Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-06-26
MOrtester QaiIp SPY.
Protection for Black Troops

me w aSillnStOn correspondent OF the New
York Tribune makes public the following let
ter and memorial, which Mr.. Sumner was to
present to the president by request of COVER
nor Andrew. The object of the petition is
one with which our readers have been made
familiar, and which must be commended by
all, in view of the ferocious and unjustifiable
policy announced by the rebels:
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS,,
'EXECuTlyE DEPARTMENT.
BOSTON, June II, 1868
"2o The President Of the United StateS:
"SIR: | most respectfully and earnestly
present to your attention the annexed original
of a communication received by me on sub
Ject Of the utmost importance, and | invoke
for those Immediately concerned therein the
amplest protection which public and une-
qulyocal proclamation Of the purpose of the
executive government of the United States
may be able to impart.
The publication of proper avowal of the
governments purpose opunish promptly, I'M
hestaungly, and in every instance according
to the rights of war, every infringement OF the
rights OF the class Of soldiers to which this
memorial refers will be a powerful shield for
Their defence | doubt not the purpose and
will of the president, but the moral intlu-
ence of its clear avowal remains yet to be Sc
cured.
"Allow me TO add that the names attached
to this communication are among the most
eminent in our community for every quality of
intellectual and moral distinction and merit.
Il have the honor.to remain, sir, with high
est respect, your obedlent servant,
JOIN A. ANDREW,
Governor of Massachusetts"
1910 his Ercellency, john 4. 4ndreC, Cor
eyaor Of the Commonwealth Of HaSSachu-
sets =
''Ihe undersigned friends kinsmen, and
neighbors of Massachusetts officers, commits
stoned over negro troops, respectfully request
your eXcellency to use in their behalf your in
auence with the federal government
Owe learn from the newspapers that the
rebel congress has passed an act decreeing
death to the captured officers of the negro
troops, and the surrender of captured ne
groes in arms to the rebel state authorities
to be dealt with according to the law Of those
states.
"We know the character of the rebel lead
ers; we know also the vigor of their cxecu-
five policy. We cannot Doubt therefore, the
prompt enforcement of such an act wheney-
er captures shall afford the opportunity, I'M
less arrested by action equally vigorous and
equally prompt on the part of the federal
government Fear is the only motive to be
relied upon in restraint of this threatened
barbarity.
owe need not press upon your eXcellency
T the primary Importance, the sacred duty, of
securing TO those troops and their officers the
same treatment and the same protection as is
enjoyed by white troops; but we deem it a
matter OF urgent necessity, as pledge to
them and warning to the rebels, that the
president of the ITnitpl StutpS himself shpuld
as soon as the reported action of the rebel
government is authenticated, by emphatic
and unequlvocal proclamation or order pub
Ishpd throughout the whole land, declare
such protection to the one and such penalty to
the other as will bind our enemy to the Just
laws of war.
in seeking such action from the prcsi-
dent, we express no opinion as to the original
policy of enrolling blacks in our national
army, and we repudiate being actuated by
revenge for injuries threatened by the enemy
on our troops. We simply wish to deter that
enemy from outrages wholly unjustified by
the usages Of modern warfare.
'To this end we respectfully ask your early
and earnest Intervention with the president in
favor of brave and faithful officers, and in be-
hall of those soldiers to whose fortunes they
have linked their own
"Henry Lee, G.. Higginson, Jas. Savage,
VIM. b. Rogers, James jackson, j. P. Hig-
ginson, Geo b. Emerson, Charles d. Head,
L. IL. Perkins, j. Sparks, Charles Eliot Nor
ton, Francis James Child, Estes Howe, Wal
do lIigginson, Edward jackson, c. r. Lowell,
o. W. Holmes, lie Baron Russell, G. A.
Shaw, Quincy A. Shaw, 2. Z. jackson, Chas.
Il. Storrow, j. Ingersoll Bowditch, K. p. Hal
lowell, Edward Atkinson, John w. Sullivan,
T. L. Wild, Il. Browne Dill, Charles Heath,
Geo Baty Bike, Geo. Livermore, w. d.
Ticknor, VIM. l. Bowditch, Francis Cabot"