The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-05-02
Monday Morning, May 2, 1864.
THE PAY OF CoLoRED TROOPS.

From the washington Chronicle

The following letter from Hon. Theophilus
Parsoas concerns question on which the
Senate has already acted. The opinion of a
gentleman OF such professional eminence are
worthy of attention always; but on the pres
ent occasion they have an additional value,
when it is considered that by association and
sentiment he has been connected with the con-
servative class of our country
CAMBRIDGE, April 22d, 1864.
"To Honorable Sam uel Hooper:
Dear Sir The newspapers tell us that
bill which would render tardy and imperfect
Justice to the colored troops has passed the
Senate, and now slumbers in the House.
These men were enlisted as soldiers. If
the Government at the time intended TO de
nand of them full service, and expose them
TO full share of danger, and then withhold
from them half their wages, it was precisely
the conduct which, when it takes place be-
tween an individual employer and those whom
he employs, common sense and common law
call fraudulent.
"Ifit was intended to demand of them only
half service and half exposure, and on that
ground pay them only half wages, it was dis
honest not to tell them so and very dishonest
TO demand aud receive from soldiers, thus en-
listed, the fullest service and the fullest expo
sure, and still pay them only half wages.
The wrongfulness OF this is certain and OBJ
vious. And it is the more disgraceful because
IL admits but one possible explanation IL
can be accounted for only as the effect and
the expression of our sympathy with slavery.
How Is II possible that the thought of paying
men OF one color only half of what we pay TO
men OF another color for the same work and
peril, could ever have arisen but from the
Influence OF slavery upon our opinions and
habits of thought? and of slavery itself, on
iy when its poison had ripened. For in the
days of the Revolution slavery was every
where; but black men fought our battles, and
there was then no thought of any such injus-
tiee. Since then, slavery has not only wolul-
ly corrupted those among whom 1t has had a
legal existence, but now, through our un-
conscious sympathy with it, leads us to this
injustice, which Is otherwise inexplicable, and
is wholly indefensible.
''lt would have been folly to ask of the ne
gro, as we have done, the same service in the
field, the charge, the assault, and defence of
lives, had we supposed his heart or his arm
feebler than the white mans. But il was
not folly; Tor this was not supposed, nor ex-
pected, nor found. In all work and in all per-
j we say TO the colored troops, you are men I:
but when 1t comes to pay, we say, you are on
ly negroes.
"The loyal States are now excited by the
criminate against the negro. How can we
blame them for this, when, in the only way
we can, We also discriminate against the same
soldiers?
Just now there is from the highest quar-
ter a threat or promise of retaliation, which
seems TO meet with general support because
of its obvious and unquestionable Justice
Would 1t not be well for us to prepare for re-
taliation for rebel wrongs to the negro, by an
an nj Of
same victims.
"The rebels must rest much IL know not
how much) OF what hope they have on the
sympathy with them which still exists In the
free States. 1t certainly exists there to some
extent, and shows itself from time TO time, aud
always encourages the rebels, and always
makes our work harder. But what stronger
evidence can there be of our sympathy with
those who are fighting TO the last gasp in de-
fence Of slavery, than our refusal TO put on a
fair footing, as men and soldiers, those men
aud soldiers who differ from the rest in nc
point of service demanded or rendered, but
only in color which degrades them, in the
southern view, below humanity?
81 never was an aboliionist. Where slave
ry had legal existence, was always for Civ.
ing it the protection of law. But aln not
willing TO see the free North and West mani
Testing the feeling and doing the Injustice
taught by slavery, although they have not the
excuse that slavery has had among them this
legal existence.
" The emancipation of the slave seems TO
be going on fast enough Our emancipation
from the influence of slavery upon our mipds
is going on also, but we learn the lesson re.
luctantly, and, it may be, we shall not learn il
until we are helped by more misfortune. Our
treatment OF our colored troops is so unrea-
sonable, SO impoltic, and so wrongful, tha,
mischief ought to come from it, and VIII come
from il.
have written this on what seems to me
one of the most practical questions of the day
and If in what have said, there seems to you
any truth, and you can make it useful, to any
degree, In any way whatever, you are at lib
erty to do so.
g remain, sir, sincerely and respectfully
your obedient servant,
THEoPHILUs PARSONS