Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-02-05


they the rsk of demoralzing the army in the
field Would they drive off 800 900 White men to secure
the services of 10000 negros The passage Of the bill
would dsafect The Border States probably drive them
out OF the Union They in condition now to run
the risk of losing Maryland and Kentucky and West Vr
Gula la every point of view the impoiiic
and uncaled for. He had conyersed with officers Of the
army who told him that if black soldiers enlisted
they would consider it reflection upon the army and
would resign.
Mr., MOORHEAD asked if the officers referred to were
Penney yyanians.
Mr.. WRIGHT said they were, and good patriots too
whose aid needed TO fight the battles of the country
Mr. MCPHERSON desired to cay that he had been call
ed upon by captain Of the army who tcd him the bill
he would be very glad to aid in organizing
soldiers under it,
Mr. WRIGHT continued his remarks in opposition to
the bill and said he believed they could the country
by restoring Gen. Mcclellan to the command of the Army
OF The Potomac Tremendous applause in the galleries
and COL fusion on the floor.
The SPEAKER, order could be restored, ,
gave notice that repetition of the applause would compel
him 10 clear the galleries.
Mr.. WRIGHT resumng said they could not win VIC
tories with demorazed and dispirited army and advo
Gated the restoration of Mcclellan aud reorganization of
he Cabinet, embracing Democrats well Republicans
IL they did that they could get 200 00U more white
soldiers and the country, which rrecoverably
ruined unless The dominant party abandoned of their
notons They could not obtain they undertook
t. carry out their about negro soldiers
He closed by eloquent appeal for compromise and
cessOn
Mr. OWEN, of New York. SAID he saw no occasion for
tne concerning Dil
the President had the power the negro for military
purposes At the proper time be desired offer certain
amendments to the bill He believed the negro could be
well used to aid in suppressng the rebellion but he should
not be 80 used until be had undergone of training
and discipline which would control his savage nature. A
war OF rapDe and cruelty not which would prove
successful, aud against such warfare his whole soul
yotei He thought the subject should be considered calmly
aud not with the heat of passi He pointed out the
mperecons Of the BILL and 10 reply to the sugg, Of
Mr.. WRIGHT relative to Mcclellan avowed himself the
nnF hnfsa
the army would not fight well under any other leader
They resolved to re-estabsh the Union and would
never give up the contest till that was established
Mr.. WlCKLIFFE said they should not be in haste to
act this bill! for he believed the fate Of the Union de-
pended upon the action of the House.
Mr. MORRILL, notice of en- amendment to prevent,
under any circumstances, black officers outrankng white
officers.
Several other amendments were offered and ordered TO
be printed
MIR. BIDDLE said the position of the negro grew out
of the relations of inferior to superior race and when
they should undertake to disturb that neriory place
the black man on an equality with the white, then would
commence the antsgonism which would disturb the har
monous relations of the two That the negro might
be advanageousy employed in Offices he did not de-
ny, but this bill contained provisions which might place
negro colonel over white lieutenant colonel He desir
ed however particularly the attention of the House
to the provision of the bill which gave longer term Of
service to the negro than the white army.
standing army had always been looked upon with
jealousy dangerous to the public liberty How such an
army might be used illustrated by the arbitrary
rests in his State aud elsewhere Mr. Ingerso gentle
of the highest position had been seized because in
speech which he made he expressed which did
not happen to please second lieutenant who held the po
stion OF provost marshal The of Mr. Boea editor
of the Evening Journal of Philadelphia another ex
ample, and he held that such arrests nothing more
than Illegal violence which might be resisted by the lawful
force that every had right to aganst the mur-
derer the highway robber The standing army which
the Till authorized to be composed not Of ctzen but
of negroes aud slaves
He concluded by saying that they naugurated the
poyment of negro soldiers they would paint the boodet
picture in the book Of time.
Mr.. COX, in answer to the argument that negroes had
been employed in the Revolutionary army denied that
such the fact, with few exceptional cases. and he
quoted the proceedings of the Continental Congress- and
the action of Washington, heod of the army show
that they Lad both refused negroes soldiers He
charged that the policy and sentiment of the gentleman
who introduced the bill Yas to overthrow the Union Tn
der this bill there could be Union. Its object to
turn loose ends of hell to widen the alienation which,
commencing n hate being rsued in vengeance He
pointed out at length the bad features of the bill.
Adjourned