Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-11-12
vindicate the inevitable supremacy of the ma

iSeSINci " UeClaTe lne impressions winch re-
lection and experience have made upon my
own mind, touching the policy and the meth
DDS which the subject and its attending inter-
ests seem to recommend. submit them,
gentlemen, to your Judgment confident that
the conclusions at which you will arrive will
be those of patriotic and wise men.
have not even suggested the possible al
Tentative of municipal business. They are
open to manifest objections, too well appre-
ciated by the present legislature to require
them to be exposed or stated. The 'Act TO
provide for the reimbursement of bountes
paid to volunteers, and to apportion and as
sess a tax therefor" [Ch. 2lS of the Acts of
1868, | assume to have established policy
in this regard from which the present general
court will not be disposed to depart.
Regretting the necessity of imposing on the
members of the general court the duty of as
semblng at this unusual session, beg leave
to suggest that the result Of its deliberations
will in great part depend for its value on the
time within which that result is reached and
| promulgated. Had any Interpretation of the
| powers of the executive department permit
ted, | would cheerfully have encountered any
| degree of responsibility for the purpose Of
| avoiding to the commonwealth the expense, to
| the senators and representatives the inconven-
| fence, and to the enlistment service the post
| ponement, unavoidably incident to the neees-
sity of resorting to an extraordinary session of
the legislature.
Gentlemen-One other subject only claims
| consideration ut the present moment. 1t is
kindred to that which is the special object of
| the session. 1t is the just payment-arcord-
ing to their enlistment and their rights as sol
! dlerS-of the titty-fourth ard fifty-fifth regi-
ments of Massachusetts volunteers. To my
/ id 4l,.,, Il. = IL.
| existing statutes. to the lawful pay ana allow
ances of volunteers is demonstrate, clear.
But if it is doubtful, it is agreed, believe, in
all quarters, that it will be the duty and the
| pleasure of congress to embrace an early op-
portunlty to prevent, by positive legislation,
| the continuance Of that doubt. Meantime |
| must embrace the earliest occasion to invoke
| the legislature Of Massachusetts to render
| justice to the men of these regiments, beyond
the possibility of doubt, by the apprupria-
| ton of the needful means out of our own treas
ury until the national congress or the execu-
tive department shall correct the error.
| The employment of c0lorcd men as SOL
diers, usually regarded at the formation Of
| these regiments as a mere experiment has
! now become of universal acceptation. To the
good conduct in camp, the proficiency in drill,
| the aptness to learU, the cheerful, the enthu-
| siaotlc anu ptloislcuO NdloI Vi lHOSC COIOTcu
volunteers of Massachusetts, is due in the
largest measure, the existence confidence in
the capacity OF colored American soldiers,
and the favor with which they are welcomed
throughout the army. | have the most au-
thoritatlve testimony that ''yOur (our) infan-
| try regiments hare settled the question Of tbs
Cotored mans fitness for infantry service"
But remember, with burning shame, that
the men OF the 9th regiment, who held the
right OF the advance on that terrible night of
the 18th of July, in the assault on fort Wag-
ner-led Ivy that gallant young Americans
whose spotless life, whose chivalrous charac-
! ter, and whose heroic death there is no mar
| bic white enough to commemOrate-that these
men, wearing the uniform of the national ar
| my carrying the nag OF the Union and the
colors OF Massachusetts, accepted, sworn and
mustered INT" the volunteer service, as a part
OF tle contingent force VI our own common
wealth. who nave made name Tor Their race
as enduring as history, ana have fought as
none others could have better fought; yes
with burning shame daily remember that
these men-sofdaefS us they are-are denied
the wages OF soldiers, ana are put on witllten
uollarS per month, rl0thlhS included, unen-
listed persons OF African descent, VINO are
employed under an exceptional statute, Tor
Whatever service they may be found compe-
tent.
think there can be no proposition OF law
more clear than this, VIZ that colored men
are competent to be enlisted INTO the regular
| army OF the United States, INTO the volunteer
army OF the United States, into the navy OF
the United States, and to be employed III any
arm OF either service.
The military enlistment law OF 1914 re-
| CURED only that the recruit shall be Tree,
effective, able bodied man, between the ages
OF eighteen and fifty years" (See act OF De-
cember III, l6lf.) IL dld not require man
10 De under forty-nVe, nor cltlZen, nor whltes
IN whlch three respects IL diiiers from tne OLD
milltary act. Inc naval ACT Oh 1918 is not
less clear
Inc act OF congress, emitted ian ACT more
enectualiy to provide Tor the national de1ense
ny estaDllshihg an UNIFORM militia throughout
the United States, required the enrolment ot
each ana every Jfee aole' podled mAtte male
c1ttzen OF the respective states. liliS IS the
nrst militia act. IL was passed May o, li9z.
ne ACT passed on the SUN OF April, lf9O'
enttIeu IAN act tor regulating the military eS-
tabllshment OF the United States, requires
''that the non commissioned ofhcers and prl-
Yates shall, at the time OF their enlistment,
respectively, be able BODIED men, not uhder
hve feet SIX inches IN height, without SHOES;
nor under the age OF eighteen, nor above the
age OF fOrty-six years" The act OF March
Sd, 1895, preserves the same description, and
IN the same words. The act OF March 10,
1902, liking the military peace establishment
of the United States" and the act of March,