The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-04-24
The Enroimcnt of Negro soidisrs--Uttor
FutiiIly OF the Idrn.


respondents in Louisiana that Adjutant Gene
raj Thomas has recently arrived out West,
ostensibly to look after the welfare of the
army, but really to undertake the serious
business of organizing negro regiments and
brigades for the federal service. AS an ini-
tiatory step in this direction, we are told that
four regiments are already in formation at Lake
Providence, and that in ether places officers
were recruiting with some degree of success"
We think it is high time that the government
should look into this absurd and dangerous mat
ter. It is nothing but an absolute waste Of time
and money to attempt anything 80 Quixotic as
the formation of negro military forces. In the
irstplace, there is no necessity whatever for
such auxiliaries; and In the next, the idea can
never be carried out to any practical result.
So far as the experiment has been tried II has
not only ended In lamentable failure, but IL
has brought about some of the most deplorable
disasters Of the war. For two years past our dis
organizing and bloodthirsty ab0litionists have
been necessarily prating about the invincibility
Of black soldiers, and yet every attempt to
solve the question BY the organisation Of .
single useful regiment has ended In complete
failure. If our generals in North Carolina,
Florida, South Carolina, Louisiana and other
places had always confined themselves to the
care and discipline Of the regular white army,
and had left the foolish illusion of negro regi-
ments alone, we should certainly have had
fewer reverses and more victories to record.
The failure Of the late attack upon Charleston
is principally to be attributed to the extraordi-
nary notions of our generals on the negro
question. Instead Of looking boldly at the
difficulties attendant on military operations
against that almost impregnable rebel city,
General Hunter spent nearly all his time drum
ming up negro recruits for regiments which
never had and never will have any positive ex-
istence. Everywhere else where the same
scheme has been put In operation it has miser-
ably failed. With an army of trained white
soldiers in the field more than sufficient
to overrun the whole South, we 60 on from
day to day procrastinating and disputing about
the organization of . handful of poor negroes,
who, instead Of being useful, would be POSI-
tive obstacle to the progress of our arms If
we had not soldiers enough to fight our battles
there would be some excuse for this fanatical
delusion; but with magnificent army in the
feld-such an army as the world has never be-
fore seen--and with millions yet ready and
willing to fill the places of those who may fall
in battle, it is worse than ridiculous to talk Of
arming ignorant negro slaves, who have neither
inclination nor intelligence for SO important
work.
The duty which rests upon our government
and army is to defeat the rebel forces in the
field, a. the surest, and, in fact, the only means
of crushing the rebellion. 1t is not their interest
nor their duty to interfere with the established
laws of labor In the States in which they hap
pen to come. With this we have nothing to do.
The Presidents proclamation Of general eman-
cipation has had no effect upon these immuta-
BILE laws, and Il 10 idle to suppose that the
enrolment Of few negro regiments could
effect such sweeping change. Different
kinds Of labor are suitable 10 different
climes and countries, and IL h sheer folly to "
tempt to subvert the lessons Of long and sslu-
tary experience. We may a. we'll attempt to
overtun the laws Of marriage, Of civil rights,
Of property, Of sravtatioa ITSELF = to strike ct
The foundation Of The laws that regulate labor.
TIE slaves Of ths South for hundred years
have been in the condition Of dependents ON the
superior intelligence Of the white race; they
have been cared for and kindly guarded in sick
ness and in health; and, though there have been
some instances in which brutal owners have
brought odium on the pstriarchal relations of
master and servant, in the majority Of cases the
negro has been largely benefited. Any inter-
ference On our part with this long established
system Of Southern labor can only bring disas.
ter TO ourselves and more misery and wretched-
ness TO the unfortunate slaves than they have
ever dreamt of in their masters service.
Let the government therefore, set it's face
firmly against the further organization Of negro
regiments, and let our generals and other Oh
GERS turn their attention to the solemn duties
now resting upon them-to defeat the rebels
and scatter their armies. We know that with
the gradual advance Of the federal army large
numbers Of negroes will be thrown upon their
hands; but these people can be serviceably en-
ployed in variety Of ways-on the trenches,
in erecting Notifications, in ploughing up the
fields for cultivation, and in ministering to the
many other wants Of the advancing army. Let
their services be employed in any way; but
to enrol them as soldiers is TO demoralize the
regular army and to increase the difficulties we
would avoid.
When the rebellion Is over; when the rebel
armies are destroyed, If It must be so; when
peace returns 10 the land, and the calm, sober
second thought Of the people shall take the
place Of the dreadful passions now agitst-
ing North and South, then the States themselves
can coolly take up the question Of labor, and
discuss and decide II; for there is no power out
OF the independent States 10 pass upon IT,
REcxLEssSEss or STAGE DRIvERs.-On We'd