The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1862-08-08
Gen. Low Wallace on Negro Service
in the Army.

Gen. Lew Wallace made speech at the
great CINCINNATI war meeting, held the 3lst
ult. The following is the part Of his speech
referring to slavery as it relates to the war {;
will 90 on to say that another mistake
We have made all along is that Of supposing
that slavery was an element Of weakness 10
the South. We thought that il was smol-
dering FIRE, which only needed the fact OF ac-
tual warfare TO start il. and il would start
Into blaze that would leave us an easy task
TO perform but we were mistaken, and we
have found il TO our cost that slavery is ono
Of the main elements Of strength to the South
at the present time. "a voice, show ?'')
How9 why IL you'll wait n minute, | will
show you how. You want to have this war
prosecuted with yigor and the rebellion put
down. II | ask you to 90, it may be that
YOU are mechanic, and you say al can't
leave my Workshop" you are, perhaps,
farmer. and you cannot leave your farm
You are married and have wife and family
depending on you for support, and you can
not leave them. Well, let us change the
scene and fancy that am down South re-
cruiting for JEFF Davis. say just imagine
il. Voice, ave can't do that, General. "
Well, say 90 to fierce looking individual
and say, 1--WE have established new Gov
eminent. Ii is in danger, ii requires your
arm to supportit, and we want you to help
us and fight for US" He thinks. swell,
believe can 60; the cotton is all planted,
and tho farm is in good order; can leave
my niggers to attend to the wants Of my
family. and when the cotton is ready to
be gathered in the niggers will do IL all, and
keep the cotton gins at work." and on the
force Of this reasoning he goes at once.
Now again. suppose go 10 JEFF Davis and
say, President / want to make this agreement
with you IL you will keep your fout mil
lion negroes at home. and not let them do
ANYTHING for the furtherance Of the war,
will keep at home an equal number OF the
free operatives Of the North. Do you think
no would agree to IT'D No. no never would
agree to il. Well, then, say it becomes n
military principle. which should be instant
ly acted upon, that we ought to use every
means to weaken our enemies and strengthen
our own hands. II slavery is the basis OF this
rebellion, why in Gods name don't we knock
away the base from under it? loud cheers
and applause) You say tina. II is right to
take corn from the rebels, to take their hor-
ses, cattle and everything else, that's all
right, but Just touch single niger, and
then there's an awful hullahallo about it
daughter and cheers.) Now then, look
again at another thing. have eleven regi-
ments under my command, and from each
regiment "A men are detailed for teamsters,
to drive mules and perform oil that kind of
work which, if we only seized the niggers,
they could do as well as our own men. Only
think of that. There are 4S4 men taken
away from my eleven regiments, because we
are so scrupulous about taking away niggers
from rebels. Why. il is almost enough to
make whole regiment. and God knows our
regiments are weak enough already; in fact.
that is why am here tonight, Ia get you
people Of Cincinnatti to raise more men to
all up those already in the field.
II we can find men that can do all this
drudgery, why in Heavens name do we not
do it? Am | not right? (Yes.) | have
seen hundreds of our boys after long and
weary days marching, when they were tired
out with the fatigue Of their wearing labor,
obliged TO take the spade and turn todigging
10 protect themselves from watchiul and
yigilsut enemy. These boys ought to have
been able to have got their suppers and turned
in to rest, so as TO be ready TO meet the enc.
my ut any moment. and he in condition to
fight. and fight well; and il lot of niggcrs
accompanied the regiments after days march
the boys will be able to take their suppers
and rest, while the niggcrs perform the Ia
bOrious work which has cost 80 many lives
already. Thus the men would DO spared all
this unnecessary fatigue, and would be ready
at any time to meet the foe, refreshed and in
yigorated by complete rest.
| do not mean to say that you, people OF
America. are unequal to the task OF putting
down this rebellion. believe we are per-
fectly capable of fighting the thing through
ourselves, and no thanks TO the Englishman,
Freuchman, or to the Ethiopian. (lmmense
applause) In times Of great excitement
like the present, simple prejudice may do
an immense amount Of evil. A creased cart
ridge produced the Sepoy rebellion, but not
withstanding all these prejudices that have
been instilled into the mind OF some OF our
boys, when our troops are worn out with
fighting against superior forces, when out
numbered and cut to pieces, with every hope
gone, and nothing but destruction staring
them in the face, then say IL white men
should hear the sweet music OF the ride. even
though in Niger hands. they would like IL
amazingly, and be wonderfully glad Of it.