Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-02-23
Arming the Siaves--Speech OF
a Southern COnCressn,au

Hon. Thomas s. Ghoson, of Virginia.
made speech in the Rcbcl Congress
against arming the slaves, from which we
make the following extract: "'-..
|. That it would be virtually stalking our
success IN this great struggle on the capac-
ny and tidelty OF negro troops; because, if
as large number of slaves as proposed
were placed in the army, victory or defeat
IN the day of battle would necessarily de
pend to some extent on their courage and
efficiency. lfthey proved brave and true
they would render great service; it they
faltered or deserted they might prove our
ruin, If every soldier would carry his slave
and keep him by his side he weull protect
him from the deception and fraud of the
enemy; but this would be impossible, and
our slaves would he exposed to their cum
ming devices, and be knew but little of the
negro character who believed that he would
he able to resist them. The enemy would
promise them freedom from thoir masters
and also exemption from war, and the ex
pertinent in all probability would turn out
recruiting service for them and not for
us.
III. The introduction of slaves into the
army would be obnoxious to a large portion
of our soldiers 1t would be impossible, he
believed, to have an army composed of black
and white, without finally placing them
pretty much on terms of equality. They
would fight together. IF defeated, they
would be prisoners together; if victorious
they would rejoice together. They would
he subject to tho same military laws, and
tried ly the military laws, and tried by the
same courts. Would our soldiers agree to
this? az, !. ......f,i t.t -.
III. Tho plan proposed by those hiah in
authority is to liberate tho slaves introduced
into the army ut the termination of the war.
What is this but abolition? Our PROPOSE
ton would be; go fight for us, and when
the war is over We will make you free. -
Our enemies say to them: Come to us and
We will make you free now" Then liberty
to the slave is boon-a boon worth fight
ing for. Heretofore We have declared that
freedom to the slave was a curse-that he
was incapable of fgovernment the
only frsedom he had ever enjoyed was that
resulting from the restraint wo impose
liberty from the dominion of the voice of
the barbarian. We ara now by our conduct
to declare that all these solemnly proclaim,
ed convictions wore hypocritical, or else we
are proposing to reward his services by n
curse, and not blessing-that instead of
giving him an egg, we desire to give him
serpent.
But suppose the war over, our indepen.
dcncA achieved, aud that the slaves carried
into. the army have remained with US, pre-
terring to fight for prospective freedom
rather than 90 to the enemy aud receive
present freedom, what then is to become of
these freedmen? We surely will not deny
them homo in the land they have defend.
ed-so we should have large number Of
tree negroes scattered over the several
States. We shall have conceded thai they
are worthy Of freedom.
No State could deny to their bli ok sol.
dicrs liberty to stay within their limits, no
matter what may be the provisions of their
present, CONSTITUTIONS on that subject. =
What shall become Of their wives and chill.
dreny. Shall they remain slaves, while
their husbands and aihers, who have fought
tor our liberties aud their homes, arc per-
mitted to become wandering vaeabonds,
and finally die Of starvation, having by their
yalor earned the glorious liberty--to storve?
Or shall We give liberty to their wives and
children, and thus make our black popua.
ton part free aud part slave2 Who would
consent to live in itp What would become Of
slavery What would be the character OF
the. returned negro soldiers, made fanp;i, = /,
With the use OF firearms and ta,...at BY M US
that freedom was worth GGghting forf In
many sections OF the country the two races
could not continue together, oT, ". -
Aocordlng 70 the census Of 1860, the
wnite population OF fse of the counties
comprising my Coparessional district was
iS''vs' the o'sek population, 81 ,22s-L al,