Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-06-20
LEADER.



~ The Raising Of a Negro Legion.
We lesrn from the New York papers
~ that @s meeting Of the friends Of General
Fremont wss held at DR.. Cheever's church,
to hear the report Of committee appointed
nis some time ago 3" to confer with the author
-a tiles at Washington in relation 70 the pro-
pFiety Of calling into the field legion of
ten thousand negro troops under the com
maud Of General Fremont"
Mr. Edward Gilbert presided, and, on
- behalf Of the committee, offered series Of
resolutions setting forth the necessity and
poliey-Of arming the negroes and placing
them under the command Of competent
f/leader. Speeches in support Of the resolu-
lions we're made by Horace Greeley, Henry
eB. Stanton and James Fairman.
The following named gentleman were
added to5he committee, with power to add
70 their number Known friends Of the
cause and to continue their IabOrs in its
fnrtherance: John F. Williams, Horace
Greeley, Daniel S. Dickinson, Edward
~ Haigbi, Edgar Ketohum, VIM. Cullen Bry-
ant Wm- Curtis Noyes, Peter Cooper, Nor
as- ris Ketehum, Parke Goodwin, Henry B.
Stanton and James Black
Mr.. Fairman, Of the committee which
had visited Washington, stated the results
Of its conference with the President, whose
views are embodied in his statement.
a They were, in substance, that the Govern
ment would avail itself of any plausible
instrumentslities to obtain the cooper
alton Of the emancipated slaves Of the
south as q military organization that he
.sWas thoroughly in earnest in this purpose,
and he only labored under embarrassment
In regard to how to carry it out
The President said to the Committee,
"You ask suitable command for General
Fremont. There I see q difficulty Gen
ersl Fremont is the second officer in rank
in the active service Of the United States
suitable command would certainly mean
department. have not a department.
vacancy TO give him. 1 do not think
would be justifable in dismissing any
commander Of q department for the plac-
ing him upon duty as contemplated by
your memorial" he discussed that por-
ton of the memorial referring to the troops
being commanded by any particular Off
GERS contemplated in the petition, and said
that contingencies were liable TO occur, in
,- which 1t will be necessary to transfer
them to another oficer-as for example in
defence Of the Capital or any threatened
point.
To this the deputatiOn replied that in
such an exigsncy it was of course under
stood that these troops were to be used in
warding of the impending danger.
The President, taking map, colOred
light and dark, to represent the free and
slave States, and pointing to several dark |
spots upon it-One in The vicinity of Vicks- |
burg-said "My view of it is, that the |
oolored people will have to take these
places, and viii have to hold them" He /
tried 70 get officers of high rank to under |
take It, but could not awaken their en-
thusiasm or inspire them with an energy |
that would give success to this thing. He 1
would like to have any man who could do
Il to take hold of it. and he believed Gen.
Fremont was the man to do it that he was
= peculiarly adapted to this work The
course Of events, his personal history, the
impression Of the people at large as well
as the attachment Of the colored people to
him, eli pointed to MIN as the man for
this work, and hs(the President) would
like TO have him do it.
Mr.. Chase, who was present during
the interview, said nothing whereby the
Committee could understand how he view
ed the project. Mr.. Sumner, who was also
present. entertained it with enthusiasm.
At another interview, on q succeeding !
day, monday, the President told the Com
mittee that il they had the entire 10000 /
troops they promised, he would give Gen.
Fremont department that very morning. i
BE was disposed in that case to waive OBJ /
staeles.