Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-11-16

throughout Inc country ID SuCu o"y 80
exact numbers required found in each locality nor can
be everywhere impossible replace those within the con-
script age bv older and less capable OF acye heio
service discretion should be vested in the military sa
thorities SO that sufficient number Of those essential to
the public service might be detailed to tne
else of their pursuits professions but the
from service of the entire elias SEES should De wnoy
ooued 1t affords great facility for abuses offers me
as we'll ready of escaping service
by fraudulent devices and is one Of the principal ebstruc
lions to the efficient operations of the conscrpt laws
general militia law is needul in the interest OF the
public defence The Constitution, BY vesng TIE power
in Congress, imposes on it the duty OF Pfo!iong r OF
gauizlng arnipg and dscipning the militia ami tor gov
vice the Confederate sates The great diversity in the
Legislation Of the several States on TINS aua the
absence Of any provision fishing an exact method for
calling the militia Confederate vice, are sources OF
embarrassment which ought long to be suffered to
imr EIDE defensive measures
Ls legislation in relation to the cavalry demands change
The policy requiring to furnish their own horses has
proven perIicious in many respects IL intereles WIN
discipline mpairs efficiency and is the cause OF
and prolonged absence from appropriate duty Inc SUD-
ect ull treated in the Secretary report WIN sogges
the proper measure for reforming 'nas orahcn
Of the service
The Recommendation hitherto often made, is again re-
ncwed that some adopted for the re- organlza
ton and consolidation of companies aud regiments When
so tar reduced in numbers Seriously to impair thelr
efficiency 1t is the necessary that this should be
DONE the absence OF legislation on the snoec mas iorc-
ed generals the field to resort to variou, TOR
the desired end 1t Is surely an evil mat
commanding officer should be placed in position which
forces upon HIM the choice OF allowing the eflclency OF
his command to be seriously impaired or 81 attempting 10
supply by the of doubtful authority The want OF
pruper legal The regard for the senslbiy OF
officers who have heretofore served with credit ana which
is believed to be The controlling motive that has hitherto
obstruc ed legislation this subject however honorable
and proper be carried to point which seriously n-
lures the public good and if this be the it scarce
y be which Of tie two considerations should be
deemed paramount
The Secreurys recommendations the subject Of ia
ciitang the acquisition Of te iron required for maintain
ing the efficiency OF railroad COMMUNICATION on the lnInr-
t,nt military lines are commended to your favor The
NECESSITY for the operation. in full vigor, OF such lines
too apparent to need comment
The question in dispute between the two governments
relative the exchange Of prisoners of war has been ire
Ouenty presented former messages and rerts ana Is
fully treated by the Secretary The socitnden the gove.
ent for the relief captive fellow citizens has known
no abatement; but has on the contrary been sill! more
deeply evoked by the additional suferngs to which they
have been waneny bcred by deprivation of adequate
food co,hng and fuel which they were not even permit
ted 10 purchase from the prison suffers Finding that the
enemy attempted tn their barbarous treatment by
the unfouuded allegation that it was realiaory for like
conduct on our part of made by with view
of ending all prete1t for such or pretended
retaliation
The offer has been accepted and each government is
hereafter to be allowed tV provide necessary comforts to
its own citizens held captive by the other Active efforts
progress for the immediate execution of this
ment aud hoped that but few lays will elapse before
snail be relieved from the distressing thought that
painful physical suffering is endured by ,nanJ Of our
fellow citizens whose ortitude captivity illustrates the
national character fully did their vaor in the actual
cohict
EMPLOYMENT sLAvRs
Pic employment of slaves for service with the army
teansers cooks the OF work upon fortitcs-
TONS in the government workshops, or III hospitals
and other similar duties, authorized by the act Of
18th February last and provision was made for their i'm
pressnent to number exceeding twenty rhsusand if
it should be found impraccable tn obtain them bv
tract with the The law contemplated the hiring
only Of the labor of these slaves and INFUSED the gov
eminent the liability to pay for the value such might
be lost to the from casualties resulting from their
employment in the service.
This act has produced less result than anticipated
and further provision required To render 1t etc,c0us-
But my present purpose invite your consid 70
the prOprety of radical modification in the III cory of the
law.
Viewed merely as property and therefore, as the subject
of imIreSSment, the labor OF the slave has
been frequently claimed for short periods in the constr
ton of defensive works. The slave, however bears
another relation to the State tina, of person The law
of last February coptempates only the relation of the
slave the master, and limits the impressmeut to
certain of service But for the purpose enumerated
in the act instruction in the OF encampug march
ing and parking trains is netdtu that even in this
limited employment length of service adds greatly
value of the negros labor Hazard encountered in
all the positions to which the negroes be assigned
service with the army, and the duties required of them
demand loyalty and zeal In this aspect the relation of
person piedominates so far to render it doubtful
whether the private right Of properly consistently
and benetcaly be Continued and would seem proper
acquire for the public service the entire property the
labor the slave aud to pay therefor due compensation
the more especially the effect OF the law would
vest this entire property in all where the slave
might be recaptuTed after compensation for his loss had
been PAID TO the private owner Whenever the entire
property in the service of slave is thus acquired by the
nncnt The question is presented b. what tenure he
should be held Sheud he lie retained in servitude or
shuud bis emancipation he held out to him as r. ward
for faithful service, should be granted at once on the
promise of such service and if emancipa,e ed what action
should be taken TO for the freeman the permission
Of the State from which he drawn to reside within its
limits after the close Of his public service? The perms-
sion would doubtless be readily accorded as reward
for past faithful SERVICE and double motive for Jealous
discharge OF duty would thus be offered to those employ
ed by the government their Freedom aud the qualification
of the local attachment wch is marked
lstic Of the negro and tris powerful incentive
his action The policy of engaging berate the negro
his discharge after service faithfully rendered seems
ME preferable to that OF granting immediate manumssion,
or that OF retaining hun i'll servtude II this policy
should recommend itself to the judgment of Congress- it
is suggested that, in addition to the duties heretofore
performed by the slave, he might be EN-
poyed poueer and engineer aborer and that event.
that the number Should be augmented to forty thousand
Beyond this limit and these empoyments it does not
seem to he Desirable under existing circumstances
broad moral distinction exists between the of slaves
soldiers in the defence of their hnmes and the excite
met Of the same persons to iusurreeton against their
masters The one Is justifabe if necessary the other
niqultous and unwo thy OF civilized people; and such
is the judgment OF all writers public law as we'll
that expressed and insisted BY our enemies in ul wars
| prior To that now waged against Bs have the
Practices, Ut Which they guilty. denounced
with greater severity than by themselves the
ry; ANA In the Declaration Of independence. of i75 wher
enumeration was made OF the wr"hgs which justified ht
revolt from Great Britain. the climax of atrocity wa
deemed be reached only when the fnyIsh monarch wa:
denounced as having "exclted domestic psurrecion
amongst u.s.
The subject to be viewed BY u.s. thereof solely i,
the light OF policy and solcia economy. When 81
regarded must dissent from those who advise genera
levy aud arming of the slaves for the duty soldiers
Until our white population shall prove insufficient for tn
armies We require and afford keep the field t.
employ as soldier, the negro, who has merely bee,
trained to labor and labrer the white maa accus
toned from his youth to the of FIRE arms world scarce
ly be deened Wise or advantageous by any; and this
the question now before But should the alternatiy
be presented of subjugaton the employment O
the slave as soldier, tire doubt wha
should then be our decision Whether view embrace
what would, in extreme case be the sum of miser
enaled by the dominion of the enemy, be restricts
solely to the effect upon the welfare and happiness of tn
negro Formulation themselves, the result would be tb
same. The appalling decentralization. suffering, diseas
and death which have been caused by partially substitu
ting the invaders system of police for the kind reato
nrpyOuSV SuhsiStinp he andsl