The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-02-17

II, 1864, and the acts amendatory there
to. to increase the efficiency Of the army
by the employment Of FREQ negroes and
slaves in certain capacities, and the COM
pensation allowed shalt be made TO the
owner or TO the slave as the owner may
direct.
SEC. 4. That nothing in this act shall
be construed TO authorize change III the
relation which the said slaves shall belr
toward their owners as property, except
by consent of the states in which they
may reside, and in pursuance ofthe laws
thereof.
Mr. Miles, of South Carolina objected
10 the second reading OF the bill, where
upon the Speaker announced the ques-
tion to be-shall the bin be rejected
Mr. Hartridge, of Georgia, called Tor
the yeas aud NAYS, which being olttere'L
the vote stood aS follows:
Yeas-Messrs Baldwin, Branch, Crnik
shank Darden, Deianette, Fuller, Gar
land, Gholson, Gilmer, Lamkin, }. i.
Leach, J. NJ Leach, McMullen, Miles,
Miller Ramsey, Lesion, Smith (AhD,
Smith N. c., Wiekham, Witherspoon,
Speaker-22 u
NAYs-Messrs Aiken, Anderson, Barlss-
dale, Batson, Bell, Blaudford, Boyce,
Bradley, H. w Bruce, Carol, Chambers,
Chiffon, Clark, CloptOn, Cnskey, Con
rad, Conrow, Dickinson, Dupree, Ewing.
Farrow, Foster, FunSten, Gather, GoOde.
Gray, Hartridge, Hatcher, Hilton, Hohl-
EN-, Halliday, Johnston, Keeble, Lyon,
Machen, Marshall, MenceS, Moore, Orr.
Perkins, Pugh, Read, Rogers, Russell,
Simpson, j. NJ. Smith, w. f. Smith, Swan,
Snead, Triplett, Nillere, Welsh-;3
So the House refused 10 reject the bill.
Mr.. Barksdale Miss } moved that the
bill be referred to a select committee OF
one from each State. After what had
been said by the chairman of the military
committee, Mr. Miles, it was evident that
he had prejudged the question. All he
(Barksdale) desired was fair investiSa-
ton of the bill and such report Is lis
merits and the demands of the country
absolutely required. He did not desire
to enter upon its discussion now, but
would say that he introduced the bill
under solemn conviction of duty Ia his
country, if it raised irritating ISSUES. Ii
provided simply that the President
should accept the services of slaves, to
be used as the geueral-in chief, General
Lee, might direct. in order to save otr
cause. Nor does he propose to interfere
with the relation of master and slave;
that question was left by the bill where
il properly belOngS--to the owners oi
slaves BY the consent of the states and
in pursuance of the laws thereof are
gentlemen unwilling to let the people
have the privilege of contributing their
slaves free-will Offering to aid in repel-
ling the savage foe, who is the common
enemy of both races! The bill provides
nothing more
Mr. Wickham, of Virginia, moved to
postpone the matter indefinitely; he
hoped if that be not the pleasure at the
House that the bill would he referred Ia
the Military committee. He preferred,
however, that this motion should pre-
vail so that the question of putting
slaves in the army OH footing with
white men might ut once be settled. In
his opinion neither the people nor the
army would submit to so monstrOuS "a
proceeding, and the day the order goes
forth from the war department, carrying
into execution the provisions of the bill
of the gentleman from Mississippi sounds
the death knell of the Confrderacy IA.
Mr. j. T. Leach, Of North Carolina, IN
his seat, That's SO
Mr. Wickham's motion was lost. -
The motion of Mr. Barksdalc to refer
the subject t. select committee was
agreed to