Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-02-01

Shall Negroes be Employed in the Rebel
ArmyS
This question agitated the rebel
House on the 23d inst. A bill was intro
duced providing for the employment of
free negroes and slaves in certain cspa-
cities.
1t provides that all male free negroes be-
tween the ages of eighteen and fifty years
shall be held liable to perform such duties
in the army, or in connection with the
military defenses of the country, in the
way Of work upon the Notifications or in
government works for the production or
preparation Of material Of war, or in Mill
tary hospitals, as the Secretary of War
may from time TO time prescribe; to re-
ceive rstions, clothing, and eleven dollars
per month for such services. 1t also pro-
vides for the employment of slaves for the
same purposes and upon the same terms
and, in the event of the less of any such
slaves, the owners to be entitled to receive
their full value; and the Secretary Of War
is authorized to impress slaves, in the
event that he shall be unable to procure
their services in any military department
in sufficient numbers for the necessities Of
the department..
A proposition of this kind of course
called out considerable opposition. Mr.
Gardner, of Tennessee, wanted to know
whether the passing of that bill "wOuld
not be recognizing LincOln's right to con-
scribe our negroes"
Mr.. Miles replied that rebels had right
to do as they pleased with their negroes.
Mr.. FOOte thought it might embarrass
the exchange of prisoners.
Mr.. Miles thought Foote ought not to en-
bsTrass the bill by such q suggestion.
Mr.. Baldwin dilsted at length upon the
awful consequences Of not exempting the
producing classes. The late sweeping con-
scription was working disastrously for the
South. he said;
The Valley Of Virginia was the greai
granary Of Virginia to supply the Army
Of Virgins. The farmers there were now
selling their personal property and hiring
out their slaves, and preparing TO 60 into
the army under the provisions Of the bill
Whatever its effect might be in bringing
in skulkers in other portions Of the coun.
try, in his district it called away from
home men engaged in business, every
blow at which was 8 blow at the Confed
crate States. 1t had swept through the
| district like a tornado of destruction
Slaves had escaped to the Yankees, and
and farmers had supplied their places by
free negroes, thus making useful a class
| hitherto useless. And now here comes 8
bill which proposes to take away every
free negro between the ages Of eighteen
and fifty years, and free negroes go in sd'
! vance of slsves. In some districts Of tht
State you might take every white man
and the women could conduct the oper
atoms Of the slaves; but in his district, i
the white men and free negroes werI
taken, it would stop agricultural opera
tions altogether. He thought it time Il
husband our resources, and not make any
further drain upon the agricultural re
eources of the country. The great ques
ton was not the number Of men, but how
to supply food and forage for the army
The supplies were already scsnt enough
and we were taking away those who would
make them greater, and placing them
among those who were now scsntily sup
piled.