Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1863-02-12

one sergeant in each company, and oil tn,
higher officers were to be white men,.
! Connecticut, too, s said to have resortei TO
the expsdient OF forming a corps OF colored
soldiers when the difficulties of recruiting be.
came pressing and the late Gen. Humphreys
I who was attached to the military family oil
( the command erin chief, like Laurens accept
ed the command of a company of these men
who are said to have conducted themselY es
with fidelity and efficiency throug bout the
war"
In New York, where the system of domestic
SLAYER was as firmly and vigorously established
AS n any part of the country, under colonia !
-laws-certainly with more severity than in
Massachusetts or Connecticut-the first act
that went to relax the system was the act of
, 1881, which gave freedom to all slaves who
should serve in the army for the term Of
three years. or until regu larry discha rged -
, The enlistment was TO be with the consent of
the owner, who received the land bounty, and
was discharged from any tutnr maintenance
ofthe slave
1t 10 Il singular con trast that, in New Jer-
sey, the tniisl ment of slaves was pro hibted in
/ the same year, 1871.
In 1870, an act was passed in MARYLAND to
| procure one thousand men, TO serve three years
ne property 10 the State was divided into
classes OF 5000, each of which was, within
twenty days, to furnish one recruit, who
, might be either freeman or slave. In
1881, the Legislature resolved 10 raise imme-
! mediaely, seven hundred and fifty negroes
to be in ,orporaed with the other troon"
| Among the inducements Offered n roc .ni,s
in the Southern States, "a loo,,h so,rd norro
80, ,nr ,us "te' " zen and thirty years, or
of The 81, n gold or silver at the option
lnrS 1idier in lieu thereof, as well the
al bounty, were given Din Virginis) to
o EOlilprg 10 al TOD -. Oh
iS; and serve to the end of the war
South Carolina gave II similar bounty,
zone sound negro, between the age of ten
years and forty "for each and every year 8
/ service, 10 soldiers enlisted for three years
; or during the war.
The idea that the negroes might be put to
better use did not escIpe all the statesmen OF
/ virginia. Jam Madison, at that time
! member OF the Coninen / Congress express
ing his satisfaction with the determination
OF the Legislature of that State 10 recruit
( their line OF the army for the war, refers TO
/ the negro bounty" as follows:
without deciding on the xpediency of the
/ mode under their Consideration would il not
( lie as well to lihcrate and make soldiers nj
. once 9th blacks them 'evs1, as TO make
/ them instruments for eulistng white sol
( dierS? II would certainly be more copso-
nant 10 the principles Of liberty, which ought
=
, eriyi and with white officers and a ma joritY
/ OF W ite soldiers, no magiuable danger
/ could not be feared from themselves, as the!r
/ certainly could he none from the effect OF
! the example on those who should remain ia
/ bondage, experience having shown that
/ freedman Immediately loses all attachment
/ and sympathy with hs'Ortuer ieIlow-sayes.'
In Virginia, Ar act VS. pIssrd i. HI,
/ that no nero should lr enlisted without
certificate o. freedom the preamble to which
dec AIRED that slaves had deserted their mas
| JegS and under pretensc o.! being freemen had
enlisted Ms soldiers.
! In the .Old Dominion too many person.
| during the course Of the war caused their
/ slaves 10 enlist, having rendered them 10 the
| recruiting officers as substitutes for fr"e per-
/ sons, y hose lot or dUly Il was TO serve in the
/ army, NJ the same time representing that hesr
! slaves were reenen. On the expiration O
/ The term Of enlistment, the former owGer5 AT
/ tempted 10 force them TO return 10 IL stale c p
/ servltGre, viii "a ;al srsgRrd Of the prHCi-
/ pies of jus tice and their own solemL promise
/ The many Of such pro- sedlnGs aroused Il
/ just udiGnar'on, aud led TO an act OF emarci
/ patton OF all slaves no bad been thus eA!Is'-
/ cd and served their term faithfully. The act
hck now let ,ei that such persons having icon
/ tr'bu ed toward, The esttbi shmcnt of Amer
I CT" Liberty and independence should enjos
/ the blessings Ut freedom as a reward Tor r'.c.r
/ tolls and abors;' and authorized them 10 sue
! IN roTm7 P6UpSrIs and TO recover damages, II
detained in slavery.
Even n South Carolin,, an act was passed
in 1883. en'rUnch isiug the wife and child Of
negro slave, who had been employed by Gov
rrnor RGtledge rs a spy during the war. The
diligence 4ni iideilv which he displayed in
executing the commissions with " h.ch lie WAS
/ in'rnstei aud the Important Information
ljrt ct otlairtd from within The srcmr 3
lines, frequently 10 the risk Of his life, are du-
is commemurated in the act; and emAnCipA-
zion o. his wife ana child was his just aud
/ reasonable reward 1t ioe1 not appear whe-
Their The slave hmsel ever became freeman
Another document will serve TO illustrate
he subject still furihsr-.tast est Oh hos's 8Dcs
n. Lord DuBmore's Offers in lI.5, have nj
ready been alluded to, and are familiar TO
most readers: hose OF Sir Henry Clinton in
lT7a, which follow, have hitherto attracted
less attention.
By his Exceilency. Sir Henry clinton, K. T.
General, and Commander-iu-CEiet Of all
HIS Maicsty's Forces in the Colonies lyia-
Oh the Atlantic Ocean, from Nova Scotia to
" esi Florida, inc 'usv-. Sc g.. &c,
PROCLAMATION.
Wbereas. Tie Eaeniy have adopted prar-
tics Of Enrolling Negroes amJug their troop:
| do herchy give Notice, that al. Nesross t.
sen in Arms or upon aao military Dgty shall
be purchased Tor tAe pubic s.rc'ce 81 a stated
price; the Money 10 be paid TO TIE Captors.
But | DO not strictly forbid any Person 70
sell or claim right over any Nrgroe, the Prop
erty Of Il Rebel, who may take refuge with
any part Of this Army; And ! do promise TO
every Negro who shall desert the rebel Stan
dard iull Security 10 follow within these Lines
any occupation which he may think proper.
Given ndsr my hand. At Headquarters
Phillipsourg, the 3Qih day o. June, lI79.
n. CLINTON.
BY his excelleney's Command,
JOHN SMITH, Secretary.
When this proclamation was first issued
the words enclosed within brackets were not
in it. They were added in the publication
two months later with statement that the
omission was mistake OF the printers.
This proclamation does not appear 10 have
ELECTED auy official notice by the American
| authorities, but there is spirited article on
| the subject, by an American Soldier in one
| OF the newspapers OF tae day, 10 which he
| SAYS:
Justice, honor, and freedom are concerned
| for all men, OF whatever Lation or kindred
| who are in the service OF The United States,
| and fight under the banner OF freedom there
! fore, have long expected some notice from
! authority would have been taken of that in
| shifting ana vilIainous proclamation. Justice
| demands retaliation for everS man in the SER
! vice of these states, who nav be inju red by