Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-02-24
The Rebel CongreSS-Imp8rtant Debates-Thp
Employment of Blacks in the Rebel army.

On the 30th ult., the rebel House of Rem
resentatives had before it the bill e arnends-
tory of the act to put an end to the exemn-
ton from military service of those who have
heretofore furnished substitutes In the
course of the debate, Mr. Smith of North
Carolina, said, the whole number of men on
the muster rolls was 4o0, 900 but that proba-
bly, less than half that number were actually
IN the field, and it was well known they were
unable TO feed these. And he asked if these
100000 required the seizure of half the pro
VISIONS OF the country, where were they to
ma the means TO feed ten timesNthat number
who remained at home. He declared that the
operation of the bill would be TO break up
the farms and reduce the agricultural interests
TO naught; and that private appeals were dali
ly coming TO members of Congress from the
army speaking of the suffering at their homes
and stating that their families are wanting the
necessaries of life when they are unable to
send them any part of their scanty pay The
prospects of starvation at home and the def
cheney of food in the army, he said drive
many to despair and desertion. A Virginia
member stated that there was as great def
cheney in manufactures and clothing as in
food, but believed there was enough of the
latter to feed twice 100000 men, and they
must be had by Spring, as the next campaign
will be the heaviest and most decisive that
viii occur. Another Virginia member said,
on the authority of the chief of the Conscript
bureau, that that State could ROT stand an
other draft. Still another member declared
that the bill would add 100000 men TO the
army, and it was not possible to escape star
walton when there were none at home to pro-
vide for them. In Virginia, he said, the last
crops were far below the average, their space
had been contracted, and all must now be de-
voted to the production of provisions for the
next year, and if the men were taken AWAY
starvation at home and ruin in the army
would be the inevitable result. The bill,
however, passed Al to 81, and provides that
each person exempted shall devote himself
and the labor he controls to the production
OF provisions and family supplies that there
shall be contributed for the use of the army
from every farm, besides the 1.-THE REQUIRED
by tax, an additional tenth of all the pork or
bacon produeed and that if required, the
persons exempted shall sell all their surplus
provisions for the use of soldiers families or
the army at prices fixed by commissioners
On the LIST of February, bill was under
debate for the increase of the army by the
employment of free negroes and slaves. II
was stated that its passage would bring 40,
600 more troops into the field A heated dis
cussion ensued, and doubts were EXPIRE sed of
the fidelity of the negroes on one hand and a
strong hostility eyinced to their being
made equal to the whites as soldiers on the
other, but the friends of the bill argued that
It's effects would be to employ the negroes in
mental services in the army, and increase its
| efficiency by placing able-bodied whites, now
performing those services, in the ranks The
bill finally passed, and provides that all free
negroes between is and 30 are liable to mill
tary duty in the way of working on fortifca-
tions, or in the production of material Of war;
or in the hospitals, for which they are to be
paid 81 per month. 1t also provides for the
employment IN similar duties of %, 600 slaves,
whose owners are to be paid Sl1 per month
for their services. The Secretary of War is
empowered to impress the latter, if there is
any deficiency after impressing the free ne
groes, said impressment to be made at the
rate of one in every five slaves, in those dis
tricts the products of which are least aYaila-
BILE for the use of the army or remote from
facilities of transportation.