The New York herald., 1865-02-17
The Rebels Agitatfng the Question oi
Enlisting Negroes as Volunteers, and
Not by Ina pre- ssment.

From the Richmond Sentinel, Feb II
The bills introduced into the Senate and the House by
he~rs Oldham and Barksdale respectively and both Of
which published yesterday, contemplate vousx0ry
as ssSs % ne aery ,v 1m This Soanesr1 suIe T mus, %
obviate In great part II not indeed altogether, tho
principal objections which have been raised 10
population. Opposition may now most probably be
expected 70 come from the other direction, and
policy Of tho scheme But as those who propose say
there many facts which encourage bright ntcipa-
tions OF success and az s perhaps the most feasible
compromise experiment which can bc adopted In the
present conflict Of opinions and preudices hope Il
will be agreed upon The chief objection 20 II 70 pos
sbtlsy ndi may not e6et much good II should be-
ndation that at the worst II do little harm.
One great merit OF the proposition s that they conane
themselves TO general provisions, and leave tho details
open Tor such adjustment Az tact shall suggest or neces
sity teach.
system grows out Of the QUESTION OF supplies This
jecton w heard In council, and ny also from the
camp. There are few facts and considerations which
think due 10 the subject to present. this point
First as TO the consumption OF supplies now on hand
Farmers and planters allowed " retain supply of
food for their families and slaves free from pressDcnt
II b presumed that they all do thia For eyory rcs 70
laborcr there s supply Of food at his home he
go into the army this fcod for him. would
be In OF the supply necessary for tho remainder
OF the family and might therefore, be turned over 10
the government eommssary And indeed q communl
cation Which ', before s us from highly 7,
the subject that tho writer considers nrgro
flr from increasing the dscuty Of feed ng the army
offering . sure method Of raising present supplies
His proposition Is that the Of thc enlisted
sba furnish with them twelve months rations Of meat
end Ave saS months rations Of breadsturs oil Of
which he assumes that they have hand for their
sumption at home, and oan, therefore, furnish without
dfhcnlty
Next, 10 the production a rppes Some fear that
tho proposed abstraction u the labor Of tho country
service In tho army would future scarcity OF food
hut In many csses \ weuh seem W have contrary
operation. fasmer hAs Ave labsrssg msp siayss Nc
y cais< away aaaler tc prrsssa law. ana shey let
20 labor at WILL II " unnecessary 10 say that the only
thing thsy do In hni measure 70 consume. Suppose
the master and two VI his slaves reman al home aud
tho others 60 into Tho service; not 700 much ray
that will b. produced and far less consumed at
home than before while there will bc three Ia Tho army
iDstrat Of one, The greater ihc supposed numb u
slaves the stronger will be the strstion And h the
white thus lett at homo 10 stimulate labor of the
slaves be those whose ayes mako them almost useless
for the ncid though necessity calls them there
would appear that shc gain every way would be very
great
We do not propose 70 argue tho general policy, how
ever We have In great grco abianed from such dis
cussion from prudential mo,ives and bccmsc tho logic
Of events seemed the only arnmcn, likely TO be needed
We have In The above snpy pointed out error
wc think which are gencrallv allowed to omtarasS tho