CHAPTER XV.

PAY OF COLORED SOLDIERS.

MR. WILSON'S BILL.- MR. GRIMES'S AMENDMENT.-MR. WILSON'S JOINT RESOLUTION. MR. CONNESS'S AMENDMENT. — REMARKS OF MR. FESSENDEN. - MR. WILSON. MR. FOSTER. MR. SUMNER. MR. JOHNSON. MR. GRIMES. MR. HOWE. MR. WILSON. MR. GRIMES. MR. COWAN'S AMENDMENT.-MR. SUMNER'S AMENDMENT. — MR. WILSON'S AMENDMENT. — MR. DOOLITTLE'S AMENDMENT. — MR. SUMNER'S AMENDMENT TO MR. COWAN'S AMENDMENT. — MR. WILSON'S AMENDMENT.— REMARKS OF MR. CLARK.-MR. DAVIS'S AMENDMENT.-MR. COLLAMER'S AMENDMENT. — REMARKS OF MR. FOOT. — MR. SUMNER'S AMENDMENT. REMARKS OF MR. WILKINSON. MR. WILSON. MR. HOWARD. -MR. JOHNSON. MR. FESSENDEN. MR. WILSON'S BILL. -- MR. DAVIS'S AMENDMENT. - PASSAGE OF THE BILL.MR. WILSON'S AMENDMENT TO THE ARMY APPROPRIATION BILL. MR. STEVENS'S AMENDMENT. REMARKS OF MR. HOLMAN. MR. PRICE. — MR. HOLMAN'S AMENDMENT.― CONFERENCE COMMITTEES. REPORT ACCEPTED.

N the Senate, on the 8th of January, 1864, Mr.

8th a

to promote enlistments. It was read twice, referred to the Committee on Military Affairs, and reported back on the 18th with amendments. On the 21st, the

Senate, on motion of Mr. Wilson, proceeded to its consideration. The second section provided that all persons of African descent, who have been or may be mustered into the military service of the United States, shall receive the same uniform, clothing, arms, equipments, camp-equipage, rations, medical and hospital attendance, pay and emoluments, as other soldiers of the regular or volunteer forces of the like arm of the service; and that

every such person hereafter mustered into service shall receive two months' pay in advance. Mr. Grimes asked if bounties were given to colored soldiers by the bill. Mr. Wilson replied, that bounties were not given, but that two months' pay in advance was given. Mr. Pomeroy (Rep.) of Kansas desired to know if there was any law allowing the master of a slave compensation for the services of the slave. Mr. Wilson replied, that there was no law authorizing the War Department to allow compensation for slaves, other than the general authority to use the commutation-money to obtain substitutes.

On the 27th of January, on motion of Mr. Wilson, the Senate took up the bill to promote enlistments; and Mr. Grimes moved to amend the second section by striking out the words, "two months' pay in advance,” and inserting, "such sums in bounty as the President shall order, in different States, and parts of States, not exceeding a hundred dollars; " and the amendment was agreed to.

On the 3d of February, Mr. Wilson, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported a joint resolution to equalize the pay of colored soldiers. It provided that all persons of color, who have been or may be mustered into the military service of the United States, shall receive the same uniform, clothing, arms, equipments, camp-equipage, rations, medical and hospital attendance, pay and emoluments other than bounty, as other soldiers of the regular or volunteer forces of the United States of like arm of service, during the whole term in which they shall be or shall have been in such service; and every person of color who shall hereafter be mustered

to the service is to receive such sums in bounty as the resident shall order, in the different States and parts the United States, not exceeding a hundred dollars. he Senate, on the 4th, proceeded to the consideration f the joint resolution. Mr. Fessenden (Rep.) of Laine wished" to inquire what propriety there is in our oing back, and paying them this increase for services lready rendered." Mr. Wilson thought, "as an act of ustice, the bill should be retrospective. Gross injusice has been done towards these men, and it ought to De corrected." Mr. Ten Eyck (Rep.) of New Jersey hought "the withholding of the full pay to men who were led to believe they would receive the same pay as other soldiers has occasioned great dissatisfaction, not only in the minds of those troops, but of all their friends at home." Mr. Lane (Rep.) of Kansas hoped "the joint resolution would be retrospective." Mr. Fessenden was in favor, and had ever been in favor, of putting colored soldiers on a level with white ones; but he was opposed to paying men for services already rendered, unless the men were promised full pay by orders emanating from the War Department. Mr. Conness (Union) from California moved to strike out the words, during the whole time in which they shall be or shall have been in such service," and insert, "from and after the passage of this act." Mr. Lane hoped the amendment would not be adopted: "The senator from California should not attempt to perpetrate such an outrage upon a gallant regiment of his State." Mr. Conness was in favor of equality of compensation in the future; but "neither the condition of the treasury, nor the public credit, can afford these acts of justice,' as they

are termed." Mr. Pomeroy (Rep.) of Kansas thought we should give colored soldiers the precise pay, and place them in precisely the same position, as white soldiers. Mr. Doolittle (Rep.) of Wisconsin said, "If the Government has in good faith made a promise to soldiers who have enlisted in any particular regiment, whether in Massachusetts or anywhere else, that promise ought to be kept." He thought there were differences in the condition of colored troops in the States. In the Northern States, they were in the same condition as the white soldiers; but, in the Southern States, the Government was doing much to support their wives and children, and some account should be made of this expenditure. "I wish," said Mr. Sumner, "to see our colored troops treated like white troops in every respect. But I would not press this first principle by any retro-active proposition, unless where the faith of the Government is committed; and there I would not hesi

tate.

The treasury can bear any additional burden better than the country can bear to do an injustice." On the 10th, the Senate resumed the consideration of the joint resolution equalizing the pay of soldiers. Mr. Foster (Rep.) thought, "If it is just to do this, it is certainly expedient; for justice is always the highest expediency." He thought justice required that we carry out the pledges of the Government or of public officers; but justice especially requires it when we consider that we are dealing with men, a great portion of whom, as I have suggested, were never taught to read, and never could, therefore, know what the written law of the country was." Mr. Sumner quoted the order of the Secretary of War to Governor Andrew of Massachusetts,

and maintained that it was issued under the law of 1861, not the act of 1862. Mr. Fessenden could not concur in Mr. Sumner's construction of the act of 1862.

Mr. Lane (Rep.) of Indiana thought, "If we place colored troops hereafter on an equality with the white troops, it is surely as much as they can ask, either from the justice or the generosity of this Senate; for no man in his sober senses will say that their services are worth as much, or that they are as good soldiers." Mr. Wilson said, "A colonel of a colored regiment stated to me, the other night, that his regiment made a march of fortythree miles in the late expedition to North Carolina, without one straggler; that he had seen but one case of drunkenness in his regiment for six months. All the testimony of our officers who took these troops with prejudices against them goes to show that they are industrious; that they are obedient; that they are deferential in their manners; that they make the best kind of scouts; that they know the country well; that they are performing their duty with a zeal and an earnestness unsurpassed. There is a reason for this. Take a colored man who has been degraded by popular prejudice, or by law, or in any other way, put the uniform of the United States upon him, and let him follow the flag of the country, and he feels proud and elevated. They are fighting for the elevation of their race, as well as for our country and our cause, and for the emancipation of their race; and well may they perform that duty." Mr. Sumner said, "I hope the senator from Indiana will pardon me if I refer to him for one minute. He is so uniformly generous and just, that I was the more surprised when I listened to his remarks just now. I