The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-08-04
49, ---
From the Chicago Post Dem ! oath

A correspondent inquiries If the Pos
approves of the enlistment of negroes i,
the national armies Taking advantag,
of the privilege which the rebel chiyalr,
have graciously awarded to every one in
the North--the privilege of being called
a"fankee'--we might reply by asking
our interrogation if, were he a soldier, or.
dered TO storm an enemy's battery, he
would approve of the placing Of regi
ment OF negroes in the front rank.
The question of making soldiers out OF
negroes, mulattoes, mestizoes and othe,
"colored trash we look upon as purely
military one. If negroes are good for
digging, why not use them for digging?
Their use in that capacity will relieve an
equal number of white soldiers of the la
Dor Of working in the trenches and build
ing redoubts. If negroes are good for
lighting, why not use them for that pur-
pose! Their use as soldiers will relieve
an equal number of white men from the
disagreeable terrors OF the draft, to saw
nothing Of the unpleasant dangers of the
held. What negroes are good for 10 a
question for the military authorities to de-
eide, and with their decision, provided it
turns out for the good of the country and
the injury Of the rebels, we shall certainly
not quarrel. We believe in whipping.
crushing and destroying the rebel armies,
by any aud every legitin ate means known
to the art of war and within reach Of the
Government. Battalions of negroes ara
certainly legitimate means; the only
question can be as TO whether such bat.
tailons will be of any service. Upon this
question the best minds of the country
both military and civil, have entertained
serious doubts. These doubts may not
even now be altogether removed; indeed
the experiments of Gen. Hunter with ma
gro soldiers in South Carolina were cal-
culaled TO strengthen rather than weaken
lhen' but the more practical experiments
lha1 have been made in the southwest
have tended greatly i'll the other direction.
III LOUISIANA, negro soldiers certainly
have done good service. We do not sun.
pose the Louisiana niger is n widely
ainerent species of the genus African
from the South Carolina Niger; the diff
Terence shown IN their performance as
soldiers was probably owing entirely to
their officers.
The black regiments in South Carolina
are officered by Massachusetts, preachers
hnd Abolitionisis; the black regiments in
The southwest are Offered by northwest.
err men Of the Democratic persuasion. -
democrats, the world over, and more es-
peeisify In Shls war, have developed the
highest QUALITIES in the profession OF
arms.
Gen. Grant, Gen. Logan Gen sber.
man and Gen. Ord, than whom there ore
no better Generals In the arnv III
prove OF the use of negroes ia Is. 49,.
as transfers, as diggers, at fighters AZ
IN every other way in which they can H.
seryiceable. These Generals certa;nls
know great deal better what negroes arr.
good for than We do. And if thew will
only put them to work and keep them Al
work, make them earn the enormous ra-
tons they consume, and keep them from
running away to the North, we are quite
sure they will receive the thanks Of all
men In this part Of the country--especial-
y III tAsss whs ne liabls 4 ths daft.