The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1863-03-12

our armies. The war, said they, was
for the maintenance Of the Constitution
and not for the abolition Of slavery, and
therefore slaves escaping from the la
Dor Of the fold or from work upon the
entrenchments Of the rebels, must be
surrehdered by our soldiers to their
masters. Not only in violation of the
laws of war, but in defiance of common
sense, we refused for many months to
receive fugitives from the enemy, and
thus directly contributed to the perpetu-
alton Of the power Of the rebellion. And
il was not until the sentiments of the
Army and Of the country demanded
a termination Of this suicidal policy that
we vcntured in this House to pass bills
requiring officers Of the Army to receive
aud protect these laborers, and also au
thorizing the President to employ them
in any service for which they might be
competent. And yet these measures
we're not passed without opposition from
the other side Of the House.
Now, Mr.. Speaker, ir in the begin
ming of this war we had adopted this
wise, Just, and common-sense policy,
many brave father and brother and
son, whose body lies upon the Peninsu-
la of Virginia, or in the swamps Of the
Southwest, would be alive to day and
ready to do battle for the country
Thousands and tens Of thousands Of
our soldiers, unaccustomed to hardship
aud exposure, were sacrificed to this
policy which prevented the substitut lion
of acclimated slave labor for theirs. II
will be regarded, sir, by the future his
torian, as one of the most remarkable
facts of the history Of this war that
any sane man in the loyal States was
found advocating the protection and
preservation Of the institution which
had originated it. Few northern men
in this House have larger connection
in the State of Virginia than myself
few have stronger ties to bind them stc
the South-yet, sir, if I had been the
commander of the army of the Potomac
I would not only have received all the
fugitive slaves, or the slaves of fugitive
masters that came within my lines, but
would have gone out and gathered
them from all parts ofthe country with
in my reach, and put them to work to
save the lives of my soldiers. ...
Mr.. Speaker, if these black men were
less brave, less intelligent, less capable
of being made effective as soldiers than
they arc, we should receive all thai
come and use them in some capacity ir
the work Of crushing rebellion. Every
lIborer we take from the rebels weakenl
them that much. Deprive them oftheii
slave labor aud their power would de
part at once, they would be forced t
lay down their rebelious arms In thirty
days. This would be the most expedi
tious and easiest mode of terminating
the war. The propriety of employing
7 slaves as laborers in our Army is nov
conceded. Why, then, is it not equal
ly proper to employ them in any othe
S capacity2 If valuable to the rebels a
: scouts and spies and soldiers, why ma.
e they not be valuable to usP The who'll
country was indignant when it becam
known that our western Indians hat
q been enlisted into the service of the rob
, els; yet we have followed their exnmpl,
and now have several Indian regiments
q in the field, Has any objection beel
i; N ade in this Hall to the employment o
S these savages? Are they not blacks
Have we not had most melancholy evi
d dence Of this in the Minnesota massa
cres? Why is it that the employmen
= of savuges is approved, while such bit
: ter opposition is made to the use g
: blacksP leave Others to answer.
Mr.. Speaker, it is very certain tbs
d 10 the Northern States you will hav
i very few enlistments among the FIRE
d negroes. The county in which liv
e has larger number of negroes in pro
, portion to its population than any othe
county in the State.
Mr.. BIDDLE.--Will the gentleman al
low me one moment to read a statemer
II Of facts in relation to the subject I
a which hc has just alludedH
Mr., TRIMBLE.-Not now. And thos
i blacks present very rational, and, W
}, must all admit, very just excuse fr
e refusing to engage in this contest, TIL
y more intelligent among them say th'
e they are not willing to risk their i've
j ina contest from which they are to d.
rive no special advantage. They occr
i py position of inferiority, they are d.
}, nied the rights and privileges of viii
ie men, and they eaa see no good to gro
.L