The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1862-07-18
Gen, ROssenu on the Slavery Cues.
alOn.

Gen, ROSsenu on the Slavery Qucs.
Gen Rossesu attended banquet given
in his honor at Louisville, Monday Dight
His speech was very interesting. We have
room 10 day only for the following exirac's
on the slavery question, which will deeply
interest the country ss-lhs -utsersLce OF a
ioyaT Kentuckian and brave General serv-
ing bis country.
II wish to say q word OF the "situation'
as it is called by the reporters of the day
propose to advise nobody. l pretend to
no extraordinary foresight. But l desire
70 state that this rebellion is lie from the
beginning. There never was any cause
for il. To begin and keep up a system OIL
wholesale lying was adopted. and is pur
sued industriously to this day. 1t is the
stock in trade they have. The could teach
the devil himself much he never knew be-
fore about lying. Wherever the army has
gone il has met this fell spirit Of falsehood
We have taken none Of their property; VIC
have excluded their slaves from our lines;
when needed we have placed guards Of our
soldiersl around their houses to protect
them-and yet they persist in calling US
abolitionists and negro thieves. And in
optic Of our disclaimers and our soldiers
observations to the contrary-oi our words
and acts. they have insisted that our OF ject
is to liberate and to steal their slaves.
And if We fail to restore the Union "the
everlasting Niger" will be the cause Of the
failure. They know what they say is false.
yet they never cease repeating n.-Behind
and before US this has been the cry II the
enemies Of the Government. Now, the ar
my Of Gen. Halleck is emineptly conserva-
n LIZ Al =. - bx.i,s
Est nor a secessionist in it. II there is one
Of either faction. do not know it. SO or
derry, so patriotic and SO conservative a
body of men believe never before assem-
bled together. That army in its intercourse
with the secessionists has pleaded and is
still pleading for peace under the old Gov
eminent, offering to our Southern brethren
all they ever had, and claiming nothing ex
cept in common with them.-They want to
take nothing from any one. but desire that
their Southern brethren shall njoy all
their rights unimpaired-B the negro is
in the way, in spite Of all that can be done
or said. Standing before the eye of the
secessionist, the negro hides all the blessings
Of our government, throwing black shad
ow on the sun itself. Ii it had been any
other species of property that stood in the
way, the army provoked rs it has been,
would willingly have seen its destruction
But the negro they did not wish to interfere
with in any way. Yet wiM all its conser
ss1tism and patriotism the army has 9rocn
sceary Of this insane cry IF "ab0inton,sm
qs a cause for breaking up this government.
have warned our Southern frends ofthe
danger Of continuing it much longer. and
tel you tonight that if this rcay contin-
aes a year from Ibis day, there mW not be
a Stare on this continent. The great revo-
luton will take care of iiself-the dead will
bury its dead-snd those who are causing
all the bloodshed ard desolation around us
under tho false pretense that we desire to
free their negroes. wiN. IF they persist, one
day and slarery snu6rd ont as you snuff
out a candle. Slarery IS not worh our
Government. His not ,cortA our liberty.
IL is not tcoyth all The precious blood non
being poured out for freedom. II is not
Worth the FREQ navigation of the Mississippi
yiver. No: we must have our government
it not as il now is, with slavery in it. we
m st have our Government. We cannot be
slaves to jeff Davis & Company. We must
and will be free. We must have the free
navigation Of the Mississippi river; and If
slavery gets IN the ruy Of any ot'these rights.
why slavery must get ont offhe tody. That
would be the last resort, and l would be
sorry 20 have recourse TO it; bu. am for
the Government Of our fathers against all
things and every body. Whilst the liberties
of the people are secure under it, as they
ever have been, would allow nothing, but
death to prevent my unfolding il. And.
10th as YOU may be to decide, you will soon
as 1 believe. be called upon to do SO. In
spite Of your entreatics. the issue will be
cruelty thrust upon you, and you rW be
forced to decade betreen slarery. and your
pives and your children. As for me. am
ready for the responsibility. Southern
man as am. born and brought up in the
South. with all my sympathies with the
South. could not hesitate one moment mhen
Me isssc IS prcsented bessoeen the Niger and
the Government Of our fathers, | am for
the Government OF the United States against |
all its enemies. I hope and pray that our
Southern friends will not force us to ex-
tremes ON this sensitive point. We depre
cate such result; for we want our rights
under the Constitution and We are all ready
TO fight for theirs under the good old Gov
erument. would to-day most willingly |
grid on my sword and fight for aay right
Belonging TO them, slavery included, but
they must not put slavery between me aud
the Government and laws Of the United
States. I will not consent to become
slave that the negro may be kept slave.
will not sacrifice the happiness Of my wife. |
children and friends, the welfare Of my be- |
loved State, and the glory Of my country
on an altar dedicated to an Ebony IDOL
When see placed on one side . Govern
meut formed by the noblest men the world
has ever produced, the legacy OF Washing
ton TO the human race. a glorious country
filed With q happy and enlishted people, |
and admired or feared on every spot that is
is troddsn by the foot Of civilized man; and
on the other . country rent into insignia
cant fsagments. engaged in continual wars
with each oShsps sach on its knees begging /,
assistance from some foreign monarch or
other against . rival fragment. an object Of
contempt 10 him who uses il for his own !
purposes, then I shall not be long in coming
Z. = decision fhonah naCro slsxerx may ba