The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1863-08-07
Important Order from the President =
The Uniform Must be Respected -
Colored Soldiers and their Officers to
be Protected.

WAR DErAn1MENT. ADJT. GENs. Or I
fict, AsiiINGroN, August lst
GENERAL oRpIR NO. 252.
Tho folIo~ing order Of the President is
published tor tho information aud govern
mrut nj eli co0ceruod
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WAsnINGToS.
July 80
1t IS the duty of every Goverumout to
give protection TO Cit zeDs oil Whatever class,
color or condition. aud especially those who
are dolly organzeJ as soldiers iD the public
service. Tho law OF nations und the usages
aud customs Of war as carried on by evil
izod powers, permit no distinction us to color
~ the trca mont oi prisoners VI war as pub.
lie enemies
To sell or cnslaye any captured person
on account ot his color, and for no utfenso
against tho laws OF var, is u relapse into
barbarism, aud crime against the civil ga
tioD OF the age. The Government OF tho
United States will givp the same protection
to all its soldiers, und il tho enemy shall soll
or eDslave any one because OF his color. tho
otfepsc shall 10 punished by retaliation upon
tho cnemy's prisoners ~ our possession -
Ii 10, therefore, ordpreJ that tor opory soldier
of the unitod States killed ip yiolatjou OF
tho laws OF war, y rebel soldier shall be
executed ant for ovcry ono enslaved by
tho onemy or sold into slavery, . reLo! sol.
der shall bo placed az hard labor on tho pub.
!ic. work, and continued at such labor until
the othois shall DO released, and rcceive'the
treat mrnt due to prisoner Of war.
(Signed,) ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
BY order of tho Secretary of War
..' l. ID. TOWNSEND.
Adjutnut Guueral.
The wisdom and necessity Of the above
order will appear from the folio wing
s!a'emen; by the New York Tri5uns:
"The proclamation of Jefferson Davis
was issued last December--almost a year
ago. j denounced slavrry or death TO all
negroes taken in arms under the National
Flag, and death TO The officers command.
ing them. Look once more at Me out
RACES by which that PROCLAIM alton has
beed followed.
"At Galveston. Texas. the free black
servants Of white officers. Tree ciizens of
Massachusetts, living in Roxbury and
Dcdham. Nor'osk County, sold into
slavery Immediately upon the surrender
OF the national lorces. The banner OF the
Republic under which they served gave
them no shadow of protection.
Near Murhcesbpro, twenty black
teamslers in the employ of the Govern.
ment were captured by the Rebels. lied to
the nearest trees. fosgcd, and shot.
Near Lake Providence. Louisiana, a
large plumber OF negroes, also taken from
Government employ. were captured. and
either sold INTO slavery or shot.
"At Port Hudson. negro picke,s who
were taken by the Rebels. were in
stan'ly hanged in plain sight of the Ma.
'ional camps. The negroes who led the
assault on the Rebel works were none Of
them iuken prisoners, but all bayone,cd
after they were wounded or bad surren.
deyed.
Al Vicksburg no negroes were found
inside the works when the place snrren-
dered. All those captured had been
shot.
"At Milliken's Bend. In The desperate
light which portion Of negro regiment
sustained against heavily superior Reb.
j Iorce. every prisoner aud wounded ne.
gro was instantly shot. bayoneted, or
officers sharing their fate. |
"ln a word. the threat OF Jefferson Da. !
'is' Proclamation. issued last Dece mber, !
has been executed in every instance in /
which the Rebels have fought against ne.
gro troops, or in Which they have been
able TO kidnap free blacks .-soldi.rs or