Duke University Libraries 
 
 Mr. Rogers' min 
 Conf Pam #286 
 
 DTTDE33E1T 
 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Feb. 15, 1865.— Order- 
 ed to be printed. 
 
 MR. ROGERS' MINORITY REPORT. 
 
 Resolved^ As the sense of this House, that if pi'oper and effi- 
 cient means be resorted to, to bring back to the army absentees 
 and deserters, and the exemption laws be so modified as to 
 place in the miUtary service the many thousands of able bodied 
 young men, exempt under existing laws, but whose places at 
 home may be supplied by those exempt from physical causes 
 or from age, there is nothing in the present aspect of our mili- 
 tary affairs to justif\' the hazardous experiment of placing slaves 
 in our armies as soldiers, 
 
 Resolved 2d. That as a dernier resort, should it become ap- 
 parent that the material for soldiers of our white population 
 has iDcen exhausted, and our armies inadequate to meet and 
 repel the enemy, we will not hesitate to resort to the use of 
 slaves in our armies, in any capacity in which they may be 
 made serviceable. 
 
 Resolved Sd. That the doctrine of emancipation as a reward 
 for the services of slaves employed in the army, is antagonis- 
 tic to the spint of our institutions, and could effect no perma- 
 nent good, but would inevitably entail upon the country great 
 present and greater future evil. 
 
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