Year: 1865

NEGRO TROOPS AT TIKI SOUTH


The memorial from the Legislature Of
Mississippi 10 tho President, asking the re-
moral OF Negro troops from that State, and the
similar request from Gov. Peirpoins for Virgin
In, probably express the unanimous feeling of
the late rebels Of the South. We may safely
assume TINT every Southern convention
will present such a memorial, unless informed
in advance thal 1t Is Of no rse- The question,
therefore, arises whether this demand Of the
late rebel portion of the South Is sensible and
shall be compiled with.


The Blnck troops having been mustered In
at late period of the war, while tue terms of
most Of the white troops would have expired
during the present summer, 1t was necessary
for the Government to leave the South With
out garrison, to garrison the South
mainly With black troops, OF to discharge
the black troops before their terms
had expired, and raise a new army
of white troops for the purpose.
The rebels arc indebted TO their own
conduct since Lees surrender, for the fact
that any troops whatever have been found
necessary at the South. Asst is, the evidence
Is abundant that more rather than fewer
troops than we now hare are needed. Outside
the shadow Of our flag, and the sound Of the
provost ma.shaa's voice, negroes are still mur.
dc7ed and freedmen enslayed, in defiance Of
tic authority Of the Government and Of the
laws Of God. Emancipation and the p~otec.
tiou OF The freedmen still depends on tue Fed
cra1 bay0ncL Since the late rebels compel
us to Keep soldiers among them shall they
designate wha4 Kind Of soldiers we shall keep.


Uthcy CEN prove that the black troops arc
not able or willing to do the lighting necessary
10 fulfill 1he functions for which they were
cent there, that would form valid objection to
their presence. Bnt this Is moi their grievance.
They object to black troops because of tie
clict on their black freed population. A
regiment OF uniformed black men Is a living
gospel Of political right to tho black race
around them. The very sight Of them causes
the black man to feel that he las or ought 10
have equal rights 10 life, liberty aud the pur
suit Of happiness with the white II this is
the shareholders objection, and We think it is
tl,cn instead Of removing the black rcgi
mcnts, double the number OF them Immediate
II. We want the black man at the South to
stand up f:nrlessly in his God-eivcn freedom,
and by all peaceful means 10 claim political
equality, and by nil means to defend himself
when assailed. II the presence Of negro
troops lends my additional confidence to the
timid and long suffering slave, TO maintain
Lis freedom and protect Lis rights We arc glad
OF it. By all means they must stay thcre-be
increased and new armies of them, IT need be,
recruited I'LL every slave in the South hes
elouldercd q muskct.


To withdraw Tie colored troops Is to dis
band them, Us We nave no Use for them else
where. And to dIsband them md raise an-
Other army, is at once to rob the labor market
Of white labor which We need, and burden It
with black labor nj a time when the supply
OF black labor already on the market Is In
excess Of the demand.


We Lave dwct On this topic less to argue it,
than TO show how prcposterous the demand
tie late rebels are capable Of making. They
claim Of course, that the presence Of legro
troops causes the negroes TO be impulcut.
One r1,le will dissiEate MI these charges of
impudcncc against the negro. 1t is this. No
thing Is impndent when said by negro to a
wlilc man, which Is not equally impudent
when said by white man to negro, ard no
white man is justified In saying TO negro
what lie would not be justified in saying to
white man. Viewed By tlls Standard Of con-
struction, ne believe it would be found that
the negroes Of the South very nearly monopo-
lized the politeness Of that section Of the
country.