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1 John Sherman, Slaves and Slavery: How Affected by the War 1 (1862)

handle is hein.slavery/sshaw0001 and id is 1 raw text is: SLAVES AND SLAVERY: HOW AFFECTED BY THE WAR. R E MARKS OF, -HO. J'OHN SHERMAN, OF OHIO, IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES, APRIL 2, 1862. The Senate having under consideration thI of Columbia. It is proposed to emancipate the following joint resolution- slaves of this District. Two years ago, when Resolml, That the United tates ought to co-operate with the census was taken, there were 11,107 free any State which may adopt gradual abolishmentof slavery, giving to such Slate pecuniaryald, to be used by suchState negroes, 3,181 slaves, and 60,788 white people in its discretion, to compensate for the inconveniences, pub- lic and private, produced by such change of system- Mr. SHERMAN said: by very credible authority that the number Mr.PRESIDET:of free negroes has been increased to something it my duty to discuss any of the pending pro- fte tesasdse of the positions relating to, slaves or slavery. It is a difficult question, the bane of American Army; some of them belonging to that class of politics, the most troublesome subject that has persons known as contrabands, running ever excited the attention of Congress. The away'from disloyal masters in Virginia and war has thrown upon us the necessity of passing Maryland, seeking safety in our lines, and find a variety of bills of the most important charac- ing employment in this District, and probably ter, the details of which it was necessary t some coming here for temporary employment; careiffy cnsier.I hae deme itmy utyso that the number of free negroes now in this carefully consider. I have deemed it my dutyDitctsabufienthsnd to pay attention, so far as I could, to the details of those measures, avoiding all political discus- I am also informed by equally credible an- sion. But, sir, I am called upon to vote; and thority that the number of the slaves in the representing a constituency of two millions and District now is less than fifteen hundred. a half of people, who have deep and abiding Many of the most healthy, active, valuable convictions upon the subject of slavery and its slaves were removed by their masters before relations to the General Government, I probably the difficulties occurred; some have been re- should not do my duty to them, did I not movedsince. Many of those hired hereby mas- improve a proper occasion to express my views, ters living in Virginia andMarylan& have been and, so far as I know, the views of the great body taken away, and have either gone South or re- of the people of Ohio. I shall therefore take turned to their homes. The ntmber of slaves this occasion to state, as briefly and as distinct- in this District probably does not now exceed ly as I can, my opinions upon the several prop- fifteen hundred, and may not be over one thou- ositions pending in this body on the subject of sand. It is apparent, therefore, that this ques- slaves and slavery. They are so intimately tion is an unimportant one, if we look only to connected together that I may as well discuss the number of persons affected by it. To add the whole in discussing one. one thousand to the number Of free negroes in SLAERYthis District is a matter of very small impor sL~vRY N DSTRCT 7 CLUMIA. tance; and, to take from the owners of these one The first practical question that comes be- thousand negroes their property, is also a mat- flre us is the question of slavery in the District ter of less importance, as the bill provides

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