The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1862-10-21

not hurt the rebels any more than we coul
help. lfattacked we might defend ourselve
but must not destroy any property. Our pc
Icy was defensive--building forts; aud wait
ing for attacks.
1861, and winter, until nearly spring, whel
An advance was made. Then we won tn,
glory in the West. The army moved from
Cairo, TO Belmont where hard battle wa
fught. There was some hard fighting in
Southwestern Missouri, where the gallan
Lyon fell. Then came the capture of For
Henry, and then the great victory at For
Donelson, where we captured an army, and
got possession of Kentucky aud Tennessee
That was followed by the battle of Shiloh
where 25 900 men lay dead and bleeding.--
The rebels had 10000; we didn't have en-
gaged.that number. Grant, on Sunday, had
less than 10000, while the rebels had 90,OOO
Out Of our army, OH the first day, we had not
10000 men, nor on the secoud. Wc lost
more than 10000, and the rebels, $4,000 or
10000.
We also had successes on the Atlantic, on
the North Carolina coast, under the gallan,
Burnside, and at Port Royal and New Or
leans--glorious acts that shall hand our Navy
down to history. (Applause.) But with
these successes, which occurred early in the
season, We stopped pretty much. Burnside
fought bravely in North Carolina. and we
had some skirmishes in other places.
have referred to these, so that we may
give proper credit. After all, ask any candid
mah if the results came up to the expectation.
did We accomplish what you expected VIII IN
your son wentl Did you send him to war to
die in the swamps of Chickahominy and Ten.
nessee? Ask that mother in jackson county
whose only son joined the army, and whom
she freely gave up for the purpose of perpetu-
ating to him the liberty she has enjoyed, ask
her when the pine box comes rumblng up to
the door, and marked. "Died Of fever on the
Tennessee River if she don't approve tho poll.
cy that set her son to work when negroes Of
fered their labor and it would not be accept.
ed (Applause.)
We pursued this policy for a year with our
large army, must not touch the rebels pro
perty, and We were holding them up with one
hand aud attempting to knock them down
with the other.
In the Shenandoah Valley we purchased
hay and paid $50 per Ton to rebels and other
articles in prodortlon. Everything in Tenne-
bee was under the same policy. Whea we
took Memphis, why tho rebels obtained three
or four prices Plantations near Nashville,
not occupied by a single white person, and
entirely cultivated by blacks, the owners be
ing in the rebel army, were protected by our
soldiers, who stood guard over these pIanta
lions and men raising cotton, tho proceeds to
60 into the hands of rebels, to furnish means
TO fight from. When laborers escaped they
were driven back.
We didn't meet with very good success with
that policy. We expected some SUCCESS
Had we achieved auyi Some of the North
thought it time to change. That's the issue
that's why l refer to history to bring before
you the issue.
Your Representatives in Congress thought
tue time for change of policy had come
Republicans generally supported it; with some
few exceptions; not many, thank God. They
appealed to the President, and urged that our
troops be allowed to forage on the enemy,and
make war on the enema. They insisted that
war meant desolation end destruction, and
urged that policy.
Measures were introduced 10 carry out the
Confiscation act, which i, Of more Importance
than victory, if properly carried out. That
provided aud made clear tho right to seize
their property and defray the expenses Of the
war. 1t is also directed that every rebels
slave should be forever free! Applause. y
The law declared that wherever our army
went the slaves Of rebels were fr G. Zap
plause.) usl
Now, some democrats claim to be, par ex
celence, friends Of the Constitution and laws
and the constitution and enforcement of til,
lave. SO am /. Will they flo with us? :
In the greater part Of my State, Of these who
have come back from the army, haven
met one who has said he was in favor o
guardiog rebel property, and I've seen a grea
many. l met, travelling, Captain from
Northern Alabama, who came home to re-
crut 70. his regiment. who told me that the
last thing he did Was TO detail guard of fou
for that purpose.
How about this other policy? II you con
duct the war on the old principle, you vii
fight eterpally. You support the means o
feeding them. They ara all against you
You are now or have been, purchasing anC
paying for cotton belonging TO rebels. Wha
chance has a Union man therea Take tw
in Memphis, for instance! One was dispose'
to DO loyal, and the other rebel. The loys
man had everything taken from him, an
barely escaped with, bis life. The rebel wa
protected by the rebel army and by us. Thi
game was "heads / win, tails you lose."-
He won. Could you expect any Union me-
iu the South under such practicei
This confscaton act saved Msryland.--
When the rebels received no recruits, il SUI
prised them and u.s. Wbyi The con6sca
iion act was like sword hanging over ther
if they joined. When the rebel army woul
be driven out, everything would be gone
That saved us, and disappointed them.
In Kentucky their recruits will be few, e,
cept those taken by the couscription act -
They may force great many into their rank
but few will join voluntarily.
Had sucl, law been enacted IN the begir
ming, we would have lad tens Of thousand
! and hundreds Of Thousands Of Union men
the South, where we now havn't one. Ever
one found it their interest to join in rebellio
until this law was passed,
This was done by the Republicans to p,
! down the rebellion. There are democrats
favor of this, while others cry out against tt
nroclamation I don,t nean tho O reat dem,