Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1863-02-20
NEGRo sOLDIERs.

During the debate on the bill for entering ne
gro soldiers which took place in the House last
week, Mr.. Lovejoy submitted the following Bit
of history:
The idea of using colored men as soldiers is
no new idea. Facts have been referred to in
this discussion, and have a few more with
which every student of American history is IA
niliar, furnished by southern men ofrevolution-
ary days-men who were not anti-slavery men,
nor abolitiODists in the sense that the gentleman
from Kentucky, Mr.. Crittenden,1 speaks Of
The first / have is the testimony of Hon. Henry
Laurens, of South Carolina, in letter he wrote
to Washington, under date of March 10th, 1873.
/ ask my conservative friends upon the other
side of the House, who are SO alarmed at the
idea of employing negro slaves to defend this
Republic, and rescue it from the dominion OF
traitors, to consider this southern testimony.
refer first to what Hon. Henry Laurens, of South
Carolina, said on this subject In a letter dated
March 18th, 1873, written to General Washing
ton, he used the following language;
"Had for three thousand such blacks as could
select in Carolina should hay0 doubt Of
driving the British out Of Georgia aud subduing East
Florida before the end Of July"
| James Madison, in a letter which he wrote to
Joseph Jones on the Doth of Nov. 1880, uses this
forcible language:
"wo1d not be we'll TO liberate and make soldiers
themselves.
ments Of ensting white soldiers: II would certainly be
more consonant with the principles Of liberty, which
ought never to be lost sight Of In contest for liberty
and, with white officers and majority Of white soldiers
imaginary danger be feared from themselves as
there certainly could be from the effect the
pie on those who should remain in bondage"
Further along down in history, two years la
ter, that fine and gallant patriot aud soldier OF
the Revolution, General Nathaniel Greene, upon
this very subject, in a letter to General Washing
ton, uses this language;
~ have recommended to this State [Souh Carolina to
raise some black regiments"
Rememberthat this was in a letter addressed
to Washington on the oath day Of january
1852. That is the testimony Of a soldier not
tainted by what the gentleman from Kentucky
Mr.. Crittenden1 calls abolitionisan, but a true
patriot as well as brave soldier who was not
afraid Of contamination in the use Of colOred
soldiers.
In another letter to Governor Rutledge he
uses this language:
'The national strength Of the country In point Of
numbers, appears TO to consist much moIe in the
blacks than In the whites Could they be incorporated
and mpOyed for Its defense 1t would afford YOU double
security fkat they woald make good soldiers, have
not the ieastdoubt"
Says General Nathaniel Greene TO the Gov
ernor Of South Carolina, "that they would make
good soldiers have not the least doubt" put
that opinion against the opinion Of the distin-
guisbed Representative from Kentucky, rMr.
Wickliffe,l as expressed to-day. He says they
would make good soldiers; and in the very next
breath he tells us they would create a ciyilwar
down South, although they would not be worth
Ianything for any lawful purpose.