Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-06-24
General Rousseau on Slavery.

Ga the l6.h inst banquet was given In Louis
Vile 70 General Lovel n. Rousseau. After q
speech by Hon James Guthrie General Rous-
spoke. We quote:
desire to state that this rebellion IL lie from
tae beg ming. There was never any cause for IL
To begin and keep Il up system Of wholesale
lying was adopted, and is pursued industriously
60 this dey. Wherever the army has gone 10 has
met this fell spirit of fa,sshoOd We have taken
none OF their propertvi we have excluded their
slaves from our lines, when needed we have
placed guerds OF our soldiers around tAeir houses
% protect them, and vet they persist in calling ms
AbOlitionisis ard negro thieves And In spite of
our disclaimers I'd our soldiers asseryatons to
ne counuY-of our words and our acts, they in
ssi that our object Is 20 Iberate and steal their
slaves.
And z we fail TO restore the Union, Z" the evsr-
fasting niger" viii be the cause Of the failure
CEey know whs, they say is false, yet they never
cease repeating II. Behind and before US this has
been the cry Of the enemies Of the Government
The army In its Intercourse with the Secession
ISIS nss pleaded, and Is still pleading, for peace
under the Old Government, Offering 30 our south
ern ofeth-eu all they ever had, and claiming
notalng eXcpet in common with them. They
want to take nothing from any one bat desire that
rights unmpaired.
But tue negro is IN the way, In spite of all that
can ne done or said. Standing before the eve of
me Sseesslonlst, tie negro hides ali the blessings
o! our 6oyernment, throwing a black shadow on
tie sun itselE lfitbad been any other species or
property that stood Ia the way the army mo-
vohed as II has been, would willingly have seen
ftS quick destruction But the negro they did
not wish to interfere with In any way Yet with
all its conservatism and patriotism the army has
grown weary OF this insane cry Of "Abolitiou-
Ism as cause FOR breaking up the Govern
meat.
have warned our southern friends Of the dan
ger OF continuing II much longer; and tell won
90 night that, If tkiS tc4T eoatfEv.s vsay fyoD1
htS day, thsYe tClH not Be a saue en- fhts confi-
HcHf. The great revolution viii take care of n.
ssf-the dead will bury Its dead-and those who
are CsusiDg all the bloodshed ana dexolation
arCund rs under the false pretepse that we desire
70 Tree their negroes, will, IL they persist oHe
caT nad slave y sRufsd out as you snuR cut a
car die Slavery Is not worth our Government
SiaverY Is not worth our liberty. II Is not worth
az tne precious blood now being poured cut for
freedom IL Is not worth the free navigation OF
the Mississippi riye-
I'm Tor the Government Of our fathers against
al tC-nss a1d everybody. While the Nbertie. OF
to eepIe are secure under it, as they ever have
been, woaid allow nothing bat death 10 prevsnt
EF rFEoidlng l.. j en- ready for the responsi-
n!!lty A southern man az I am, born and bror1ht
ug IN the South with all nv sympsthtes wit.
TIE S)uth, l could lot hssitats oae moment when
tde is e Is presented between the niger and the
''seinhlehI q Ouf iatssrs am for the Govern
mfnt OF the nited states ega nst al It's enemies
hope and pray that our SSuthe7n f.ienfs will
u1t iOrre US % extremes on this sersf.tve nofnt
We depfecate such res1l.; fer we want Our
II hts under tue ConEtitut on and we are ell Tessv
10 hght for theirs under the good old Government
I would to- day mOst willingly Cirh on nv sword
and 1ght Tor any right belonging to them slnpsTv
IEesHfsdi but they must not put slavery betyeeo
me aud the Government and lRws OF the United
safes. 1 will not consent to become a slave tbat
The negro may be kept slave will not sacri-
nee the happiness Of my wife, children aud
friends, the welfare Of my beloved State and the
glory OF nv country on dn altar dedicated to re
''EbJnY Idol"