Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-01-06
The Question solved-.A Standing Army
Of Negroes.

The Question Solved..A Standing Army
Of Negroes.
The problem, what to do with the elephant,
that is, with the "colored gentleman from AT.
rioa," appears to be approaching solution, II
Il has not already reached one.
Nothing since the commencement of the war
has 80 much puzzled the Abolitionists or free
negrolsts az how to deal with the "free Ameri'
cans Of African descent" What is to be the
condition of white men under the new order OF
things seems to be In comparison with this
quite an Insignificant matter.
There was early In the rebellion loud call
BY the advance free negro guard upon the
President and Congress for the immediate abe
liSIon of slavery. At6rst these public servants
seemed little reluctant, but gradually suffer.
ed themselves to be coaxed into compliance,
and pretty sweeping decree Of emancipation
has been Issued.
There was also by the same class an early
demand for afming the negroes. Il was claim
cd that the negro was destined to be the ssviOr
Of the American Republic. Our Abolition
rulers seemed to pay little attention to this at
fEas, bat gradually as they blundered, need
lefsIy sacrificed our white soldiers. and sought
TO change the object Of the war from the orig.
inal plan, and thereby discouraged enlistments,
they began to listen to propositions for recruit.
ing negro army,
The present Congress passed an act, approv.
ed by the President July II, 1862, which en-
powers the President to receive into the mill.
safy Or naval service "persons Of African de-
SCENT" without Limitation as TO number, and
also provides for the pay, clothing and subsist-
enoe Of such persons. President LINCOLN, in
bis Emancipation Proclamation Of Jan. !, de-
slares and makes known that all persons de.
slared free by that instrument, of suitable con.
aidon, THAT is, ell able e-bodied negroes twill
be received Into the armed service Of the United
States TO garrison forts, positions, stations. and
other places, and to man vessels of all sorts In
sald service" The act Of Congress and the
fresident's proclamation seem to open the door
sufficiently wids 10 let In all the negro soldiers
that Can be raised.
Nsgro-secruitIng was commenced many
months ago BY some Of the most enterprislDs
Of our Abolition OH3cers. What success ct.
tended their efforts is not very clearly apparent.
ss for some reason or other detailed statements
on the subject are studiously withheld from ths
public. go
Isis understood, however, that General HuN.
rEA's beginning OF Port Royal has grown into
several regiments or parts Of regiments, one Of
which some time since performed notable ex.
plot In capturing pile Of lumber. JM LANE
has also raised negro brigade or part of one in
Kansas. The last we heard of it was that the
darkies had received their pay, arms and equip
ments and were ready to take the Geld. Gen.
hurtrn is reported TO have organized, before hs
lsis New Orleans. black brigade, Q portion Of
which he employed as guard In the city, to
whom white men, In passing to and from their
places Of business. we're obliged to show their
pssses.
Movements In the same direction have been
made 10 other quarters. The employment of
consrabands In the service is justified by that
argument which is used to justify murder,
arson, rape, and robbery-HFofssrTY 1--WE
shall require" says q populss AdmiDissrs.
tion journal, ito garrison the strategic
points in the enormous country we have IN.
dsrtakep to overrun, more troops than even
the populous North can provide" mil
lion of men will be found too few for that
purpose. Il will take quarter of million,
the same authority thinks, to guard the Missis.
sippi, after 10 has been re.opened BY our armies
and our Aotllla. Another quarter million will
be needed to guard and blockade the cosas.-
Therefore, to the mind Of the free nsgrolst, It
is demonstrated, % the current phrase Is, "by
the inevitable logic" Of the situation, that
-spersons Of African descent" must be used in
the military and naval service.
1--WE shall have to feed and cloths the sman.
cipsted negroes" says the journal above
quoted, "and there is no present way Of making
them earn their living. except by making them
garrison our forts" This viii of Oouroe give
snplermeus 10 the sbis-budied male blacks,
but what is to be done with the old and infrm,
the women and children, We are not told.
These, we suppose, must also be fed, clothed
and taken care Of at Uncle Sans expense.
Abill 10 pending In Congress for the equip.
ment Of two hundred negro regiments Of one
thousand men each, making q force of two
hundred thousand. This will make quite Q
respectable standing army as to numbers, and
should the free negroitea succeed In their plans,
u may be increased to half million. Should
Il prove as efficient as the negroes and their
Northern allies anticipate, II may be used TO
advantage at oil points North aud South, in
keeping the ''saucy whites" ln order. Bot OF
this we shall probably be able to judge better
some months hence.
EO7 LisusenantsGovernoT.