The Washington herald., 1906-12-20

New Orleans. The district attorneys let
ter reCites several cases in which white
United States soldiers. being arrested for
crime, were tried, and every soldier and
employe u the regiment. or in the fort at
which the soldier was stationed, volun-
Ieered all they knew. both before and at
the trial, so as to secure justice
In one case the soldier was acquitted.
In another case the soldier was convicted
of murder.
During the civil war numerous prece-
dents for the action taken by me Oc-
CURED in the shape of the summary dis
charge of regiments or companies be
/ cause Of misconduct on the part Of some
or all of their members.
The Slxtieth Ohio was summarily dis
charged, on the ground that the regiment
was disorganized. mutinous. and worth
less
The Eleventh New York was dis
charged by reason Of general demOraliza-
ton and numerous assertions.
Three companies of the Fifth Missouri
Cavalry and one company Of the Fourth
Missouri Cavalry were mustered out Of
the service OF the United States without
trial by court-martial by reason OF mu-
tinous conduct and disanectiOn of the na-
jority Of the members of these companies
/ tan almost exact parallel to my aCtiOn).
Another Missouri regiment was mus
! tered out of service because il was in a
state bordering closely on mutiuy.
Other examples. including New Jersey.
I Maryland and other organizations, are
given In the inclosed papers
Whnt Grant Did,
/ I call your attention 20 the special field
order Of Brig Gen. L. 6. Grant issued
/ from the headquarters of the Thirteenth
/ Army Corps on November l6. 1852, in refer
ence to the Twentieth Illinois. Members
/ Of this regiment had broken into store
/ and taken goods TO the value Of some
lS.24e. and the rest Of the regiment in
/ GLIDING especially two officers, failed, in
the words of Gen. Grant, to exercise
their authority to ferret out the men gull
/ ty Of the ofenses" Gen. Grant accord
ingIy mustered out Of the service Of the
United States the TWO officers in question.
/ and assessed the sum Of 81 40 against the
said regiment as a whole. officers and men
to be assessed pro rata on their pay.
In its essence this action is precisely
similar to that ] have taken.
] Fx-Corporal Hesse recites what oc-
/ CURED in United States regular regi-
ment in the spring of 1850 Corporal
/ Hesse subsequently, when the regiment
was surrendered to the Confederates by
/ Gen. Twiggs, saved the regimental colors
by wrapping them about his body, under
! his clothing, and brought them North
! IN safety. receiving a medal of honor for
/ his action)
It appears that certain members of the
/ regiment lyncEed a barkeeDer who had
/ killed one of their soldiers Being IN
%.
/ +. Lee. then in command OF the Depart
ment of Texas, ordered the company tc
be disbanded and the members trans
/ ferred to other companies and discharged
I at the end Of their enlistment. without
honor Owing to the outbreak of the
/ civil war, and the consequent loss OF
I records and confusion, il IS not possible
to say what finally became Of this case.
When Gen. Lee was in command of the
| Army Of Northern Virginia he issued al
order in October. 1864, disbanding a GER
tain battalion for cowardly conduct.
The official record shows that durine
the fiscal year ending June 50 last sucf
discharges were issued by the War De
partment without trial by court-martia
I in the case of 352 enlisted men Of tbs
regular army, IS Of them being on &C
count Of having become disqualified fol
service through own misconduct"
Discusses Race Question.
I wish to say something from thu
standpoint Of the race question. In my
message at the opening Of the Congress!
I discussed the matter of lynehing. Il
It I gave utterance to the abhorrenc,
which all decent citizens should feel fol
the deeds of the men Gin almost all cases
white mem who take part in lynchings
and at the same time I condemned, a!
all decent men Of any color should con
denim. the action OF those colored meI
who actively or passively shield the col
Ored criminal from the law.
In the case of these companies we hav,
to deal with men who in the first plac'
were guilty Of what was practically tn
worst possible form of lynching.
It is of the utmost Importance to al
our people that we shall deal with eacl
man on his merits as a man. and no
deal with him merely as a member of
given race; that we shall judge eacl
man by his conduct and not his color
This is important for the white man. anC
it is far more important for the colore,
man.
More evil and sinister counsel neve
was given TO any people than that givel
10 colored men by those advisers, wheth
er black or white, who, by apology an,
conformation. encourage conduct such a
that Of the three companies in question