Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-03-21
The Way the Rebels Propose to arm the
Negroes

The course Of public opinion 10 the rebsllious
states on the question Of slavery, furnishes an
entertaining subject Of contemplation for the
curious mind For several weeks The rebel Con-
gress has been engagei almost wholly in dc0a-
ting ard voting upon the question What shall
We do with the negro? The negro has ben
held up before the southern hre-eaters in every
conceivable attitude, has been exhibited and
handled with as much freedom as he ever was
on the auction block, and the whole intellect Of
treason has been eagerly Inquiring, What can
we do with him2 How can We make tho most
servicable usa Of his bones and sinews and
hopes aud fears1 How can he be hired or driv-
en- to give most aid to our cause? In prosecu-
ting hess interesting inquiries, the traitors have
displayed great ingenuity have summoned to
their aid an unusual quantity of biblical and eth
biological learning, and employed vast amount
OF theoretical knowledge, but after all their Ia.
bors they have approached scarcely OF all nearer
satisfactory solution Of their difficulties The
last effort Of the rebel Congress has been in pas
sing bill authorizing JEFF. Davis " to ask Tor
aud accept from the owners of slaves the seryi
Ces of such number of able-bodied negro men
as he may deem eGpedicnt, for a0d during the
war to perform military service in whatever
capacity he may direct The bill also provides
that these slave; are 10 have, while in service,
the slme.rations clothing and compensation as
are allowed to other. troops in the same service
And the bill further provides
SIC. 1. That il, under the previous section
OF this act, the President shall not be able to
raise sufficient number Of troops to prosecute
tina war successfully and maintain the sover
eighty of the States, and the independence Of
the Confed rate States, then he is hereby nu.
thorzod u call on each State whenever he
thinks it exptdent, loI her quota o, 100 O0)
trj0ps, in addition to those suoiec. to military
service under existing laws, or 50 many Thereof
as the President may deem necessary ~ be raised
rom such classes OF the population, irrespective
OF color, IN cach state, a The proper authorities
thereof may determine.
SEC, ,. That ncthlng ia this a1t shAlr BE-
construed to authorize q change in the relation
OF The said slaves.
War Is a great teacher Hare rebellion
which was set on foot because thu abolitonsts
believed and preached the equality Of the races,
irrespective OF o)los,' a l)5,uno which thC
proud slaveholders would no. sular to DO laugh,
in ans union 'o which they leloogel. While
they acknowledge the old Government they
would not consent tbAta c1lored man should
carry ths mail, testify YIN court, at on jury
vote at elections, or should m muske'. They
would allow no militia law 70 stand on the ma
tiont statute bolk wai1h did not limit the dut,
OF military sOryic1 to white persons The ieal
thu, the negro would it once allowed 70 exercise
the franchises Of white man, give practical
r,iuhloa 81 all their thelta, OF the lu.urloriN
Of the biloxi rica, s5enal % b. porpatullly
haunting these s)uthlfn aristlorats, anl they
never lost an opportunity of keeping Slmbc
from enjoying any oil tho privileges OF citizen.
ship. But necessity is great leyelcr aud pay
little respect to prejidts or th')ri'. The
white matters in rebellion lad themselves Who'll
ly unsqual to the task oil repalling the Yankees
who carry with thom the old d X, and under thi
pressure a rebel and sllyeholder'4 Congress ba
aNally been brought to The poin, Of ordering
a CONSUMPTION irrespective Of ollor," although
the same Congress has attempted to show 1t
tie rssrec, for slavery anil state rights. by agree