Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1862-07-26
W nat a Zig gltiny 3 Ma Says.
GEN. LEW. WALLACE SPEECH AT
WASHINGTON.

Gen. Lew. Waiiace, the gallant Indi-
anlan, one OF our fighting generals,
was at Washington last week, and
was called out on "Wednesday eve
"a f,r speech. II the course OF
remarks, he con ,lered some questions
Of great public interest at this time,
from the standpoint Of a soldier. Here
| Is an extract ur two:
WHAT TO 20 WITH the NEGROES?
! speak not as a politician, but as a
soldier Applause was at the
Senate Cuanlaer> to-day. They We're
discussing the policy OF the war. The
question Ill agitation was, or what at
least seemed to be the paramount cues
ton. "Shoull the negro be used or
not % Cries of Yes" ''yes,' and
No" "no."] Wen, / find nay audi
ence precisely as | found the Senate.
Laughter anA applauSe.J Some said
yes" and some said ''no, ,'-jnst AZ
You are saying. Laughter. A Voice
- will you give us II soldiers opn-
ion p Yes, let me speak about that
as s"Idier Good not AS a 'litician.
ID mt want any p"litician~.''l He
seoutd he poor sot5ier Ia my o1ojn1on,
aoto acould .fttU to use eye1y element Of
ycur aoAich God AAniyhty gGne him,
if he could use 1t To his :aivAntase-
Prnlon 5ed and enthusiastic cheering
L think soa concur with me i'll that at
least. Cries Of "Ctrtan'y We do"
''E very sensible mtn Wi.,.'I Now.
then, if we 1inl the negro before us, OF
around Us, as we advance, planted
there by some Observation-Disclosures
may have han a great deal to do with
it-anu we can find bis services avaija-
bIc, would not that General be crazy
man who would refuse to use them !?
Most assnredly," an'l applause. So
1t seems to me, and my position may
b. plal .,iv stateI upon that. IF by the
services of Il negro | can make my
soldiers comfortable if by the services
of band of negroes can relieve them
of onerous d .tits AMI hard work if |
can make them available t. die my
trenches [s.Tnat's right shall l MT
do 1t? Cries of Yes, yes" L'ui
appl;sns i Yes, and | will do it,
Vocitrruus cheering. A voice
''Soliie:s will follow you tn the death
for that" Another voice-"Put no
arms IN their hanlS.n Several voices
oh yes, as mauy as they want"
NV, t.,en, lrt me speak about that -
[Crirs of ''Al right now;" Yon are Il
nigh y good boy."l If l accept the
services oi' a negro, aud he works well
aud faithfully, fell y rs, clothed by uS,
and he stan IS by my gallant re eyllne:.t,
relieving them of the hard duties [
mentioned, would it be human, won!d
it not be cruel, to pat him into the army,
| in the way OF shot: aud vet give HIM
nothing with which to defend himself ?
| [CrleS of That's 500 ani louI anl
continued cheering ] My fellow citi-
zenS, speak aS a soldier all the time,
recoliect. / a.a not viewing this IN It
ter in It's political aspect, for | have as
much prejudice against the negro poliii-
cally, aud as much opposed to slavery
ay It ,tlon as any of you can be. Yet
where can he be made available, let us
make him SO. Then what snail we do
with him IA Avoice-''Piace him in
the rear.' No, put him to the 'front.' ?
!, (Applause.1 Avoice-''In the ditch" u
Stop one moment, there is policy in
war as well as in polltirs One thing
is very certain, nothing is to be SO care
fully guarded against as the prejudices
Of the soldiers, and unless it was some