The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-08-30

ment exists, including laws for the liberation
of slaves, and their organization for the com
mon defense.
Hitherto good men Throughout the Nortt
and West have justified the continuance
slavery, as the Senator from Pennsylvania
did to-day, ON the plea shat we have D.
power to abolish it within the States, tina
this liberation of slavery was apart of th'
original bargain when the Constitution was
adopted that you and were parties tt
that contract. have faithfully lived up tc
it until the State governments within tht
limits of these rebel States have been des
troyed by the wickedness Of their own peo
pie, and the country reduced to the condi
ton of a Territory. But now they have nc
civil government that! we can recognize un
der the Constitut ion; the people and th'
country are still within the limits and under
the jurisdiction Of the United States.
would therefore interpose, and give then
a government as would ary other com
munity within our Jurisdiction having none
that can be recognized by US or by other ma
tons. / would enac. for their government
just such laws as in my Judgment their in.
terests and the interests of the nation and o
humanity demand. asr fe.s ,;s.r .a
i If read the signs Of the times correctly
this has become necessity. We cannot, i
we persist in our folly, thwart the ultimate
purposes of the Almighty. BY His provi
dental interposition, He has thrown open
the door for the liberation Of nation oi
bondmen; He has removed the constitution.
al impediment; He has caused their assist.
ance to be necessary for the perpetuity ot
the Union and the integrity of the nation
If we accept Of this high destiny, all tie ma
tons ofthe earth combined against us would
be as fax in the flames; butifw are not equal
to the demands Of the age, and obstinately
refuse to follow the plain intimations o,
Providence, this great work will be handed
over to other nations, or will be wrought
out by the rebels, themselves, and our ma.
tion will become permanently divided.
But If we adopt this policy, Senators in
quire, what shall be done with the liberated
slaves /? answer, muster portion of the
able bodied men into the service of the Re.
public. employ them in your camps and for.
tifications as laborers, on your transports
and gunboats as lahorers and sailors, and, il
necessary, let them participate in the glories
of the battle field, and bear their just pro-
portion Of the burdens and dangers Of this
great conflict. And for the residue, let them
alone let them take care of themselves
hereafter, as many of them have heretofore
Senators talk of them as sauages, as il
they had been recently caught in the jun.
giles of Africa and brought to our shores
without "a language, without knowledge. with.
out civilization. This was true of their an.
cestors, but not of the present generation
great change has been wrought in their
condition they are now comparatively well
civilized. There are eleven thousand OF
these men thatyou call savages right at your
door in the District of Columbia By an
act Of this Congress some one or two thou.
sand more have been set free. When that
bill was under discussion, remember that
the Senator form Kentucky, Mr.. Davis, and
some other Senators, in whose wisdom |
generally confide, and for whose opinions |
have very high respect told US that if such
a law should be enacted the slaughters Of
st. Domingo would be re-enacted, that these
black people could not live in peace as free
men among white people that war OF
races would spring up, which would result
in the destruction Of the one race or the
other I
Has this prediction been falflllcd 2 Have
any riots occurred 7? Have any murders
been committed by these freed men 2 Not
one On the passage o. that law these ig-
norant people, as you may deem them, COL
lected in their churches ana school-houses
where they were accustomed to worship to
praise the Almighty for their deliverance ;
and after this manifestation of gratitude they
all quietly returned to the peaceful pur suits
of life /; since which everything has progress.
sed as usual. These people are now, as
heretofore, laborers in your fields and shops.
and servants in your houses. Nobody has
been damaged (; no riots hav, arisen society
has not been dscomposed in the least, not.
w,thstanding the very extraordinary speech
es of the gentlemen who happened to repre-
sent what are called the border States In the
two branches Of Congress. IF Senators will
open their eyes and look at these people,
they will discover that they are no longer
savages, but, in comparative point of view,
highly civilized. They provide for their
own wants, they provide their own food and
clothing and shelter, and for the education
of their own children; for the support OF
their own churches and schools, and bury
their own dead ; and during the seven years
of my service at the capital of the nation ]
have never seen negro beggar-not one
| have seen white beggars have seen
white boys and girls begging for penny Of
each passer by at the crossings; have seer
stalwart men and women, of almost every
nationality, begging in your streets and
thoroughfares; but never yet have seen
negro beggar in the streets of the capital Of
the nation.
In Baltimore, within an hours run from
this capital. it is said there are about thirty.
eight thousand co.ored people. Of these