The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-02-12
Speech .of a Conservative.
Shall Black Men be Allowed to
Fight the Rebels?
Remarks OfiHOn. w. Mckee Dunn, of
Indiana.


resentatives was the bill to authorize the
President to enlist 300 regiments of con.
trabands and officer them with white
men, to aid the Government in rutting
down the rebellion. Cox, of Oh;s (cop,
perhead,) and Wickiffe, of Kentucky.
| (secessionist) spoke against the bill
Mr.. Dunn, conservative, of Indiana,
took the floor, and said:
Mr.. SPEAKER: | am very glad that
the gentleman from Kentucky, (Mr
Wickliffe, has had full freedom of debate
upon this occasion Ho ervms TO be
lingering relic of that dynasty which for
so long period tyrannized over this
country.
The gentleman ascribes to me senti-
ment which | never entertained and new
er expressed-that l had abandoned nv
faith in the ability of the white men of
the North to crush out this rebellion.
When this rebellion broke out there
was no man in this House more averse
than | was to the employment of negroes
in this war. thought there was loyal
PIE at the Cotttn -wfifcIr
itself during the progress of this war,
and make itself efficient in sustaining
the power of this Government in every
State Of the Union. In this ! have been
disappointed as to the white man; but /
have made another discovery. / find
that there is in all those rebellious States
large population which, although their
skins may be dark, yet have hearts in
sympathy with my Government in this
struggle. And if they are willing to
- H. ,o-;Is Of NO. ~, daro1ca ~ Tho
nation; if they are willing to risk their
lives in this war, in which they have so
dear an interest, I see no reason why
they should not take part with us in car
rying it on.
The gentleman puts case, and l wish
to call the attention of the House to it.
The gentleman said that if black captain
should be taken prisoner we would wish
to exchange him for a white rebel Cap
tain; and he spoke as if that would be
great outrage upon the rights of the
white population. Sir, believe that
black man, private or officer, who fights
for my country, is better than traitor
to my country, though the traitors
Anglo-Saxon skin may De so white and
so thin that you may see through it the
veins of bis face l see no reason why
we may not place the man who fights for
the country, not only upon the same
platform, and claim for him position as
the equal, but as the superior, Of the man
who fights against my country.
l would suppose, from the remarks of
the gentleman from Kentucky, that he
would deem it an especial misfortune if
rebel should be shot by black man.
/ should think from his argument, that if
his own son were fighting in this war, he
would rather he should be shot down by
a white traitor than for his life to be
80. IL T., bls.el- ..>e.- Now. NJ Sresl
er, have a son in this war; he is fight
ing on the right side, sir, and l would
rather that his life should be saved by a
true and loyal black man than that he
should go down to the grave beneath the
stroke Of white traitor.
The gentleman, as understood him,
proposed to introduce resolution to in
quire into the conduct of Gen. Butler at
New Orleans. hope when he does that
he will also extend his inquiry into the
conduct of General jackson at New Or
leans. Did he not lead black men there,
duu Q4O uS uOt, D1 tiC4L ooSActoASO, VIII
a victory which has made his name i'm
mortal, and did he not thank them in
public orders for their excellent conduct
on that occasion? Sir, when you attack
the conduct of Gen. Butler as to organ
izing and arming negro troops, you must
go back and attack also the memory of
the hero of the battle of New Orleans Of
I 1914
Mr.. Wicklife-Will the gentleman al
low me to say word?
Mr.. DUNNO, sir Idecline to yield.
l understand that Gen. jackson and his
white volunteers in arms fought side by
side at the battle of New Orleans with
black men, not in the same companies
perhaps, but on the same field. And,
sir, we know that Commodore Perry won
his most brilliant victory on Lake Erie
by the help of black sailors. We know,
too, that in the Revolutionary war black
men were used also to fight on our side,
and that they were used also TO fight on
the British side when they could be in
! duced to espouse the cause of our ene-