The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-02-14

eAg9s .ts4W y. u. VAkNu2.
HE Exeellsney General WAaa1saron. u =
= Upsn the receipt Of that letter, General Wash.
lngeon was 90 strongly impressed with the eoun.
Dsi IN respect to the enlistment Of psrsons Of
color In Rhode lsland, that hs sent On The same
day the following communioasion 10 the Assem-
oly Of that colony, including the letter Of Gen.
4!vafga HsADouAlfBaas January 3, 1878.
6R: Incloesd you will reosive Q copy Of u
letter from General Vaznum to me, upon the
means which might b adopted for completing
the Rhode Island troops to their full proportion
II the Confidential army! 4 have nothing TO sAy,
IN addition 70 what I, wrote on the 99th Of last
month, On this important subject, but 70 desire
that you will give the officers employed in this
business I'll the assistance. -. 81 a
., Lam, With great respect cir, your most obe-
dent servant s9, laraa,s5 ~ t,,r.,,,s;
g, tn GEORGE WASHINGTON. !
His Excellency NICHOLAS Cook, ESQ, Governor
OF Rhode lsland. ~ q, a.iof.,r - i.ss5
On the reception of this communication from
General Washington, the Assembly Of Rhode
Island took almost immediate action, and the
following preamble and resolution ipform Us Of
. 'whersas, for the preservation of the rights
and liberties Of tho United States it il necessary
that the whole powers Of the Government should
be exerted in recruiting the continental bsttal!
ions and whereas his Excellency General
Washington hath inclosed TO this State propo.
TO enlist into the two raising By this State such
slaves a. should be willing to enter into the scr.
vice; and whereas history affords Us frequent
precedents Of the soisesk the tyeest, and bravest
nations having liberated their slaves and en-.
listed them % soldiers to fight in defense OF their
country; and also, whereas the enemy, with q
great force, have taken possession Of the capital
and Of great part of this State, and this State
10 obliged to raise . very considerable number
Of troops for its own immediate defense, where
BY il 10 in manner rendered impossible, for
this State to furnish recruits for the said two
bastalions without adopting the said measure 80
recommended: ar 90 p .ba. qa 1.Fh
IN Is vsted AID resoved, That every able
bodied negro, mulatto, or Indian man slave, in
this State, may enlist into either of said two bat
tslions, to serve during the continuance Of the
present war with Great Britain; that every slave
90 enlisting shall be entitled to and receive all
the bounties, wages, and encouragements allow
ed by the Continental Congress to any soldier
enlisting in their service" 5sa95 so e.
. Such, sir, was the action of Rhode Island.
based on the recommendation of one Of the gen.
erals In the service, Endorsed By General Wash
iDgton himself The country Was struggling for
its existence; men we're needed, snd Washington,
Varnum, and the members of the Rhode Island
Assembly, like practical men and patriots, re-
sorted to the means nearest at hand, St1d called
the colored men TO the standard of the country
The liberties Of the country we're at stake, and
patriots were not frightened ct the color of a
mans skin. II be. could strike blow for the
nation, he WIS afforded an opportunity - make
the blow tell. Are We wiser, purer, more patri-
otto than the men Who guided our national bark
safely through its first stormy voyage, that We
should refuse the aid Of the same instrumental
titles to which they resorted: They we're striving
to create nation; the African could help them,
and they called him to their standard. We are
trying TO preserve o nation; the black man
can help us; Why shall We not avail ourselves Of
his belps - %o7s ' -sw 'f9'E
NJ. speaker, no one can doubt, Who will take
the trouble to inform himself, that Genera!
Washington regarded the employment Of oolorsd
troops expedient aud right By his side stood
NJ. Madison, entertaining the same views, and
believing, - Washington did, that military SER
vice should confer freedom on the slave who
might render IL. That such were nr. Maidstone
views We have most emphatic evidence in the
following letter written by him to Joseph Jones,
on November 30, 1880: r. fa,@ si'5
"Yours Of the 18th came yesterday. am
glad to fiDd the Legislature persist in their res
olution to recruit their line Of the army for the
Wat; though, without deciding on the expediency
OF the mode under their consideration, would
1t not be As well to iberate and make soldiers at
once Of the blacks themselves, Is to make them
instruments for enlisting white soldiers! It
would certainly be more consonant With the
principles of liberty, which ought never to be
ioak oievoNt NJ In Er~1
white officers and majority of white soldiers.
no imaginable danger could be feared from them
selves, as there certainly could be none from
tie effect of the example On those who should
remain In bondage; experience having shown
that afreedman Immediately loses all attachment
and sympathy with his former fellow slavea."-
Madison Papers, p. So. 81 a si'ta ~.
Are the gentlemen on the other side of the
House afraid to endorse the views of Mr.. Mad.
ison? Are they prepared to denounce him IS
fanatic, and a. having been false to his coun-
try and untrue to his race! The time WAS when
they delighted to claim him % one of the
brightest lights Of their party, but suppose
il he were now living he would receive his full
share Of the bitter sdenunciaticas which they
have INDUCED In toward those who are now
trying to carry ont the policy which no advo-
Gated Sir, let N be content to 20 straight
forward to our duty, while Madison and Wash.
ington point the way 1sia. 81 80. l9 sT1I
The gentleman from Ohio, Mr.. Cox, in his
remarks on hast Fridny, referred to another
case Of no little interest. Imesn the case Of
Colonel Lanrens. The facts in this case fur
nish - With the views Of Congress il ITO in
relation 70 the employmentof oolored troops.
At that time the British had ovsfrun the States
Of South Carolihs and Georgia. Very many
o. the. citizens Of those States sympsthised
Win the British crown; and many slsvsholdses
.asn. :. nov, seemed to regard the safety Of
.eeH :lsvs property" - Of more Importance
than The success Of our struggle for indepen.
oence' These things made 4 difhcult;t to raise
Mnlte troops within those States sufficient to
@eet tne demands Of the Government, Upon
ne lacts being represented to Congress. tkst
BODY passed arssolatisn, Of which the follow.
ing 10 part 80. -. 81 .,
s"Rs.slssd That il b. recommended anne, to The
to the States Of South Osrelins aad Gsorgis, if