Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-08-05
DAILY posT-INTEllIcfNCER


the COlORED TRosPs.
From almost the beginning OF tne
war Of the rebellion slaves were oiliiz
-, ,b. Conf, derates in the held I'D
forts and fixed camps. They were n'
,aon,s,,x enlisted, but we're compelled
90 40 nolice duty. cooking, hospital ana
orderly duty, thus replacing white sol
d;srs VII did the fighting. They we're
employed in building forts throwing
nm sarthvorks, as teamsters, IN Snort ~
ALI positions in and about an ac'i'e
80, ave only those Of officers ana
.,rd;sr, That they would have been
or.,nized as troops but for their x lo~n
synpathy with their liberators' tse
Union army. is hardly to be qaes'isnsd-
sso,smbsr q. 1852, President Lincoln
famed the emancipation proclamation
IN take Eject ON New Years day, 1850
in which the enrolment Of freedmen
into the army Of the United States wa
o,thorizsd. Il was followed by tue
speedy enlistment of large numbers o.
colsred men. Boards we're estaoisneo
for examination of officers ana soioiefS
from white reeimeuts, who, having been
declared duly on lifted were pro'nosed'
commissioned aud assigned 10 the com
mand of the new colored regiments.
During the year 1853 over loo.OVo col
ored men we're ihas enrolled. ofiicereo
and half the number placed in active
ssrv;cs. That 1.-The colored troops
foueht nobly is matter OF history.
This action OF the United States Gov
erument was the signal for howl OF
race from every copperhsad at the
North and threats of bloody retaliation
M the South. Among the most blatant
howlers at that time against the enlist
ment of oolored soldiers was Thomas A.
Hendricks, Of Indiana. He fosmed NJ
the mouth with rage at the ASSUMED IN
dignity. and in a pubic speech used
this language The browning act Of
Injustice has been completed. They
have passed bill in the House OF Hep
resen,atives to arm an army OF negroes.
Every man who votes for that bill, ana
the President, when he shall have sigh
ed IL. will have offered direct insult TO
every white man and woman In the
Uniled States-an insult thai every
proud man will resent. Congress viii
not meet until next December, and un-
ill that time the Government Will oe
under the control of the abolitionists
IL NAV be that events will settle TIE
question before that time. II 1t eots
on a little longer as il has since the
President issued his proclamation. 1t II
going against us. do rot know wheth-
or that proclamation In going to be taken
back or not am going to vote to take
Il back the first opportunity l get
[Cbeers. II was wicked thiEg 10
have issued"
At the South. rage at these enlist
ments eliminated in nameless atroci'
ties, perpetrated upon colored prisoners
when captured. They were butchered
without mercy, and the slaughter was
not confined TO the oolored troops, but
their white officers shared the same
fate. So bsrbsrously we're the wounded
and c1lored prisoners treated during the
first few months following their orRani
zation and employment as soldiers that
on July 30, 1868, the President IVES
forced to threaten reprisal in kind
This he did by issuing an order, direct
ing that for every soldier of the United
States killed in violation OF the laws OF
war rebel soldier shall be executed
and for every one enslaved by the enc
my, or sold into slavery, rebel soldier
shsll be placed az hard labor ON the
public works." No rebel was .xscut. d
under the order, but numbers were put
al work, and this had the effect of gain
ing for colored troops and their officers
who were unfortun ,trly captured. the
treatment accorded white prisoners Of
war.
The coiored troops mustered into the
United States service during the war
numbered 10000. They were not as
signedAs State troops, although credit
ed upon the quotas of States whence
..s.lsafaI b.,s IN. a
United States coloFed volunteers. =
They made COED soldiers, were easily
drilled, we'll disciplined, good fighters,
and there is many living Union SOL
der today who is fervently grateful to
the immortal Lincoln and Republican
Congress for authorizing and directing
the interrogation Of colored regiment
between himself and the rebel batter
les and troops. II is useful occasionally
to revert to these matters of history.
Especially Is this the case when promi-
nent actors are now o.ndid ltes for the
SURFACES OF the Americ.n people. Tue
man Who said the employment of col
ored troops was an "insult that every
proud man will resent" would not ave
Jared well had he said il in the trencte Is
before Petersburg In 1864. There are
thousands Of soldiers all over the Ia, d
who will not forget how Tom. Hen
dricks talked and acted when they we're
sore distressed AID eager TO welcome
aid from any quarter. and there h not a
colored man in the Nation, Who knows
the facts above rscited. who will vote to
put such man in office.
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