject to fewer diseases in warm
| climate.
Now, with these facts before US, shall we re-
| fuse to employ them? What substantial rea-
son can be given for not doing so? Is it because
| they have not the proper capacity for COM
mand? Then give them white officers, as is
done by the British Government to the same
race, 10y the French Government to the Arabs,
and by the Russian Government to the Tar
| tars and other semi barbarous soldiers within
that empire. Is it because they do not pos-
sess the average courage of soldiers? In ad-
diton to the testimony in disproof of this, fur
nished few days ago by the Senator from
Massachusetts,, lMr. Wilson, refer you to
your vessels of war, where you have hundreds
| OF these men employed, and none more valiant
isit because they are not obedient to com
mand? The whole history of the race shows
the contrary, for if there is any one thing for
which they are remarkable more than another.
1t IS their confding submission to the will of
their superiors. Is it said that we have white
soldiers enough for all of our purposes? True
we have large army, composed of men of I'M
surpassed valor and patriotism, who if we re.
qulre it, will sacrifice their lives for their coun
try, whether by the sword or by disease; but
| would, II could, recall portion of them to
| their homes and to the industrial pursuits of
life. Am told that the enrolment of coored
| soldiers will be regarded by the Army as hui
initiating to them? Mr.. President, those pub.
lie men fail to comprehend the character of
American soldiers who suppose that they are |
fighting for mere military glory, or that in this
critical hour they are controlled by iguoble |
prejudice against color or race. They are |
citizens as well as soldiers. They want the |
| rebellion speedily crushed and the supreme |
| authority Of the law established leaving social |
and politically questions to be settled afterwards. |
They feel that the desertion of every colored |
soldier, artificer or laborer from the rebelious
States withdraws aid and support from the re-
bellion, and brings it so much nearer to an |
end They cannot understand, nor can l. that |
| refined casustry that justifes us in convert
ing the enemy's horse or OK to our use, and in |
turning their inanimate engines of destruction
against themselves, but denies to us the right
to turn their slaves, their animate hostile en-
glnes IN human form, to the same purpose-
They cannot imagine why it is that some gen.
tlemen are SO willing that men of the Africa
race should labor for them, and so unwilling
that they should fight for them
What wonderful difference of action and
sentiment there is on this subject between the
oihcers OF the Army and Navy. While officers
OF the Army have disgraced themselves, an
hoyed and Incensed their subordinates, dishon.
ored the country, ana injured the public service
by the PRONUNCIATION of their ridiculous orders
ABOUT slaves, no officer of the Navy, thank God
has ever descended to follow their example,
Ihelr noble, manly, generous hearts would re-
volt at the idea of having imposed upon them
the Illuminating duty of capturing and returning
fugitive slaves. They serve their country not
slaveowners. They think that duty to the
country requires them to avail themselves of
the services OF these people instead of driving
them BACK 10 their masters, or suffering them
70 starve; and they act upon this conviction
At the taking of Hatteras, one of the large
guns OF the Minnesota was wholly manned and
worked by persons called "contrabands." and
no gun on the ship was better served. These
people are, 1t is well known, remarkable for the
proficiency they soon acquire as cannoneers =
On the same ship is boats crew, every one Of
whom including the coxswaini is colored man
ana there are none more skillful, or render
more satisfactory service to the officers of the
vessel me whole country knows the service
rendered BY them to Commodore Dupont and
70 the vessels under his command Thew have
acted as pilots, and in the most important no.
sitions, and have the authority of the two
superior officers of that fleet for saving that
they have never been deceived or misled by
any one Of them. l am convinced that onr !
expedition to the south Atlantic coast would y
not nave Dren so successful as it has been but |
LOT the slaves found there, and who were en-
ployed by our naval officers. There are more r
or less of them on all of our vessels of war
They are efficient men, and their presence pro- :
duces no discord among the crews.
MIR. President, wish to be distinctly under :
stood l advocate no indiscriminate arminp
OF the coiored race although frankly confess
that would do SO were it necessary to mt 4
down the rebellion. l do not favor this nro. .
proposition merely because of its anti-slayerv ,
tendency lapproveit because it will result J
IN saving OF human life and in bringing the