Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1865-02-22

{. The Negro Question in gsassess.
Housr o. REPRESENTATIVES, Ish IL, 1886.
III. Barisdala, Of Mss, introduced tie following
|, II. oeag;;s.. d tho 0bysa,.ets ssseser Am1t.
forces to repsl invasion, maintain the nghtfu pos
session Of the Confederate Sates secure thsir in.
dependence, and preserve their institutions, the
President b. and he hereby authorized to ask and
accept from the owners Of slaves tho services of
such number Of able-bodied negro men, IS he msy
deem expedient during the war, to perform military
service in whatever capacity the General-iu Chief
may direct
SEC q That the President be authorized to or
gaBize the said slaves into companies, battilions
regiments and brigades, under such rules and reg
ulations as the Secretary Of War may prescribe,
and to be commanded by such officers as the P,ssi-
dent may appoint.
SEC s. That while employed in the sEvice the
said slaves shall receive the same ratons clothing
and compensation as are allowed in the bet APPROX
ed February II, 1864, and the acts amendatory
thereto; to increase the efficiency Of the army by
the employmentof FREQ negroes and slaves in GER
tain capacities" and the compensation allowed shall
be made to the owner or to the slave, as the owner
may direct.
SEC T. That nothing in this act shall be constru-
ed to authorize change in the relation which the
said slaves shall bear towards their owners a. prop
,erty, except by consent of the States in which
they may reside, and in pursuance Of the laws
Mr.. Miles, Of s. G., objected to the second re.d
ing Of the bill; whereupon
The Speaker announced the question to be, shall
the bill be rejected :
I Mr. Hartridge, of Ga, called for the yeas and
nays, which being ordered, ,he vote stood A. fol-
lows:
.YrAs-Messrs. Baldwin, Branch, oruiksh.nk,
Darden, DeJarnette, Fuller, Garland, Gholsoa, Gil
mer, Lamkin, j. T. Leach, j. NJ Leach, McMnlien,
Miles, Miller, Ramsay, Sexton, Smith Of Alabama,
Smith Of N c., Wickham, Witherspoon, Nj: spsa'
| ker-22
NAYs-Messss Aiken, Anderson, Barksdale, Bat
son. Bel Blsndford, Boyce, Bradley, 81. W. Bruce,
Carol, Chambers, Chiffon, Clark, Clopton Clus-
key, Conrad, Conrow, Dickinson, Dupre, Ewing,
| Farrow, Foster, Funston, Gather, Goode, Cray,
Johnston, Keeble, Lyon, Mschen Marshall, Menees,
Moore, Orr, Perkins, Pdgh, Read Rogers Russell,
| Simpson, j. NJ. Smith, W. e. Smith, Snead, Swan.
Trplett, Where Welsh-6s.
| So the House refused to reject the bill
Mr. Barksdaie moved that the bill be referred 70
a-select committee Of one from each State After
what had been said by the Chairman of the Military
Committee CIR. Miles) it was evident that he had
! prejndged the question. All he (Mr. b. desired
was fair Investigation of the bin, and such are
port as its merits and the demands Of the country
absolutely required He did not desire to enter
upon its DISCUSSION now but would say that he had
introduced The bill under solemn conviction Of
duty to his country. 1t raised Id irrtAing Issues.
provided simply that the President should accept
the services of slaves, to be used the General
in CHIEF, Gen. Lee, might direct, in order to save
the. relation of master and slsye. That question
was left by the bill where it properly belongs-to
the owners of slaves by the consent of the States
and IN pursuance of the laws thereof Are gentle.
men unwilling to let the people have the privi-
lege Of contributing their slaves free will offer
ing to aid in repelllpg the savage foe who is the
common enemy of both racesl Tbs bill provides
nothing more
| Mr.. Wickham, of Va, moved->to postpone the
matter indefinitely. He hoped if that be not the
pleasure of the House, that the bill would be re-
ferred to- the Military COMMITTEE. He preferred,
however, that his motion should prevail. so that
the question of putting saves in the army foot
ing with white men, might At once be settled in
bis opinion, neither the people the army would
submit to so monstrous 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
knel of the Confederacy.
Mr.. j. T. Leach, (in his seat) "Thats So"
Mr.. Wickham's motion was lost.
Mr.: Rogers, Of Fla, moved to refer the bill to
the Military Committee. Lost :,
The motion of Mr. Barksdale to ,afer it to 4 90.
| leet committee, was agreed to-
In tho Senate, on the same day, Mr.. Oldham, Of
Texas, introduced bill on the subject very similar
| to the above.
Mr. Graham said he was opposed to the policy Of
arnng the slaves, and desired to test the sense Of
the Senate the vote to refer but the bill was
| referred without any test vote, 90 fur a. We can
learn from the Richmond papers.