Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-03-05
4 soldier ON the Proclamation.
CAMP OF THE 7TH REG'r IND Vols. !

PRATr's PoINT Va Feb -. 1863
ED.ToR SENTINEL: At the time of writing the
communication signed A Soldier" which was
published in an issue of your paper of the Doth
ult, bad no idea then that it would create such
stir among the officials in camp. and that lis
authorship would be aserbed to one who j. guilt
less a. has been the ctse The communication
has induced one of our Captains 10 make contra
dictOry statements in private letter TO ole of
his friends, which have been shown to the editor
OF the Hendricks County Ledger, and the editor
of that paper, in relieratng the statement, as
we'll as in paragraph, calling attention to Capt
Miller'S communication. published in the same
paper, refers to both letters a. falsifyng my
statements have no disposition To enter into
new snapper controversy with my superorS IN rank
about matter of dissatisfaction in the army a
fact - niiable TO every man who reads the pa
per>. Besides, such conduct would have no pre
cedent in military affair. and j. unwarranted bv
the army regulations What | want 10 say, for
once and Tor all Is that Ia no instance have |
williully mlSrepresented any one, or mlStated
facts For proof OF my statement that officers
had expressed desire get Ouf OF the service,
will make witness Oi the Captain himself, and
although 10y the rules ot evidence man j. bound
to criminare himself. | know he will acknowledge
to have expressed such desire, even at the
recognition of the Southern COniederacy The
and military capacity, and esteeming him very
highly for his noble qualities. ! will not press The
subject further
have few words of comment upon Captain
Miler's letter. published in said paper; bat the
Captain is one OF the ceyere>t OF meH--aS indeed
are greater part of our officers, although Re
publicans--I must ask his forbear4iuce TOR abiding
To his communication The Captain, in very
lab0red and forced argument, tries 10 convince us
that the emancipation proclamation has nothing
of abolition in lis meaning that by emancipating
the sla, of Rebel masters il weak ems the enemy
| would ask him if that can be true il all OF it,
provisions are carried into effect? Does not the
author recommend the negro 20 remain and labor
with his master for reasonable wagesf Aud IL
the laborng Tor wages for our enemies less repre-
heusihle than to labor through compul>ong The
negro, when ne works in the Rebel trenches by
campulsion. ls.not responsible tor his acts being
only the instrument in the hands of his unscrupu
lous master But when he works for wages he
assumes a sefre>ponsibility, and without the ex-
cuse of coercion becomes the enemy of this
country and rs thew say hired negro will DO
much more work rs a slave he will become that
much more formidable than he otherwise would
be. l. not the prOcla nation. then, inviting oar
enemies 70 employ hired emiSsaries TO make their
Numbers erenter and then strength more form
idablcy Does this look like an intention 70
weaken their force. 1t does not II Is not strsnge
10 hear such deuals of Aboliii"u:-m in man.
Some will even deny that Phillips. Smith. or
Greeley are Aboliinns,s wiltullv robbing them
of reputation OF which the, love TO boast
Blu VIII, this sudden chinse IN the Captains
sentiments with respect To the emsncipai ION proc
lamatIonI Has the temple OF his great Dlaua be
come endangered, that he. Ike the Ephe>ian
-:iv-r>Inth-, may have 70 lament the los of pa
trOuaee! Trust not. | believe not For an
accordance of his present opinions with those
prev i0u-v EXPRESSED b, him, / would reier YOU
to Labon Harding oi your county, Il man whose
reputation neeiS no bol>tering. But have pur
sued this subject TOO tar Tor one whose liberties
are manacled But what have said ha> been
with candOr. and without the desire u offend any
A. q soldier. | dislike the arming OF negro
regiments the profession of arms has been
considered OF all professions the most honorable
by all nations III past history. requiring the exer-
else o; the finer qualities OF man, and the armirg
ct negroes e. pui down the rebellion i yirtuall,
vleteiIg the superiority ot the African over
the white race Ii negro soldiers don't diShonor
the profession oi arms. he l. no dl-crelit 10 any
profession, and ought 10 he admitted 10 the bar
to seat in the legislative assembly. on the judi
ciary bench. aud any other position to winch a
white man might "a, pre The humble soldier j.
proud ot his houor< the field. the
public servant that serves the country in leesla-
tive assemblies.
And until the negro 'ake- h> position in such
societies a. We have been members Of and hi>
character ha> hpuored all other professions, and
positions, even 10 the highest civil position. then
and only then viii accept him into fellow
scholarship. tor claim our profession of all
Others the most honorable. in which proficiency
IL rarely attaned.
And, Mr. Editor, if the large majority of the
voters of lndiana are Rebels as the Republican
journals would have IA believe. protest in the
name of patriotism against the enforcement OF
the recent act of Congress- enrolling every able
bodied man into the militia The as~ocistIng TO
sether of Rebels and negroes in our Union army
would entirely destroy is efficiency tor any pur
pose. and endanger the safety, only OF every
soldier. but of the nation itself
hope no one will be accused OF influencing
my mind by evil correspondence. for assure all
that have not received paper, aud bu, one let
ter. since the proclamation. not even from my
family. who know could not have forgotten me
Oh course. nobody i 70 blame, and II there was
| am only poor soldier. aud must submit ~ the
deprivation \ SOLDIER.