The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-03-05

Few O1Dsnlty.
The following Official communication from
. distinguished officer of the army almost
equals one Of Petroleum v. Nasby's letsers
on the patriarchsl institution:
RECRUITING OvvIoE, Il
LEXINGTON, KY, Feb. 10.
Gen. James +. Wade, Superintendent RscruitiAo
New Orleans, La -
GENERAL: Ny attention has been called
TO the order of the War Department, dated
Washington. january Is, 1867, forbiddinG
recruiting officers hereafter to esiia boys ~
der tAe Goe of tsccmty- one without the conse,ss
~ SAsXuvsWt ~ guevdtoN. Twin be alntost
impossible TO comply strictly with this order
in The eniistmest Of men for the colored regi'
ments. A great many colored mem like Top
~, nay they have no parents: yet suppose
the War Department will consider that all
men have parents somewhere, and require
the certificate on the enlistment paper 70 be
| filed upe I should ike TO be instructed Also
whether ] am TO pst down the pwt0Firc
father of yellow colored man, or the actual
parent for you must know that oolored men
in Kentucky frequently have tAree parents a.
we'll as sometimes none at all. To obtain the
consent of the persons whom the yellow men
often say are their parents would, fear, be
II
have my bones broken in the attempt. Be-
sides, the official information am obliged to
furnish under the order of the 18th of Jsnu
AIRY, would. | am quite sure, should it ever
| find its way into the domestic circle, sadly
| disturb tue peace of many Of the frst fhni-
| lies ia Kentucky. do not like U make an
| official record of amalgRmatlon against my
Southern brethren, because it may found
ground for future actions at law sgainstthe
j When the coiored people become, ~ they
will, part of the law making power of the
| United States, they may legslize and legti-
matize their birth, and sue Jor share Of their
fathers estates; or they may bring actions for
damages TO their character, for il certainly il
q great damage TO force aman into the world
and then deny him.
/ | am astonished that slavery should ever
have been made q cause for war, for, strange
as it may appear, it is nevertheless actually
true, that the people of the South. as we'll AZ
those of the North, have for long time
been engaged in the work Of abolition. II 10
true that the methods Of emancipation differ
ed somewhat, those of the North proposing
to abolish negro slavery by legislation, those
Of the South proposing TO fade ii out BY In
fusing white blood and brains into the negro
race. OF the two plans that of the North
was undoubtedly the most honorable, while
tnHt OF the COutn was the most hSrSeaoic W
the feelings and prejudices Of those people
South who were controlled by an organization
known as ''the Democratic party" The
Democratic Law Of slavery gave the master
absolute control over the body of his slave, SO
that every slave girl or woman was at all
times subject to the caprice, lust, pleasure or
Il brutality Of the master, and that the master
did not scruple to use his own power, even
TO the mingiing of his hood with that Of his
slave, is painfully evidenced by the mixed
condition of the population here as we'll as
elsewhere throughout the South. Although
: this disgusting and unjust plan Of abolition
has long been known TO the people of the
{ South, yet they did not consider il disgrace
fol; and inasmlch as it was undertaken by
D many Of them in good faith, ! do not think il
. right that we should now unearth and parade
B the matter TO their discredit or make Il work
q q disadvantage to them by forming ground
for future actions at law against them. | hsy,
therefore TO ask that you~will represent tht
. case to the Department Of War, and urge
f that the order OF the 18th Of January may no
be enforced 80 far as it relates to the enlist
ment Of yellow men for the colored regiments
Very respectfully, your most obedient scrvsnt
J., JAMES S. BRISBlN, L. S. A.,
Recruiting ofheef.