ndent of their
whims or wishes. The injustice to the Negro officer does not lie in
his being mustered out of the volunteer service, but in the failure to
provide for a recognition of his valor in the nation's permanent
military establishment.

The departure of the colored man from the volunteer service was the
consequent disappearance of the colored military officer, with the
single exception of Lieutenant Charles Young of the Regular Cavalry,
had a very depressing effect upon the colored people at large, and
called forth from their press and their associations most earnest
protests. With a few exceptions, these protests were encouched in
respectful language toward the President and his advisers, but the
grounds upon which they were based were so fair and just, that
right-thinking men could not avoid their force. The following
resolution, passed by the National Afro-American Council, may be taken
as representative of the best form of such remonstrance:

"_Resolved_, That we are heartily grieved that the President
of the United States and those in authority have not from
time to time used their high station to voice the best
conscience of the nation in regard to mob violence and fair
treatment of justly deserving men. It is not right that
American citizens should be despoiled of life and liberty
while the nation looks silently on; or that soldiers who,
with conspicuous bravery, offer their lives for the country,
should have their promotion result in practical dismissal
from the army."

The nation graciously heeded the call of justice and in the
re-organization of the volunteer army provided for two colored
regiments, of which all the company officers should be colored men.
Under this arrangement many of the black heroes of Santiago were
recalled from the ranks and again restored to the positions they had
won. Thus did the nation in part remedy the evil which came in
consequence of the discharge of the volunteers, and prove its
willingness to do right. Triumphantly did the Administration vindicate
itself in the eyes of good people, and again did it place its
withering disapproval upon the conduct of those who were ready to
shout their applause over the worthy black officer's accidental
humiliation. The Negro officer disappeared from the United States'
Regiments as a Lieutenant only; but he returns to the same, or rather,
to a higher grade of the same form of regiments