Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-10-31
wha, Democratic Co,one. says.

a great meeting was held at Chicago,
on Tuesday OF last week, to extend a well
come to Gen. Preniiss os Illinois, who has
lust returned home from long imprison-
ment at the South. The General gave a
long and interesting account Of the suffer
ines Of himself and his men in the South
ern prisons. AS the Generals views on
the rebellion were expressed in speech at
Washington, and reported at the time, GO
ing in strongly for the Presidents Enamel
patton Proclamation, we will not quote
from his remarks at Chicago, but let our
readers see what are the opinions of a Dem
ocratc Colonel, one of Gen. Premises fell
low prisoners al the South, and who spoke
at the meeting-Col Lynch of the 5Sth H.
linois regiment. In the course Of his re-
marks the Colonel said:
hardly need tell you that ] have al
ways been strong uncompromising DEM
ocrat. / have been an apologist for the
Southern people. pronounced the stories
of their cruelties to he gross fabrications.
/ considered the abolitionists and Republic
cans the enemies of the Union. 1 wiH not
sag so nor,
| never suffered so much during my
whole Imprisonment. as ] did when | ar
rived at Washington and found that there
were men in the North sympathizing with
the rebels. The rebels are our open enc
mics. We know where to find them. These
Northern enemies are vipers. They sting
US and we cannot find them to crush them.
My only platform is, 6 love my country"
/, as you all know, have never been an Alb
olitionist. have turned negroes who came
into my camp over TO their rebel masters.
cannot say that like a negro now; but
if it should be necessary to save this 2lori-
Gus Union ,oould take regiment Of ne
groes and march into Dinie. Immense
applause) Every party now should be
merged into one. There should be no Re-
publcans, no democrats. Every man should
sacrifice his personal feelings. / was OPP
posed to Abraham Lincoln: am now OPP
posed to every man who opposes Abraham
Lincoln.
You may talk about the unconstitutional
ity of the Presidents proclamation. | tell
you if that proclamation is lived up TO, it
will prove the hardest blow this rebellion
has yet received. But to make this proca-
nation effective, it must have the support
Of the people, and no loyal man will refuse
i his support.
The Southern people are not going to
give up until they are thoroughly whipped;
md they never viii be whipped while every
'lovA is equal TO one ef our soldiers. The
negroes are the best friends tce hare. You
cannot depend upon Union feeling in the
South. The white trash are against US.
They have been made TO believe that the
negroes would become their equals If the
South were conquered, and in many in
stances they are their equals if not their
superiors. When we elevate these men,
when they FIJI the places of the Wanted ar
istocracy of the South then they will be
Union men. They fight mighty hard and
with the energy of desperation, while our
soldiers cannot fight well, because there are
men here throwing cold water upon their
efforts. We must sustain our Government
and the Administration, and if there are
men here who will not support them, they
had better go to Dixie. He who does not
support the Government, right or wrong
is not my friend. prolonged applause.)