The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-03-20

REPORT. or THE SENATE CON.
MI1TEE ON PRESIDENT d.
FIS'S LATE MESA GE.
The following is the report of the Se-
nate Committee on the recent message Of
President Davis. 1t was read and
adopted in secret session, and the seal
of secresy removed on the 10th instant:
The select committee to whom was
referred so much of the Presidents mes
sage of the 18th instant as relates to the
action of Congress during the present
session having Gully considered the same,
respectfully submit the following report
The attention of Congress is called by
the President to the fact that, for carry.
ing on the war successfully, there is ur-
gent need of men and supplies for the
army.
The measures passed by Congress
~luring the present session for recruiting
the army are considered by the Presi-
dent Inefficient and it is said that tho
results of the law authorizing the en-
ployment Of slaves as. soldiers will be
less than anticipated, in consequence of
the dilatory action of Congress in adopt
ing the measure. That law so radical
in its character, so repugnant to the pre-
judices of our people, and so intimately
affecting the organism of society, should
encounter opposition, and receive
tardy sanction, ought not to excite sur
prise but if the policy and necessity of
the measure had been seriously urged on
Congress by an Executive message, le-
sislative action might have been quick
ened. The President, in no official COM
munication to Congress, has recommend
ed the passage of law putting slaves
into the army as soldiers, and the mes
sage under consideration is the first Of
fetal information that such law would
meet his approval. The Executive mes
sage transmitted to Congress on the 7th
of November last suggests the propriety
of enlarging the sphere of employment of
the negro as laborer, and for this purpose
| recommendation the absolute title to- slaves
be acquired by impressment, and, as
an incentive to the faithful discharge of
duty, that the slaves thus acquired be
liberated, with the permission of the
States from which they were drawn. In
this connection, the following language
is used:
| ,"If this policy should recommend itself to the
iudpment Of Congress, 1t is suggested that, in ad-
diticn to the duties heretofore performed by the
| slave. he might be adyantageously employed Is
nioyepr and engineer l0borers and, in that event,
that the number should be augmented. to forty
| thousand Beyond this limit and these employment
II does not seem 10 me HcSV"Ote, ""def eItSt"y q"
| cUms'dnces, to y0"
In the same message the President
further remarks:
.sTh.. subject isto be viewed by US, therefore
solely in the light Of policy and our social economy
| Wbru 40 re0arded, B.ust dissent from those Eht
odr;se q qenerai terry and afming the st0res for h
duty IF soldiers"
II is manifest that the President, ir
November last, did not consider that tht
contingency had then arisen which .woult
iustify a resort to the extraordinary
policy Of arming our slaves. Indeed, M
other inference can be deduced from
the language used by him for he says
DEMONSTRATIONS however, are rather ap
plicable to the imir"bnbfe co"',ngenes ~ on, nee
Of resortia9 to IN. F.e"ss"t y 'e''S'""'e '""t
our present condition."
The Secretary of War, in his report
, under date Of November Sd, seemed t
concur in the opinion of the Presiden
! when he said:
"wb;,c;ti is encouraging to know this resourt
for further and future Efforts is at our commanf
M oan j.Ssnle.t dogs not get either pe,ee.ss, q
nteessity or ayp,ose l,a peliy Of employing ''a'
| sn the higher dates q soldiers
= At what period Of the session the Pr'
sident or Secretary Of War consldere
; the improbable contingency had arisel
c which required resort to slaves As :
/, element Of resistance, does not appsss q
by any official document within cl tn
knowledge Of yonr' committee. Cor
gress might we'll have delayed action 9
/; this subject until the present momen
ss the President, whose constituHon'
n duty it is "to give to the Congress u