The National tribune., 1891-04-30
LIE NEGRo las A REnEL soLDIER.

THE NEGRO As A REBEL SOLDIER.
One of the gushers who are trying, at the
expense Of truth, TO make i. L. Lee an in
tellectual and military demi-god, writes:
AT The outset Of the war Gen. Lee said: A" 1 see
that the North is utilizing the negro a soldier. ]
wish Ma. Davis would see The advantage Of our
doing the same thing. We could get more negroes
than they can, aud the negro j. peculiarly amena-
BILE TO discipline, aud would make a capital sol
der
In the first place the North" that is, the
Government, did not try Ito utilize the
negro as soldier" at Z" the outset Of the
war" Such thing at that time would
have provoked the widest opposition. 1t
was fully two years after the Outset" OF
the war, when we had learned many things
under the ierule of that cruel schoolmaster,
War, that we began crippling the rebellion
and helping ourselves by making negroes
into soldiers.
The best reply to this claim for Lee is a
letter written by J. p. Benjamin, the rebel
Secretary of State, and reproduced in an
article in The Century by Hon. John Bige-
low. Benjamin. Jew-was an able, clear
headed lawyer, and saw things in their
practical, everyday light, as his letter
shows. His cold, hard sense makes the
proposition appear laughabe:
DEPARTMENT or STATE. I
RICHMOND, Aug. u, 1865.
I BENJANIN II. MICoN, ESQ, Tallahassee, Fla.
4 DEAR SIR: I have received aud carefully read
your letter Of 10Th inst IL is a subject which has
awakened attention la several quarter, lately, aud
which Is a an Importance too great TO admit 81 ii-
proper treatment within the limits of letter, nor
have ! Al this moment the lime necessary Tor dis
4 Guessing it at length. With many and obvious ad-
rauaEes, such you suggest Ia your letter, there
very grave practical difficulties ia The execution
! Of ans general scheme OF employing negro saves
/ in the army.
You know. Of course. In the FIRST place, that thC
President has authority initiate such scheme
4 tina, Il must be devised md malured by Congress
Whether Congress would advise u know noi, but
/ lct me suggest hastily few Of thc difficulties.
]. Slaves are property; IL taken for public scrv'
ice, they must be paid for. Al present rates eHci
regiment Of 1900 slaves would cost s10f0013 ~ thS
very least, besides their outfit, aud the Govern
/ mcnt would become "A vast STAKEHOLDER, aud mus
either sell the slaves after the war, which would
be a most odious proceeding after they bad aided
us Ia gaining liberties, must free them, L
! The great delrimont Of the country.
? " Instead II buying, ihc Government hir,
them. ID would stand insurer for their return {,
their owners. il would be forced 10 pay hire III
Them besides their outfit and ralions; aud IL wunl,
have 90 pay hire according 10 tie value 81 the
services GA fair estimate. Now negro men com
maud readily 10 month nll through Virginia
How could we possibly afford such "a price. an,
what would be the effect GA the poorer classes O
whites 80 The army, IL informed that negroes wer
paid SEQ a month, while the white nau receive
only slI?
The collection aud banding together 81 negr
men iu bodies, il the immediate neighburhool a
the eucmy's forces. is al experiment OF which lh
results are FAR from certain. The facility wLid
would thus De- afforded for their dczertun la mas
might prove too severe attest for their fidelity hc
czpo-cd t. Tie arts 81 designing cmissaries 81 ID
enemy. who would be sure 10 lind means OF com
muuicaiing viii them.
l. D. j. far from certain that tie male slave popu
lalion Is not doing just a. valuable aud importau
service now as thcy could DO IN the army. A Hl
ton cannot Nisi w.thoui labor IN the field, Ga "a
WORKSHOP on tiie t4ilfUnhs Tie canal, iir highway
AID tlIe mandatory. Ia coal aud iron mines b
loYudries auB on foriiGcHtiuus, we could empio
The total male slave population that could Pos-ibl
Zee spared from the production al supplies Tor -ul
-i.teuce. This j. the appropriate field for Hegr
labor, 10 which they habiuaied, aud whic
appears al first sight to be altogether less liable
oi jeauu than TO initiate our enemies by usiu
ihem iu military organizations.
have not thoroughly stldied The subject. bI
throw out these suggestions as food FOR though
although they have probably been considered d
YOU already. On one point. however. think "A
must agree, and that j., the absolute necessity
Withdrawing nil male slaves from any district
country exposed 60 the approach u Hu euen.
This IL military precnution which Commando
boo iIc Geld may lawfully take. and 10 which shn
, invoke tie attention Of thc proper department.
Far from decining your letter intrusive or "a
proper, zee iu IL nothing bat Hn evidence 81 n
iriotism and desire 10 serve your country, but
course : required no proof that you could not {
: terrain any other sentiments.
p Very truly aud respectfully, clc.
j. j.. BENJAMIN.