New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-08-16
A Military Opinion OF Negro Suffrage.

Proceedings Of meeting OF the officers OF
the LIST L. s. G. Artillery Ocay,) that met purfuant to
the adjournment OF meeting held on the evening Of
July ). lsG5 at which Lent Col J. J.. MCGOWAN was
called to the chair, and Capt 4. H. Is. Cor1e! was aT-
pointed Secretary After which on motion Of Capt. J.
D. Charles Committee 10 cOnss, Of The Chair and
1--WE other officers was appointed to drafi resolutions
expressive Of the views Of the officers relative 20 the
proper status and legal rights Of the freedmen OF the
South, to.wit: Lieui..Col D. Il. McGowan. Major.
James NJ johnson and o. II. Gross. Captains j. u.
Charles. I'd. f. Brown and ". Il. Story. which Con-
mittec reported the following preamble and resolutions
which were unanimously adopted. viz;
U1erea, The stiieaneo ofe county endsavofng 70
determine the status q The frcedlcn 81 Le soqie sad
s FS, se gao.oa 81 ssd y6a
VA be- seized upon hobby. whercon unpnneiped poi
cal de nnsogues ridr and pow'r sud vhrd'
se the officers Of TINS resin have had experience IN
d. spg With The freed slave, extending over our whoH nj
Hsssed l. Thai ws sie Of the opinion that tho undo.
command and the cooed ncedn"u as mas are 2. We y
with ssr,y 70 the Government hry~ msiofy Of the
white men in ibe late .ooaled southern con'.defacy
a W. bcieve il TO HINT Of sr6ly ucHnnes. 20
nk risk hi. life IN sustaining Government That re'
70 him citizenship ~,
3 We believe Il to be well established prnelDo that Gov
ents derive their Just powers o the consent Of the gov
erned and that be- siuly called upon 70 ss'an
law or be held amcnlble to IT, penalties When be IL denied
al shsre IN making law ..
T. VI believe il would be hsly dangerous 70 deny TO any
ia citizen Of the South yoce a, hs bnlotbos a. such
course will inevitably throw the control 81 the siso Govern
into Che hands 81 panic, Who ihoash aey con."ira
are o. bitterly dlsloya o. they wase three years ago
After the adoption OF the resolutions remarks we've
made by several of tho officers which met with unqna
fed approbotlon-that II not tbs intention OF this
action to embro them In the squabbes OF political par
ties bu simply to give expressions TO views formed
and entertained under circumstances that entitled them
10 some weight with the public.
All with one voice deprecated any discussion upon
any matter OF mere party politics. They viewed the
subject from higher standpoint, and had only their
country serve IN this they had cndeayorod faith
fully 20 serve her 10 assisting TO put down the Slave
holders Rebellion. They believed tito be the interest
Of the South TO extend the right OF suffrage 10 the freed
TO the end that their labor DO not lost to the South
~ in their opinion, who had carried musket In
defense OF government viii acquire II they have not
already too much spirit 10 live in any portion Of that
Government, the local laws Of which deny thom tho
rights TINT are accorded 70 the mcancst aud most ma
gnant Rebels and oppress0rs OF their race, provided
they have subscribed an oath. promising they will
not again blacken their souls with foul treason
They were not disposed to oyerstep the bounds Of
strctest military discipline and critcisc the policy Of
the Government they have been fighting TO maintain.
but they believe the interests of that Government would
best be Ia thoroughly loyal hands; and they had no
faith u the theory that the black man. he cniran
chised would be supple tool in the hands Of thc late
leaders Of the Rebellion. Their experience was that
the blacks. whom slaves, knew their friends and that
they were not likely to forget 10 whom they their
new privileges and that If occasional abuses grow out
Of thor Acknowledgement in consequence Of their lgno
rnce tho census would show that such abuses were
much more likely to wiih the lately disbanded
mon ofythe ,Isbel army. rhen actual facts existing
every Provost Marshals office in the South. show that
not one in five OF them con either read or write.
After the remarks. ON motion Of Capt I'd J. Brown.
1t W" ordered BY the meeting that copies .; these pro