Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1864-08-04
THE FREED NEGROES!
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Or
HON. WM. 4. RICHARDSON,
OF ILLINOIS,
Dclircrcd IN tie Senate, JuneS, 1864.
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Deferred IN the Senate, Juaes, 1864.
Mr.. RtcuARpsoN. So far as the intima-
tion comes from the Senator from Massa-
chusetts that this bill must be passed spec
dily would only say that it will not pass
the Senate without full and thorough dis
cussion, so far as | am concerned.
] was about saying, Mr.. President, when
interrupted, that was opposed to both the ,
amendment and the original bill The is
sue, think, is fully now presented, wheth- |
or we shall, by law Of Congress, make the |
white people of this country support the
colored The Senator from Massachusetts
presents an extraordinary position in rela-
ton to this subject. But few days ago he
was urging us to confer upon these freed
men the right of suffrage in the District of
Columbia and IN Territories. He is here
to-day urging us to extend them charity
and support, confessing in his argument, as
he confessed both in The bill and the amend
ment that they are incapable of taking
care of themselves. The Senator during
the progress of his remarks said that they
presented this extraordinary condition III !
the States where our armies had advanced;
the masters had fed from their plantations,
leaving their slaves that the slaves thus
abandoned cannot support themselves; and
/ hc calls upon us now to establish bureau
| to take charge of and protect those slaves
upon whom, on other occasions, he seeks to
confer the right of suffrage.
But | said that the bill and the amend
ment to The bill confess before the country
that this population is incapable Of taking
care of themselves, and that provision is
made in both bills to take care of them. This
is the provision in the original bill
"And the said Commissioner, and by his di-
rection, the said Assistant Commissioners, shall
have power to permit persons OF African de-
| sccnt"--
Mr.. SUMNER That is the House Bill :
not the Senate Bill
Mr.. RICHARDSON. I say it is in both
bills. shall explain my meaning very full
=. ly to the Senator before get through. |
repeat, it is in both bills: the provision in
the House bill is in these words:
"And the said Commissioners, and by his di,
rection, the said Acting Commissioner, shall
/ have power to permit persons of African de
, scent, and persons who areor shall have become
free, as aforesaid under such rules aud rcgul;
tions rs may bc, from time to time, prescribed
by said COMMISSIONS, and approved by the
prSTe a al within within those those districts now
or heretofore in rebellion, which lands may
! their former owners; and all real estate within
l such districts to which the United states shal
! hnvc acquired title and which shall not have
been previously appropriated by the Govern
> ncnt to other uses, and to advise and aid them
q when nccdtul to organize and direct their la
, Dor adjust with them in their wages" DC.
4 In the amendment proposed by the Sena
| tor from Massachusetts, it is as follows
"That the Assistant Commissioners ana loca
attendants shall be ready as advisory Euardi
} their wages, or, where they have rented Smal
, plantations, or small holdings, in the organiza
, th" freedmen do not suffer from iIl.treatmcn
or any failure of contract on the part of others
"a na . 9%l am sf & &Ft heSy sFGP d9 %h
they can fS arbitrat9rs, to reconcile ana settle
volved, whether among themselves, or between
thcmSelvesnnd other persons; and IN case such
or military, they shall appear as next friends o
the freedmen, SO far as to see that the case Is
fairly stated, and heard. Ana in all such pro
ccedings there shall be no disability or cXclu
sion on account OF Color
So that both the bill and the amendment
:. made the broad statement to the countr!
| that these people are incapable of takin!
s care of themselves, and that is Il reason wh
this bureau shall be organized, that we ma.
Il take care Of them But, sir, the idea noN
sought to be carried out and Consumated b
q this bill, to make war for, to feed, to clothe
~ -, to protect and care for the negro, to Civ
Il him advantages that the white race do nc
~. receive o. claim, is one that has character
L.. lied the legislation of Congress and all tn
~ acts of the President and his Cabinet Il
~. the past three years The negro has bee
- - fed and clothed at the public expense. |
va the amnesty proclamation of the Prosidel
- of the United States, sent to Congress wit
his message at the beginning Of this session
we have this declaration
"Tho persons excepted from the benefits of Il
foregoing proyislonf, ere az wa4 are, or sI sns
is of the so-caled Confederate governments; I
nc who have left judicial stations under the Unit
St,s, ia, nj hn pal,s 81 "a
IN have been, military or naval officers of said $
Nv called Confederate government above the RAJ
~ of Colonel in the army or of Lieutenant in &
n navy; all who left seats in the United stat
en- Congress to aid the rebellion; all who resign
II states and all who have engaged In any way
IFS treating colorcd persons or white persons
y oners of war; and which persons may have be
'lr found in the United States service as soldie
cr seamen, or in any other capacity
to He will forgive any person who h
ie treated the white soldiers Of the Unit
N States in any other manner than rs priso
h ers of war; but if they treat the bla
ch soldiers in any other manner he will l
re- forgive them Why is this so? Is not t
crime as great if they kill, when capture
white soldiers rs black ones? And yet t
President of the United States says, Il v
!, forgive You for one, but | will not forgi
'J ~, YOU for the other. You may commit mi
~, der, rape, violate the uSageS of clVllih
Ill warfare upon the whites; will forgive tn
~" "' but touch the negro and you shall not
.Lo forgiven.
,w Mr.. President, this exclusive regard
IoJ the interest Of the negro is not only true
os reference to the President of the init
Nv States, but it is true in reference TO CO
" grcss. How many applications have be
made here to investigate cases where VIII
oot men have, in violation otlaw, been imprlsC
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