The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1863-06-05
Tho Aiming Of Negroes.

At his late visit to tho South and South
west. Adjt. Gen. Thomas thus declared the
policy of the government in reference to en-
ploying tho blacks as soldiers:
1t may be that some Of you arc better nc:
quainted with this country than am, but oil
my early military life was spent IN the South.
I know this whole region we'll. lam South
ern man, and il you will, born with South
ern prejudices but l am free to say that the
policy am now 70 announce to you indorse
With my whole heart. You know full we'll
for you have been over this country-thas
tho rebels have sent into tho field oil their
available fighting men-eyery man capable
Of bearing arms, and you know they have
kept at home oil their slaves for the raising
of substance for their armies In the field. In
this way they can bring to bear against us
all the strength Of their So called Confederate
States, while we ut tho North can only send
portion OF our fighting force. being COM
PEELED to leave behind another portion to cul.
tivate our fields and supply the wants OF an
immunse army. The Administration has do
termined to take from the rebels this source
of supply-to take their negroes and compel
them 10 send back portion OF their whites
to cultivate their deserted plantations. and
very poor persons they would DO to gil the
place of tho dark-hucd laborer. They must
do this or their armies will starvo.
On the first day of January last the Pres.
ident issued his Proclamation declaring that
from that day forward all slaves in the States
then in rebellion should be free. You know
that vast numbers of these slaves are within
your borders, inside the lines Of this army.
They came into your camps and you cannot
but receive them. The authorities in Wash.
ington are very much panied to hear, and
fear with much truth in many cases, that some
Of these poor unfortunates have on different
occasions been turned away from us, and their
applications for admission within our lines
have been refused by our officers snd soldiers.
This is not the way TO use freedmen. The
question came up in Washington, "What il
best to be done with this unfortunate racer
They are coming upon us in such numbers
that some provision must be made for them.
You cannot send them North. You oil know
tho prejudices Of the Northern people against
receiving large numbers of the colored race.
Some States have passed laws forbidding them
to come within their borders. At this day,
in some States, persons who have brought
them have been arraigned before the Courts
to answer for tho violation of State enact.
ments.
Look along the river and SEQ tho multitude
of deserted plantations upon its banks. These
are the places for these freedmen, where they
can be sclf.sustaining and self.supporting.-
All of you will some day DO on picket duty,
and I charge you all If any of this unfortu-
nate race como within your lines that you
do not turn them away but receive them kind.
ly and cordially. They are to DO received
with open arms; they arc to be fed and
clothed; they are to be armed.
This is the policy that has been fully de-
tcrmined upon, am here to say that am
authorized to raise as many regiments OF
blacks as I can. l am authorized to give
commissions, from the highest to tho lowest,
and desire those persons who are in earnest
in this work to take hold of 1t. l desire only
those whose hearts are in it, and to them
alone will give commissions. don't care
who they are or what their present rank may
DO. l do not hesitate to say that oil proper
persons will receive commissions.
While nm authorized thus in the name
Of tho Secretary of War, have tho fullest
authority to dismiss from tho army any man.
be his rank what 1t may, whom find mall
treating the freedmen This part OF my du.
ty will most assurcdly perform, If any case
comes before me. | would rather do that
than give commissions, because such men are
unworthy the name of soldiers.
hope to hear that in this splendid divi.
sion, as I know it to be, veterans rs Napo.
leon would call them-for you nre Veterans
hope to hear before leave that | shall be
able to raise at least regiment form amsng
you. do not want to stop nd one not ut
f,co. must have two ut least. II is pos
sible that can procure four. l would like
to raise on this river twenty regiments ut
least before 60 back. shall take all the
women and children and all the men unfit
for our military organizations. and place
them on these plantations; then take these
regiments, and put them in the rear. They
will guard the rear effectively. Knowing the
country well, and familiar with all the roads
and swamps, they will DO able to track out
tho accursed guerrillas and run them from
tho land. When l got regiments raised you
may sweep out into che interior with impuni-
ty. Rocollect, for every regiment of blacks
raise, raise regiment Of whites to face
the foo in tho field. This, fcllow-soldiers, is
the determined policy of tho administration.
You all know full vol, when the President
of tho United States. though said to DO slow
in coming to tho determination, when he
once puts his foot down it is there, and he
is not going to tako 1t up. He has put his
foot down; am here to assure you that my
official influence shall be given that no shall
not raise it.