The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-07-25
sEREHADE TO GEN. WALLACE
~ r9r9-- -7--- ~ . aa55aisI 81 f
A STIRRING SPEC G n,
THE NEGRO QUESTION

THE NEGRO QUESTION.
On Wednesday night, about Ii o'clock, q
number of lndianians rendered Maj. Gen.
Lew. Wallace a serenade at his quarters at
the National Hotel in Washington. An
unusually large concourse was present on
the occasion.
SPEECH OF GEN. WALLACE.
After several national airs by the band,
Gen. Wallace made his appearance upon
the balcony, when be was greeted with most
enthusiastic cheering. On being introduced,
he spoke as follows:
GENTLEMEN AND FELLOW CITIZENS: Un-
Outstanding this compliment is intended for
my humble self, the very least 1 can do
is to tell you how sincerely and exceedingly
grateful to you / am. 1t is rendered me, /
am told, on account of recent military SER
vices. That's so."] I beg you to under.
stand that am not so selfish as to take it
all to myself. / remember, and would beg
each one OF you to remember, the gallant
comrades, the dead and the living, whose
courage, discipline and blood won me the
distinction you signalize. Applause.I
Without their possessing those qualities, /
should have been unheard OF or, if heard
Of, in all probability disgraced. Therefore
I cay to you again ! beg you to remember
the gallant comrades whom / have left be-.
hind me in the city of Memphis.
/ understand also that this compliment
originated in the first place with Indianians,
and the gentlemen who are present from
other States / know will pardon me for the
self-copgratulation that may be guilty of
tonight, in speaking of Indianians. And I
appeal to you all, in view of the services
Indiana has rendered the Government in
this war, if have not right to speak to
them in terms OF congratulatiou "That's
So" and applause. God forbid that I
should detract from the services of the
troops of any other State. am here, on
the contrary, willing witness of their gall
lantry and their devotion. claim no merit
for Western troops in point of courage
over Eastern troops. For if ever the cour-
age, the devotion to death, of soldiers from
any quarter have been displayed, it has been
in the recent battles before Richmond.
Loud applause. But there is particu
lar reason why we from Indiana should be
particularly proud. In the beginning of
this war we rested under cloud. No less
person than Jefferson Davis published to
the world, and had printed on the pages of
history, that we were cowardly. A voice
-"That isn't SOFT No it isn't, as we have
proved. When this war began, therefore,
when we took our banners and flung them
to the breeze, each man of US did it with
O distinct resolution that it was to be
the redemption of our State honor or
it was to be death. "That's so," and ap
plause.l had the honor to lead regi-
ment among the frat to the field. Pardon
me for referring to an event in the history
of that regiment. When the banners were
given US in front of our capitol, receiving it
on the part of my regiment, l bad them
kneel down and with uplifted hands swear
to redeem the good name of Indiana.
["Good," and applause. And they knelt
down, one and all, and took the solemn
oath. A voice-"And they have kept it. u
Yes, they have. Loud applause Not
many weeks ago the old flag under which
we took that oath was given back and put
away in the hall from which it was taken.
At Donelson its stripes were shot ragged
with bullets. Applause. At Shiloh the
blue Union was shot out of it by shell.
[Applause.l 1t was but tattered frag~
ment of it's former self and its original glory
when given back. Wherever it foated we
had victory. [Applause. Again, my fel'
low citizens, we, Indianians, complained
and we are all given to complaints, you
know-it seems to be the nature of men
it is, particularly, the disposition of soldiers
Each one seems to have bis little complaint.
Sometimes be tells it, but most often he
keeps it to himself. Laughter Well,
one of our complaints was that our regi.
meuts, now sixty-three in number actually
in the field, were not put together in some
department, that they might fight side by
side. But OF late have changed my opin-
ion, 1t is better for US, better for the honor
of our State, better for the glory of our
arms, that we are scattered-we Indianians
as we have been.
There is no fight, 10 victory, that / now
recollect of, in which Indiana has not had
her share. Applause. When the war
is over, and the time comes to build monu.
ments, as generous people will build them,
whenever monument is built it will be 10
honor of Indiana - in conjunction, of
course, with other States. Appl6usel
When the historian comes to write histo-
ry of the war, and be tells of the gallant
deeds of regiments from other States on the
banks of the Mississippi, or on the Poto.
mac, or where yer our ormy marches, Ee
sure--and 1 say this with infinite PRIDE
be sure there will be something said about
representative regiment from Indiana
[Applause1 l am no politician. Cries
of aGocd for that" and don't want any
nova days.l Probably for regular
speech had been much obliged to some OIL
nv political friends if they had made it tOl
me. ["K eep them in the dark" and laugh
teri If lit is expected that l am to speak
on subjects OF q political character tonight
7 know Ishould have been obliged for some
of them to have performed the tssk for me
III touch upon then, bear me witness thai
/ speak of them not as politician, but al
soldier. Applause.
/ was at the Senate Chamber today
They were discussing the policy of the war