Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1864-02-13
DEBATE on THE EMPLOYMENT OF FREE
NEGROES AND SLAVES.


| In the Confederate Senate, on the esd
nit, Mr. Miles moved to take up from the
calender the bill reported from the Military
Committee, to be entitled "An act to increase
the efficiency OF the army by the employ
ment of free negroes and slaves in certain
capacities" The motion was agreed to, and
the bill taken up.
1t provides that all male free negroes be.
tween the ages of Is and so years shall be
held liable to perform such duties in the
army or in connection with the military
delences of the country, in the way of work
upon the fortilications, or in Government
works for the production or preparation of
material of war, or in military hospitals, as
The Secretary of War may from time to time
prescribe; tO receive rations, clothing. and
*ll per month for such services 1t also
provides for the employment of slaves for
the same purpose, and upon the same terms :;
and, in the event of the loss of any such
slaves, the owners to be entitled 10 receive
their full valuC and the Secretary OF War
is authorized to impress slaves in the event
that he shall I've unable to procure their SER
vices in ahy military Department. sufficient
numbers for the necessities of the Depart
ment.
Mr. Cardenhier, Of Tennessee, inquired of
the chairman of the Military Committee
whether, in case that hill was passed, it
would not be recognizing Lincon's right to
conscrihe our negroes.
Mr. Miles replied that he was surprised at
such II question. We had a right to do
what we pleased with our slaves, and Lin
coin had no control over them.
Mr. Fo0ic, of Tennessee, said that diff
Guilty occurred to his mind in relation to
-
these negroes were TO be taken prisoner.
what would be done with them He APP
proved the object of the hiil, and should
support it; but the question he proposed
suggested to his mind difficulty IN the
way.
Mr. Miles replied that the question had
not been considered by the committee, and
he did not think it proper to embarrass the
bill by the suggestion OF any feature in re
gard to it. 1t was Il question that might
arise hereafter and might be LEFT to the
Commissioners Of Exchange to settle.
Mr.. BOuldn, OF Virginia, moved to amend
the first section of the bill by adding, "and
no free negro engaged in the production of
food and forage shall be taken under this
act
Mr.. Baldwin said that no exemption law
which had been passed by Congress provi-
dcd for the exemption Of the producing
class OF the country. The only exemption
they had was made and founded altogether
upon the idea of policy. In the section tba:
he represented the entire agricultural interest
was conducted 10y white people and free
negroes, although il was saveh0ldng
Community. lie had it from good authority,
that the operation of the substitute law
would reduce one thousand farms from the
production Oi a surplus Of food and forage
for The army down TO a sufficient quantity
to supply the families of the aericuiturists.
The Valley of Virginia was the great grAna-
ry of Virginia To supply the army Of Nir-
ginia. The farmers there were now selling
their personal property and hiring out their
slaves anc preparing 10 go into the army,
under the provisions of the bill:
Whatever its effect might. be in bringing
in siulkers in other portions of the country,
in his district it called away from home
men engaged in business, every blow ut
which was ii blow at the Confederate States.
It had swept. through the district like
tornado OF destruction. Slaves had escaped
to the Yankees, an farmers had supplied
their places by free negroes, thus making
usctul class hitherto useless. And now
here comes a bill which proposes TO take
away every free negro between the ages of
eighteen and fifty years, and free negroes go
in advance Of slaves. In some districts of
the State you might take every white man,
and the women could conduct the opera
tions of the slaves; but IN his district if the
white men and free negroes were taken, it
would stop agricultural operations altogeth-
er. lie thought II time to husband our re-
sources. and not make any further drain
upon the agricultural resources of the coun-
try. The great question was not the num-
Der OF men, but how TO supply food and
forage for the army.
The supplies were already scnnt enough,
and we were taking away thOse who would
make thea greater, and placing them among
those who were now scantlly supplied. Ii
seemed that there was sort of stampede
upon this subject, both in and out ot Con-
gress. The cry was place everybody in the
army and iight it out but he WAS unwilling
20 place it upon the hazard OF II single effort.
lie and the people he represented had en-
harkcd in the war forever ii necessary, and
were prepared to fight it out in spite of
every obstacle, and when the Government
comes to the conclusion that the wal is To
be fought within interior lines, the conf
dencr Of the people would revive. lie urged
it upon Congress t0 take care of every branch
OF industry, and supply the men We have;
for the people would lose confidence IL they
saw that everything they had was to be
staked upon u single effort. lie hoped the
Government would set its foot upon any
such mad policy, husband It's resources, and
proiract the war long enough TO sccure our
ipdcucndgnce