The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1862-08-09
WHAT A FIGHTING NAN SAYS.

zen. Lew. wallace, the gallant lndlanlan,
one of our fighting generals, was at Wash
ington last week, and was called on. on
Wednesday evening for a speech. In the
course of his remarks, he considered some
questions of great public interest at this
| time, from the stand point of soldier.
Here is an extract or two:
WHAT TO DO WITH THE NEGROES.
Ispeak not as politician, but as s sol
dier. Applause. was at the Senate Cham
Der to-day. They were discussing the poll
! cy of the war. The question in agitation
was, or what at least seemed to bea paramount
question. "Should the negro be used or
not?" [Cries of eyes" eyes" and NO.
'no."] Well. find my audience precisely
as found the Senate. Laughter and ap-
plause. Some said eyes," and some said
''no'-just as you are saying. Laughter.
A voice-"Will you give US soldiers opin-
ion ?" Yes, let me speak about that as a
soldier Good not as politician. 'Don't
want any politicians."] He aOould be a poor
soldier in my opinion, s0ho aOouid fail to use
everg element Of Var which God almighty
gave him, if he could use it to his advantage.
| Prolonged and enthusiastic cheering /
think you concur with me in that at least.
Cries of Certainly We do" Every SEN
sible man will" Now, then, if we find the
negro before US. or around US, as we advance,
planted there by some Observation-Disclosures
may have had a great deal to do with it
and we can find his services available, would
not that General be crazy man who would
refuse to use them? "Most assuredly,"
and applause. So it seems to me, and my
position may be plainly stated upon that.
If by the services of negro can make
| -
of band of negroes can relieve them of
onerous duties and hard work; if can make
them available TO dig my trenches "That's
right" shall not do it? Cries of Eyes,
yes" Loud applause. Yes. and I will do
it. Vociferous cheering. A voice-"Sol.
diers will follow you to the death for that"
Another voice--"Put no arms in their
hands" Several voices--"Oh yes, as many
about that. Cries of "All right now;
the services of negro, and he works well
and faithfully, fed by US, clothed by US,
and he stands by my gallant regiment, re-
lieving them of the hard duties have men
toned, would it be human, would it not be
cruel, to put him into the army, in the way
of shot, and yet give him nothing with which
TO defend himself? TCries of "That's so"
and loud and continued cheering.J Ny fell
low citizens, speak as soldier all the time,
recollect. I am not viewing this matter in
its political aspect. for I have as much pref
udice against the negro politically, and am as
much opposed to slavery agitation as any of
you can be. Yet where he can be made
available, let US make him so. Then what
shall we do with him =? A voice--"Place
him in the rear" "No, put him to the front" "
| (Applause.) A voice-'In the ditch. -
Stop one moment; there is policy in war as
as in politics. One thing is very certain:
nothing is to be so carefully guarded against
as the preiudices of the soldiers, and un-
less it was some desperate occasion, some
last resort, when even soldiers would be
grateful for their assistance, would not
propose to put him in the line of battle to
the front. That's the true doctrine" and
applause. But to every brigade I would
have a regiment of working negroes--to
every company would have fair compile
ment of cooks. Applause. 1 would feed
them, would organize them, and to each
one who did good service, would at the end
of the war, give him or her freedom. I'm
mense cheering.
HOW SLAVE LABOR sUsTAINs THE REBELLION.
The common impression has been that
this was war in which we had all the ad-
vantages. Now, then, listen to my practi-
cal experience. l tell you it has not been
such war of inequality In our favor as
many suppose. have visited plantations
in the course of marches. I have asked,
Where is the man of the house He is in the
army I have looked AROUND. I have seen
his harvest field full of stalwart negroes.
They reap his harvest and they put it away
as we'll and as carefully as # the man had
| been at home and not il the army; and what
was the result? He, had plenty TO eat-a
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of which he was
sure would come to the sustenance of that
Southern army. There are supposed to be
ZOO, 900 of negroes. Do you suppose
that Jefferson Davis, if we went humbly to
him beseeching such thing, proposing to
him: You have 4,oOO,o 900 of operatives be-
longing to your people in the South; under
our policy we may not touch them-not mo-
lest them. We will leave them upon your
farms to work, win you agree to leave US
ZOO, 600 of operatives home on our farms.
in our shops. unmolested Do you suppose
that Jefferson Davis would agree to that?
No II Yet he would have to agree to it
before equality of advantage was establish
ed between US. Applause. Jefferson Da-
Wis is better manager. because he is des-
perate man Applause.l
THE POWER OF THE GOVERNMENT MUST Be
ExERTRD.
Now, then, what do you think of the leg
islator who will sit in the halls of our Con
gress and be afraid to use the power of the
Government to sustain the Government.
That's it." "Hit EN- JEFF. Davis. ear