REMARKS IN THE SENATE, ON A MILITARY ORDER IN MISSOURI, DECEMBER 4,
1861.
The first regular session of Congress, after the breaking out
of the Rebellion, opened on Monday, December 2, 1861. Mr.
Sumner renewed at once his movement against Slavery.
December 4th he submitted the following resolution, as a mode
of calling attention to an abuse, and of obtaining a hearing
while he exposed it.
“_Resolved_, That the Secretary of War be requested to
furnish to the Senate copies of any General Orders in
the military department of Missouri relating to fugitive
slaves.”
On this he spoke briefly.
MR. PRESIDENT,--My attention has been called, by letter from St. Louis,
to certain General Orders purporting to be by Major-General Halleck,
in command of the Department of Missouri, relating to fugitive slaves,
wherein it is directed that such persons shall not be received within
his camps, or within the lines of his forces when on march, and that
any such persons now within such lines shall be thrust out; and the
reason strangely assigned for this order is, that such fugitive slaves
will carry information to the Rebels.
It is difficult to speak of an order like this, and keep within bounds.
Beside being irrational and inhuman on its face, it practically
authorizes the surrender of fugitive slaves beyond any constitutional
obligation. Such an order must naturally be disheartening to our
soldiers, and it gives a bad name to our country, both at home and
abroad.
General Halleck is reported to be a good tactician; but an act like
this, with which he chooses to inaugurate his command, does not give
assurance of great success hereafter. He may be expert in details of
military science; but something more is needed now. Common sympathy,
common humanity, and common sense must prevail in the conduct of this
war. I take the liberty of saying--and I wish that my words may reach
his distant head-quarters--that every fugitive slave he surrenders will
hereafter rise in judgment against him with a shame which no possible
victory can remove.
A letter from St. Louis, written the day after these remarks,
shows the necessity for them, and also how promptly they
reached Missouri, thanks to the telegraph.
“We thank you most kindly for your motion yesterday, and
I beg to inclose you some extracts which will show you
the workings of that unfortunate Order No. 3. The slaves
advertised, in some instances, to my own knowledge, belong
to Secessionists in Price’s army. For that matter, they may
all belong to that class of people. Is it not an inhuman
act for these poor people to be made outlaws for no crime,
only that they refused to join their traitor masters in
onslaught on our beneficent Government?”