and some through inclination, joining his
standard; but that which renders the measure indispensable
is the negroes; for, if he gets formidable, numbers of them
will be tempted to join, who will be afraid to do it
without."

Notwithstanding this, the Southern States still kept the negro out of
the army. It was not until affairs became alarmingly dangerous, and a
few weeks before the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, that
the subject of arming the slaves came again before the people.

In May, 1777, the General Assembly of Connecticut postponed in one house
and rejected in the other the report of a committee "that the effective
negro and mulatto slaves be allowed to enlist with the Continental
battallions now raising in this State." But under a law passed at the
same session "white and black, bond and free, if 'able bodied,' went on
the roll together, accepted as the representatives of their 'class,' or
as substitutes for their employers." At the next session (October,
1777), the law was so amended as to authorize the selectmen of any town,
on the application of the master--after 'inquiry into the age,
abilities, circumstances, and character' of the servant or slave, and
being satisfied 'that it was likely to be consistent with his real
advantage, and that he would be able to support himself,'--to grant
liberty for his emancipation, and to discharge the master 'from any
charge or cost which may be occasioned by maintaining or supporting the
servant or slave made free as aforesaid.' Mr. J. H. Trumbull, of
Connecticut, in giving the foregoing facts, adds:

"The slave (or servant for term of years) might receive his
freedom; the master might receive exemption from draft, and
a discharge from future liabilities, to which he must
otherwise have been subjected. In point of fact, some
hundreds of blacks,--slaves and freemen,--were enlisted,
from time to time, in the regiments of State troops and of
the Connecticut line."

The British were determined, it seems, to utilize all the available
strength they could command, by enlisting negroes at the North as well
as at the South. They conceived the idea of forming regiments of them at
the North, as the letter of Gen. Greene to Gen. Washington will show:

"CAMP ON LONG ISLAND, July 21, 1776, two o'clock.

"SIR:--Colonel Hand reports seven large ships are coming up
from the Hook to the Na