Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-02-04

While the negro soldier bill was before the
house of representatives, Monday, Mr.. May
of Maryland, who since the beginning of
the session, has been as mild as the mildest
of spring weather, worked himself into a
paroXysm of fury, and stormed like the equi-
noctial, Beginning with moderation, he ven
tured upon the profound and novel generali-
cation that the bill was an attempt to elevate
the negro to an equality with the white man,
and was accordingly "eminently disgraceful"
Warming up with his theme, he characterized
it as an imitation of the example of the king
of Dahomey, deserving the scorn of mankind
and the adherence of the people of Maryland.
He did not pause with this startling climaX,-
reminding one of the most brilliant achieve.
ments of Little Pedlington oratory,-but en-
tered into general denunciaton of the
blacks, as a ferocious and merciless race, and
closed with summary comparison of them
to ''iends of hell" and other sulphurous OBJ
jects.
The first impression of a stranger listening
to such discussion would be that Mr.. May
preston would be removed upon better ac-
quaintance. After a war of two years with
out decisive resuts-white men falling by
tens of thousands in front, while blacks by
hundred of thousands, strong and willing,
stand idle in the background-it is proposed
to give the president authority to arm por-
ton of them, and use them as other available
human strength is used for the defence of the
government The blacks themselves, as a
whole, have not manifested violent impa-
tience to engage in the fight; but like sem
sble human beings have chosen to wait
accustomed as they have been to associate
the white race with all cruelty and injustice
till they were well assured on which side of
the contest their security was to be found No
sooner is it proposed to give some of themthe
opportunity to test the friendliness of the gov
ernment and prove their own valor, then
some crazy white Bedlamite explodes like a
powder mill, filling the air with all sorts of
disagreeabe smoke and fury. Mr.. May, in
this instance, took advantage OF circumstances
and vigorously attempted combustion, but
with Indifferent success.
His style Of opposition was peculiar to him
self; but in the fact of opposition he was
joined by every democratic member of the
house, and few who were not democrats,
and who will live to be ashamed of their OPP
position to a measure so wise, salutary, and
just. Men who do not mean that the govern
ment shall be preserved and the Union re-
stored, while they can prevent tiff it recog
nizes anywhere the inalenability of rights to
black men-will of course oppose any sug-
knows no feiennhg; ana c6it5lsteTey sf6h&!
blind to its shame. But men educated in the
New England faith, protesting belief when at
home in the eternal truths of the Declaration
of Independence, and pledged to the defence
of the government with all just and right
means, can not 20 to Washington, and on all
these questons-not paramount indeed, but
incidental and tributary to the paramount end
Of self-preservation-bet the sacred trust
committed to them, without treasuring up
wrath against the day thereof.