Year: 1862

- --S" SEAAAuAig badb hileI6 Snail Dc no q
empuon from the performance of military dus


under this act, by reason OF any militia law I


me United States on account of color or lfneag,


that whenever the militia shall be called int
! The service, all loyal able-bodied male person
! shall be called into the defense of the eouutry


that when the militia shall be called into the se,
/ vice OF the United States under this or apv otbs
| law, the President shail have power 10 oroauiz


them into bsttaGons, regiments, brigade
ana DIVISIONS according to race or color as b,


may believe the public interest requires, anC


tnat the provisions OF the preceding section,
shall be construed so as to apply to and includ,


volunteers who may hereaf ter be called into IN,
service Of the United States; and all persons


who have been or may hereafter be enrolled in


the service of the United States shall receive the


same pay and ratlons as the snliiara 81


lowed by law, according to their respective


grsdes


Alr, Salisbury, (opp.) of Delaware, thought


that this attempt to elevate the miserable niggeI


and carry on the war in this way was never IN


tended by the people. 1t would not restore the


Mr.. Carlile, (Union) of Virginia, thought that


If negroes were not recognized as militia by the


Constitution Of the United States, or the State


constitutions, Congress had no right TO make


them militia.


Mr. King, (Rep) of New York, moved to
amend hr. Grimes amendment BY striking out
all but the provisions in regard 10 ratiOns, etc.


and insert two sections Cf the bill introduced by
him su.horizing the President to receive into
the service of the United States for the purpose
Of constructing intrenchments or ether camp
service or labor for which they are fitted persons
Of African descent, and such persons shall be
enrolled under proper regulations, su3 where
any man or boy Of the African race ereuders such
3erTice, his mother, wife and children, shall be
forever fTee, and appTOpriating ten millions Of
dollars to carry this into effect


Mr.. Salisbury thought that this vas only
general scheme Of emancipation.


Mr. Sherman (Republican), Of Ohio said the
question was whether the negroes should only
be employed to help the gebels The time had
arrived, in his (Mr. Shernans) judgment, when
the military officers Of the United States should
be compelled to call into the service al loyal
men to suppress the rebellion. Heretofore these
negroes had only worked for the rebels, doing
all the labOrs Of the camp for them He (Mr
Sherm2n) was for giving the President power to
cali into the service all the slaves Of tho rebels
He would not interfere with loyal men in loyal
States. This Union must be preserved. Rather
than It should be destroyed, lie would orgsuizs
great army of black mon and desOls.e every
Southern State. He was willing to pass CON
script act, If Necessary, and we mighs as well
draft negroes IS any enc else. We mad right
to call the negroes into the service OF the United
States


Mr.. Collsmer (Represeniatiye), of Vermont,
said that the reason the States had not called
negroes into the militia service was because the
laws of the United States confined the militia to
white men.


lr. Sherman contended that all the people of
the country, without distinction of color, wese
liable to be called into the service OF the country
if circumstances demanded it We must, to a
certain extent, follow the bad examples Of
the rebels, and infuse more energy into our mill
taEy movements. The rebels resort to sll sorts
Of sxpedieuts, and make the negroes work and
fight. When thEt is done, cannot We employ
negroes in useful service for usl They lang
Union men, but we must not talk of hanging
traitors. In such way we viii never end this
contest and he thought the time had come when
we should carry the whole force Of the g5vern-
ment in earnest and put down the rebellion.
Unless we do this we shall never succeed. We
cannot war against savages unless we become
part savages ourselves.


Mr. Fessenden, (Rep.) of Me.-This bid, sir,
IS thOughs to be an object of necessity, and is
designed, rs 1 understand it-and wemsy as we'll
tell the truth about it, for we have nothing to
conceal hereto meet any possible contingency
which may be supposed to arise from any diff
Guilty IN raising troops by an enlistment at Onee,
as soon as they may be required; and, therefore,
1t IS proposed to give the President power to call
out the militia, and TO call on all loyal persons,
without distinction of color, for such time as to
make their services available. That IS the posi-
tOn and, sir, am in favor Of this bill, if it is
thought advisable by the committee on military
affairs to pass it. don't know, sir, but it may
be necessary to 60 step further, and to provide
specifically for calling out men by drafting.
And l em ready TO do that lift is thought adYs-
able, 1t is not advisable at this moment; but, as
Congress is to adjourn very soon, understand
that by this bill it is proposed to meet any con
hngency that may arise during the adjournment
OF Congress, and as such 1 think it a wise and
precautionary measure. But, sir, it may be
worth while 10 inquire why this contingency is
possible, and we may as well look at the mat
ter in the face, 1t is because spprehensiOns are
entertained that there will not be that readiness
to enlist that there was heretofore, and amper-
fectly willing to state here that in my own State
there is not that readiness to enlist. There is
not that enthusiasm with regard to enlistment.
Have they lost any interest in the war Not
particle. Have they lost anything of that de-
termination which existed formerly TO do any
thing and everything which may be necessary
to put down this rebellion Not al all. Not in
any shape or form. But they do feel, sir, that
tho war must bo conducted upon some different
principles than those upon which it has been
conducted hitherto; that is to say, there should
not be, on the part of the military authorities of
the country that extreme tenderness and delicaey
toward men who have no tenderness to US ak
cept that of the wolf toward the lamb but they
should be met, If not in the same spirit, yet in
spirit able to resist and conquer thsm. Sir, our
soldiers do not like it, and they do not feel easy
when they are called upon, without any neces-
sity, to stand guard over the enemy's property
and protect it whila they are fighting against US,
and be shot doan by concealed traitors where
they are doing this. They do not feel that it is
just to them that they who have volunteered to
fight the battles Of their country should be en-
ployed to dig bitches aud throw up intrench
ments, exposed to all the miserable eonsequen-
ces of such a sort of life about the swsmps of
the ChickahOminy or elsewhere, while at the
same time there are numbers and abundance Of
men acclimated, who are ready to volunteer their
services to do the same work, aud thus save our
soldiers.


Now, sir, speak this as q truth which is well
understood, and the government of the United
States and the military authorities Of the United
States may as well understand thatit this policy
is to be followed and VIC are not to avail our
selves of men who are too ready to render all
these services out of tenderness 70 rebels and
traitors and murderers, that the people viii hesi-
tate to come forward until they know and feel
that they are no longer to be exposed to that
kind of life. Sir, why is it so why are we so
tender toward these traitors What makes
some gentlemen so sensitive the moment we
speak Of employing negroes and the slaves OF
rebels in the service Of the country Men who
profess to feel-and l am willing to believe do
feel the deepest interest in the salvation of the
country-why do they jump to their feet the
moment the idea is propagated that We are to
employ men who are ready and willing and able
to perform these services to cave the lives of
soldiers of their own and other States Whist
violation Of the principles Of warfare is pro-
posed Why should we not weaken the enemy
and attack him in his weakest point Do you
say we are proposing an abolition or emancips-
ton scheme Not at al. We are simply pro-
posing to use those means in the army which
are bast for u.s. and to use those best able to per-
form particular kind of service. Did anybody
ever hear of a nation that was at war with any
other country that would sacrifice the lives of