The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-02-07

Navy.
rHE DISCUSSION ON THE ArRIcAE-HESfxrsT
It was stated yesterday that ths African.
regiment bill had psssed the United States
House Of Representatives, by vots of g. to
IS. The debate was prolonged and sometimes
bitter. We give the following extracts.
Mr Stevens said he was Of the opinion that
the existing law did not pat the African col
dier On the aama footing with the white col
dsafs. Hence ifsany of tie fumer be captnred
by iha enemy ard executed, the Executive
wonid not have authority to punish or retail ate.
TIE bill u;sder confederation proposed 10 con
fer this authority.
Mr. Cox. Of Ohio, said be would prefer
having the gentlensan's opinion to that Of the
War Department The gentleman knew thss
the law placed colored persons now in tie
army under the rules and articles of war;
2hey receive pay and ra!ioDs III all respects as
Ears of the army. Then let 1t be known wesse
Is the q ceeaisy of this bill
Mr. sFashburne. EIll.) inquired whether the
gsntlensan a;a notvote for the existing l,w I
.Mr Cox tOhio) rephsd that he did not, aud
assss,s s ~ l9fes2z aSsa ed & sas:Isi s@ s2S sS
friends voted against IT,
Mr.. stevens said that in form taa old enact
Es'ent did not p,t The African soldier precisely
or the same footing. IF the bill now proposed
waq s. re- enactment of that .agv, what was the
ahjecsion? Ii it altered law for the better,
! then il was llecsssarY.
Mr. WadswoEth Ky roas to spsak, when
Mf Kellogg III objected 10 further debate.
as tbs aomeers had set up all Last night in or
der 10 reaob TN aehon te.day.
Mr. !. ovens said ID was thought better by
those who deaignad the bill that she question
OF bounty should be lett ont altogether.
Mr. MALLORY tKy.) asked the gentleman
whether the President, undor this biil would
not have the power 20 appoint nessosg TO com
ga,a white meni
Mr. Wilson (Iowa) Compare this biE with
/. the existing law, to show that The black are
not proposed to be placed on the same footing
wish white men. Did the gentleman think the
| President would place black officers over white
| lnen
| Nfr. Mallory replied taat it was impossible
| for him TO say what the President would do
| he said the object or his moving TO refer was
| that the bill might be deprived of those fea-
| lures which made It odious without counter
| vailing advantage 30 the United States Con
! gresa had already provided that the President
| may employ auch persons of African descent
| as hs may deem useful uader this bill; not only
black Brigadiers, bat black Major General,
i might be appointed, The opposition Of the
! border state men was not factions Ii y SIS
mado III ser,oasaess, because it would produce
2 serious injury They had submitted to- good
many things which they considered iniudicioua,
| out he begged gentlemen that VI hen they found
i 1t necessary 10 ADOPT measures in violation Of
f; their Judgment they viii make the dose As
| palatsbie by gliding the pill
F.. Mc, Dunn (indl was favorab'e to tbs poIiey
| CT this bill. He ceu!d sae no reason why any
| nan Of any color, who is able TO lift his arm
/ Cor the deferce OF lis nationality, should rot
/ be permitted TO do SO. tla could see no reason
| why black Iaans life should be spared, ana
| kis own son called upon TO lay down his life;
f. Or why persons who Rre coz psidered property
! by thoae in reheldom should not &c brought ia
: g. faa way into active eervice, if they VIII sn
| list on the side of tie Government. At she
same tllae no was deeply impressed with the
! 1Gees THROWN out by tco gentleman from Ten
! nesaee, IN his bsieS renarks they must not
| only consider what is right and proper il it.
seif, hgt nast pay Son1s defarea1o TO public
-EssGzhi.2z-.sgat and praiufdcs.
II Yss knovsn -a--S siera ia ALREADY in tii5
pa-lla rind 8 deepprsjudiea asainst the blach
being placed Oh basis C: eocial eaUa.isv yeiss
the whites. He did not belieys$ha President
wor.'i ever permit black officers 10 command
white men. Ho had NO idea that the President
wag SO igno rant ofthepopuiar feeling 60 to GO so
foolish 3 thing. Yet, univss some restrictions
are thrown around this bill, those who with
to strengthen aid additionally disseminate this
p7siud4se, viii sesze upon every point 10 &c
compiiah their purpose
Dir. Mallory Ea:d that the bill Of NJ. SIZE.
venB PLACED the whites and blacks On 3 mill
tary equality. ifa black officer held = hisier
commission DID hs NOT necessarily take siis
precedence OF 8 white officer
Nsr. D7ann repiisa ci'st IL was bscaHss ha Gid
not Sgiss such possibility 20 exist IN the pub.
ii5 inird. tnas 10 wished the bill 70 proy;ds
explicitly thas hia.sks shall not eca,mana wh,ts
men.
ar. Porter tindl offered Sc amendment 10
n.ees this point.
bill would eontiDe thu Cheering to white
raen. tVciass-Hho is the sutaor 2 Name
hing
hif HickliEia.-The aussor is the Secretary
of War.
Sir. Mcpherson further explained sbst tiosa
on WHOM the responsibility rests of executing
the law viii coatne the provision Of otiicefing
to white men. reaeFving the exception that it
might be ccnsij ijsred just and proper to appoint
SIS officers BLACKS who might distinguish taeni-
sslyas by military ability, instead Of coDiniag
them TO the ranks.
Mr. Dunn had no idea that any man, OF sha
President, Or Secretary Of War, would place IL
black man as an officer over white men, bus
he did not wish cayillsrs 20 raise their ciamor
agaiu J; this bill
AEr, Cox said that by another section of the
existing law, the President can employ black
men in any way he may see proper, and organ
ize them for the suppression OF the rebellion
without limitation. So the President could do
just what he pleased-Snake the blacks Colo
nels, Brigaaiers, or Meior- Generals without
further legislation.
Mr.. Dunn concluded his remarks in favor Of
amending the bill by the limitation he eug-
gested.
Mr. Wickii!Ie spoke against the employment
of negroes Sc soldiers. A man named Hunter
had sttemptsd 20 organize regiment OF
blacks. Fifty THOUSAND French rifles at eigo
teen dollars apiece, and ten millions OF dollars
worth If clothing, were sent 10 Hilton Hsaa,
and what become OF the expesiment? Why
two hundred Of them Immediately deserted,
taking away their rides On their shoulders
He understood that the regiment Was dishanG-
ed. The Government had been sups sorting the
rupa,vay negroes, ye. the geQtlsman from In
diana said thay had been mole profitable than
waatefni.
lir. Damn replied tia. that was his iaforna-
ton from an officer OF the Government.
Mr. Wissiiiia said bis information was aif-
fsreDt- Ii was declared by tbs Secretary of
War that every pound Of cotton raisedat Fill
ton Head had cost the Government twanty
dollars par pound He repeated that the
money had been nisappiied to feeding ard
clothing eontrahsnd elaves. Tho President,
ander thts bill, had right to cseignato who
shall take command As an American citizen,
be looked upon ii with Aumiliatsor. Il was
now Proposed, for the first time, TO put in tha
form OF iaw, that the negro 10 socially equal
TO tbs white aan--pl2ciug Captain SaElbe and
and Captain joe side by SIDE On perfect
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