George, about Hunter.. that oiece you quote is his argument Hunter was giving against the original proposition, meaning the propsed bill as it was in an earlier version, before revision, amendments etc. The quote you emphasized is not his criticism of a done deal, or the final version that was passed.

Hunter keeps talking about what is being proposed, not passed.

At the bottom of the page you see this:

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EVENING SESSION
After recess the Senate met at half-past seven o'clock, P. M., and resumed consideration of the negro soldier bill.
Mr. Oldham spoke in advocacy of the policy of arming the slaves.
After further debate the Senate adjourned, without taking a vote on the bill.

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So they did not even take a vote on this particular draft version of the bill. Hunter and others are the ones whose strong objects managed to get the parts stricken from the bill that would permit a draft, and the parts that would have guaranteed emancipation to any slave turned soldier.

Please read Lee's letter to Hunter that I posted under LEE's VIEW. Lee really spells it out to Hunter why he thinks emancipation must be a guarantee. Lee even wants the soldier slave to be promised if he is killed in the line of duty his wife and children would be freed.

Hunter vehemently opposed Lee's plan, despite Lee's personal appeal to him, and the bill that did finally pass, did not contain any of the provisions that Hunter found so horrific, and even then it barely passed.