[452] great wrong was to be attempted against the people in their homes, were to manifest resentment by retaliation of such a severe kind as to arrest at once the insurrectionary design. The most violent advocated the raising of the black flag and the discontinuance of all the courtesies of war, as soon as this attempt to employ the negroes against the people of the South should be put into execution. The majority, however, counseled moderation in view of the faith that the negroes would not be seduced in any great numbers to accept this method of securing their freedom. The resolution of Mr. Semmes was therefore referred to the judiciary committee which recommended the passage of a bill reciting in preamble the rights of the States to withdraw from the United States, denouncing the war of subjugation, and the manner in which it had been conducted, especially in the ‘war power’ acts of confiscation, banishment, imprisonment, burning of dwellings, organization of slaves by military officers, blockading harbors with stone instead of ships, besides many other acts therein enumerated, concluding with the declaration that it is the evident purpose of emancipation by military force to excite servile insurrection, and that justice and humanity required the government to endeavor to repress the lawless practices and designs of the enemy, by inflicting severe retribution. The bill proposed to treat as felons officers of the Federal army who shall command, arm, organize or prepare negroes for military service; also all such officers who incite slaves to rebellion, or induce them to abscond under the acts of the United States Congress and proclamation of the President of the United States, providing that every such person when captured shall be tried by such military courts as the President shall direct; the President also being empowered to commute the punishment or pardon unconditionally or on such terms as he may see fit.
This bill reported by the committee, although guarded
