Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-08-10
dorse the Negro Policy of the Ad-
minisfration.

Adiutant General Thomas has published an
account of his expedition down the Mississippi
organizing negro regiments. giving plantations to
negro lsborers, and in similar occupations We
mike an extract from this document, which a
cotenp1riry rightly characterizes as shameless
confession"
81 was compelled to speak to the troops along
the route-speaking one day some seven or eight
times. During INV tour met with an Irish reg
iment. the goth Illinois, from Chicago-men who
read the Chicago Times. After talking to them
a while, proposed three cheers for the President
of the United States These were given heartily
Three cheers were then proposed for the settled
policy OF the United States with regard to the
negroes. This was met with cries of MOI mol
The Colonel was absent. and the Lieutenant
Colonel was in command. inquired what such
conduct meanti The Lieutenant Colonel en-
deavored to excuse the men by saying that they
had no opportunity TO think over the matter /
replied, You are not telling the TRUTH sir
know they have been discussing this question for
week past. knotc the fact ify do not The
officer was considerably mortified. | ordered
those who opposed to the policy of the Gov
ernment To step forward, and said knew that the
regiment had seen considerable service aud fought
well, hut | also knew that there was but little
discipline observed among them; that wanted a
distinct recognition of this doctrine-ihat was
the point with me. Several stepped Forward
Thev were instantly seized aud sent to the guard
house
! then left the regiment, telling them would
give them week To consider what they would
do. At the next station met the Colonel of
the regiment, who begged that world leave the
matter in his hands, and he would see that the
men we're taught the duty of soldiers When /
reached Memphis I WAS taken sick When |
afterwards got UP TO Louisville | was shown a
long article from the Chicago Times, written by
a Captain of the Goth Illinois, who Was not on
the ground at the time of their insubordinate
Misconduct, but who fit to write very in
subordinate article in reference 10 what he heard
] had said, and in which he terribly distorted the
facts. He was, of course dishonorably dismissed
from the service"
This is worthy OF li'tle consideration.
Although it is not probable that in this reg
iment there were twenty men who had voted for
Mr. Lincoln, they all heartily cheered for the
President ofthe United States, the Chief Magis-
trate OF the nation.
2 When called upon 10 cheer for the negro
policy OF the Administration, they said No, no. -
Thomas demanded of the Lieutenant Colonel to
know the reason of this, when, that officer at
tempting to explain the matter. he was told by
the Adutant General that he was a liar. This.
il seems, considerably "mortifed" the Lieutenant
Colonel, at which we are not greatly astonished.
TO the "negro policy of the Government" to step
forward. AT the same time remarkng that the
regiment "had seen considerable service and
fought well, !" but ss il was $50 il seemed) more
important that the men should cheer for the mig
ger D cy than i1ht WELL" those who stepped
forward IN obedience TO Gen Thomas call, were
dfistantly seized and sent to the guard houss. ="
4. A captain of the regiment wrote an ac-
count of what occurred TO Chicago paper. for
which ''he was of course dishonorably dismissed
the service" If he represented the facts any
worse than Gen. Thomas himself represents
them. possibly he deserved his fate.
And vet, while we find an official emissary of
the Cabinet making such statements as these, we
are constantly told of the unanimity Of the SOL
diers in favor OF ''the negro policy Of the Gov
ernment." The communication of Gen. Thomas
gives clue to this boasted uranimitv, "Ic-
slant seizure" and the guard house" for the
private. "dishonorable dismissal from the serv-
ice' for the ofcer-these are the penalties for
refusing to throw up the hat for the "setted ne
gro policy of the Government. IN. A. Ledger.