The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1862-07-29
GEN. LEW. WALLACE on
THE NEGRO QUESTION.

THE NEGRO QUESTION.
Gen. Lew Wallace was serenadcd a
Washington, the other evening, ant
made a neat and appropriate speech
The following are bis remarks upon lhe
yexed negro question;
| am no politician. Cries Of" Good
for that and " Don't want any now-a.
days Probably for regular speech
l had been much obliged TO some Of
my political friends il they bad made
il for me. keep them IN tie dark, .
and laughter If il IS expected that
! am TO speak on subjects Of polili-
cal character tonight, know ! should
have been obliged for some Of them
10 have performed the task for me-
II touch upon them, bear me viii
ness that | speak OF them not as a po-
lilican, but as a soldier. was at the
Senate Chamber TO day. They were
discussing the policy ofthe war. The
qustion in agitation was, or wbai at
least seems 10 be a paramount question
"Shall the negro he used 81 not n
Cries OF "Yes," "yes, and some said
no mo- Well, | fad my audi
ence precisely as | found the Senate.
Some said 'yes,h and some said mo-
just as you are saying. 4 VOICE
"Will you give us soldiers opn onl
Yes, let me speak about that as SOL
dier Good not as politician. Don't
want any politicians. He would be
a poor soldier, in my opinion, who
would fail TO use, every element Of war
which God Aim ghty gave him, # he
could use il 10 any advantage. ] think
you concur with nc ia that n least
/ Cries oi "Certaiply we DO" Every
sensible man VIII Now, then, if VIZ
find negroes before US, or around us,as
we advance, planted there by some
accident Providence may have a
greaf deal to do with it--and we can
find his services available, would not
thai General he a crazy man who would
refuse to use them So it seems to me
and my position may be plainly slaied
on that. II by the services Of negro
| can make my soldiers comfortable
if by the services of band of negroes
! can relieve them of onerous duties
and bard work if | can make them
available TO dig my trenches, shall
not do iti Cries of "Yes. yes
Yes, and | will do it. A soive-" "Sol. /
diers will follow you to the death Of
that" Another voice--"Put no arms
in their hands" Several voices" Oh |
yes, as many as they want" Now, !
let me speak about that. If ! accept |
ofthe services Of negro, and he works |
well and faithfully, fed by us, clothed |
by Us, and he stands by my gallant
regiment, relieving them OF the bard
duties ! nave mentioned, would it be |
human, would il not be c.liel, to put
him in the army, in the way Of shoi,
and yet give him nothing with whlicil !
to defend himself? Cries Of that's so. /
Ny fellow citizens, / speak as a soldier
all the time, recollect. lam not view
ing this matter in political aspect,
for | have as much prejudice against
the negro politically, and am as much I
opposed to Slavery agitation as any OF
you can be. Yet where he can be
made available, let us make him So
Then what shall We do with him? A
him in the rear" No,
put him to the front" A voice--"ln
Ihe ditch" Stop one moment, there
IS policy in war, as well as in politics
One thing is very certain nothing is
% be so carefully guarded against rs
he prejudices OF the soldiers, and un-
ess il was some desperate occasion,
some last resort, when soldiers would
be- grateful for their assistance, would
not propose to put him in the line OF
battle TO the front. That's The true
doctrine" and applause. But to every
brigade | would have a regiment Of
negroes--to every company
would have a fair complement of
,ooks. [Applause. | would feed
hem, | would organize them, and TO
zach one who did good service ! would
It the end Of the war give him or her
reedom. Immense cheering.
Let me make one remark further.
The common impression has been that
his was a war in which we had all tie
advantages. Now then, listen to my
practical experience. Ilell you it has
lot been such war Of inequality in
,ur favor AS many suppose. | have
7isiied plantations IL the course Of
marches. have asked, Where i The
nan Of the house ? He is in the ar
py. | have looked around. have
cen his harvest field fall of siarlwarl
negroes. They reap his harvest and
hey put it away as well and as care
ully = if the man had been At home |
I'D Dot ia the army, ard what vsa the