Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-03-15

Regiments.
Ia 1861, after Gov. Andrew had obtained
the Presidents consent tn recruit and or
game eolored regiments for the quota of
Massachusetts,. be found his purposes
thwarted by the stcadla>t opposition of
Government officials lie employed n corps
of energetic and discreet men. both white and
black, to interview the refugees from South
ern plantations within our line, who reported
TO HIM that the freedmen would gladly
take up arms in defence of the country
and for the maintenance of their own free
dom but months elapsed before the prelu-
dices of army officers could be overcome so
far as to permit a single colo:ed man even
To leave the District OF Columbia, where
they were rationcd at government expense.
to pass the lines and come to Massachusetts
A single squad only of Il dozen or 50 of
stalwart blacks were smugglcd away on the
pretence Of going to Maryland to chop wood,
but half of these were captured At BIltimore
and sent back. Meantime tie war was
going on. Troops were needed. whether
black or white, and there were hundreds of
negroes in Wushint0n who were anxious
and willing to enlist il they could but have
the opportunity. 10 this state of affairs
Governor Andrew wrote IL letter to Presi-
dent Lincoln. closing as follows:
The people of Massachusetts, in addition to ur-
nshing her quota Of soldiers. manufAc'ure one
third OF tie woollen goods IN tn" country. without
which the army Cannot live day ard, notwith-
standing the shoe cOUtracts IN whica she directly
participates, many Of this shoes contracted for by
the people OF other States farmtd cut at profit
TO her shoemakers. and titched ty the hands and
hammered ont n the lau-stores Of MIssachU Setts.
The earnings Of their ii dustrS arc invested for the
support OF the government, for VT hold at least
oEe-txelith Of the natioaAl loan.
How long can then cont nue. To furnish sol
diers, help clothe our army, ibbricate ships, ma
chinery ard nun tons Of war, tuhscribe to the
national loan, and furnish internal revenue If per
sons desiring to make their way hither are forbid
den to come, Every nun ami woman capable of
labor is wantei here. The Feieral Government
furnishes ratinns To men AMI women, both black
and white, where war has suppressed the regular
industry, who, if allowed To visit Massachusetts,
could earn wages to help supp IT tat Govern
ment by their labor and Their arms, At this very
moment our Legislature IS passing resolve, Civ
ing sluU GO to the suffering people Of last Ten
out OF the earnings OF the people Of MaSsa-
chusrtts; and yet, in the capital u tho ion Fed
eral officers forbid Southern refugees 10 come To
Massachusetts,
respectfully remOnStratc .anst the policy. the
iusice and the lawiulness OF such prohi biton and
they ever he approved, and in whose II is
by an Executive order to apply the remedy. |
nave lho uOuui u bbcul'ut seINt thtt
JONI A. ANDREW
The presentation of this letter gave to
President Lincoln the inspiration OF new
courage, and he only asked that Governor
Pierrepont, Of Virginia, who then had the
headquarters of his peripatetic Government
at Alexandria, Should write him letter,
stating that there were numbers of refugees
in his bailiwick who desired to 90 North,
and he would give his consent. The letter
was obtained, Mr.. Lincoln pcruaed it. care
fully folded it, as for filing, ard wrote upon
the back
l understand from the within that there are a
hundred cOlorcd men in Alexandria who DIES ro TO
20 to Massachusetts aud enlist IN the nitrd States
service. iethtm go A l. >CuLN.
The President never detailed anybody to
count them. The production of that informal
direction upon the back OF Governor Pierre
points letter operated like magic upon every
United States army cihcer to whom it was
presented. From that date, in the Cover
nor's language, The bars were down -
nnd he never afterwards experienced any
difficulty in procuring all the men needed to
keep his colored regiments up t, the maxi
mum standard OF enlisted mcn which the |
army regulations required.