Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1862-07-23
Speech of Gen. wallace.

taee was serenaded at his hotel in Wash
ineton, By number Of Indianians. The
General returned thanks for the coTnpli-
men. in fine, manly speech. from
which We clip the following:-
/ am no politician. [Cries Of "Good
for that" and "Do MT want any nova
days."t Probably for regular speech I
had been much obliged to some OF my
political friends If they had made it for
me. +" Keep them in the dark" and
lauchter.1 IF It is expected that am to
speak on subjects of political character
tonight, I know I should have been
Obliged for some of them to have per-
formed the task for me. IF touch upon
them, bear me witness that | speak OF
them not as a politician, but as soldier.
Applause.
| was at the Senate Chamber to-day.
They were discussing the policy Of the
war. The question in agitation was, or
what at least seemed to be the paramount
question, "Should the niger be used or
notg 1Cries of eyes," eyes," and
"no," NOT Well, I find my audi
ence precisely as I found the Senate.
Laughter and applause. Some said
yes and some said no, just as you are
saying. Laughter. A voice" Will
YOU give us soldiers opinIon!"l Yes,
let me speak about that as soldier,
r. Good.."1 not rs politician. % Do MT
want any poIiticians."l He would be
poor soldier, in my opinion, who would
fail to use every element Of war which
God Almighty gave him, if he could use
it to his advantage. Prolonged and en-
thusiastic chee.ing.l 1 think you concur
with me in that, at least. [Cries of
" Certainly we do" Every sensible
man WILT Now then, if we find the
negro before US, or around US, as we ad-
vance, planted there by some accident
Providence may have had great deal to
do with it-and we find his services avail
able, would not that general be crazy
man who would refuse to use them?
T" Most assuredIy," and applause.
So it seems to me, and my position
may be plainly stated upon that. If by
the services Of negro l can make my
soldiers comfortable; if by the services
of band of negroes l can relieve them
of onerous duties and hard work; if
can make them available to dig my
trenches r. That's right" l,-shalI | not
dot! Cries of Yes, yes" Loud ap-
plau,e. Yes, and | will do it. [Vocif-
erous cheering. A voice" Soldiers
will follow you to the death for that"
Another voice" Put no arms in their
hands," Several voices" Oh yes, as
many as they want"
Now, then, let me speak about that
GCries of d" All right now" You are
a mighty good boy."] If l accept the
services of negro, and he works well
and faithfully, fed by US, clothed by US,
and he stands by gallant regiment, re-
lieying them of the hard duties I have
mentioned, would it be human, would it
not be cruel, 10 put him into the army, in
the way of shot, and yet give him moth
ing with which to defend himself? TCries
of :. That's So" and loud and continuous
cheering.
Ny fellow citizens. speak rs n soldier
all the time, recollect. l am not viewing
the matter in its political aspect for l
have as much prejudice 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? IA yoice-":PIace him
in the rear" "No, put him to the
front" (Applause.) A voice-"In
the ditch."l Stop one moment, there is
policy in war as well as in politics. One
thing is very certain, nothing is to be so
carefully guarded against as the preju-
dices of the soldiers, and, unless it was
some desperate occasion, some last re-
sort, when even soldiers would be CRATE
ful for their assistance, | would not Jro-
pose to put him in the line of battle to
the front. T" That's the true doctrine"
and applause. But to every brigade 1
would have a regiment of working ne
groes, to every company | would have
fair complement of cooks. would feed
them, l would organize them, and TO
each one who did good service / would
st tho end of the war give him or her
freedom. Immense cheering.l
JEFF Davis early in the war impressed
men. He was not afraid. He saw the
necessity of it, and be being bold man,
resorted to impressment. We want SOL
diers and want them quickly. There is
way to get them. In time they will
come by volunteering, but the exigencies
of the government are 30 great it is dan
gerous to wait. Will this Congress be-
fore it adjourns-and the time of its adj
journment, l am told, Apprenticeship
1t have the courage to leave behind on the
statute book drafting law fear not.
[" Yes they wiIl."l And yet they ought
by all means, because the time may come
when every strong arm in the North and
in the Border States, too, may be required
TO sustain the government. TRUE -
We have been dealing in Alterations
Let US discard them. We have been &C
cused of vanity by the people of the Old
World. All people are vain. 1t was
natural that we should ha Tat f,s ,ot