The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-10-19
Monday Morning, October 10, 1868.


Secretary Chase at Cincinnati.
HIS VIEWS OF THE WAR, THE PROCLAMATION
AND INTERVENTION.
Hon. S. P. Chase, the Secretary of the Treas
ury, addressed large aud enthusiastic meet
ing at Cincinnati on Monday evening, expires.
sing his views at some length in regard to the
great questions of the day. We make the
following interesting extracts, showing his
opinions on several important matters:
THE REBELLION VIRTUALLY sUBDUED.
At last we have the positions that are cer-
tain to bring success. suppose all military
men will agree that the military occupation of
East Tennessee must necessarily control the
issue of the war. If the rebels could take
possession of that great valley and hold it
permanently and send out their armies from
that locality, then we could not hope for sue
cess In the long run. 1t is just as certain, now
that We have that valley OF East Tennessee,
that great mountain region, and hold it, just rs
certain is it a question OF time whether this
rebellion shall be put down or not. We shall
just as certainly succeed as the time rolls on,
because we have that great internal fortress,
end all we have to do is to send out our ar
mics from it. Besides, we have the complete
control of the Mississippi river; the CONNER
cial possession of the river, soon TO become
complete by the advance of our army. Ey-
erybody can see that the party that holds the
Mississippi holds the control of the Mississippi
Valley, aud we hold to-day virtually the con-
troll of that valley. f
Now what remains? Gen. Gilmore, one of
Ohio's sons, is now constructing his batteries
In front of Charleston, and that Charleston
must fall is as certain as that Fort Wagner
was to fall before Gilmore l consider, there
fore, my fellow citizens, that this rebellion is
virtually subdued-I know it is not actually
subdued. They have large armies in the field,
but ours are vastly stronger. Everywhere our
armies are stronger than they are. Therefore
] regard the rebellion as virtually subdued.
But think-though it is not my business to
speak confidently of these things-I think,
with the very slender lights possess on this
subject, that with energetic, resolute conduct,
with the whole head and whole heart of the
nation thrown into it, that this rebellion will
be brought to close tolerably quickly.
THE PROCLAMATION.
1t was never intended to interfere with the
States that were loyal. This proclamation
comes up as great feature in this war; In
my judgment the proclamation was the right
thing in the right place, and without it, | am
just as sure as / am Of my own existence, that
We could not have made the progress we have
proclamation, either speaks ignorantly of that
Of which he knows but little or nothing, or
else he really desires that the rebellion should
succeed. Loud applause. There is no al
tentative. The rebellion would have succeed
ed but for the proclamation. If, then man
opposes the proclamation, he opposes it be-
cause he docs not understand it, or because
he wishes the rebellion to succeed But then.
say some, you are making war upon this peo-
pie of the South, and you will not let them
come back into the Union with their slaves.
Well, now gentlemen, there are two classes
OF States in the South; there is the class of
States not affected by the proclamation. We
have simply nothing to do except to bid God
speed to the unconditional Union men of those
States. They will do their own work in their
own way, and in their own time, tapplausel
and all We have to do is to stand by them.
But in the States which are affected by the
proclamation, the case is different. Either the
proclamation was great monstrous sham and
an imposition in the face of the whole world
or else that proclamation was an effectual
thing,and there are no slaves to-day in the reb-
ell States. Loud cheers They are all enfran-
chised by the proclamation; for what says it?
All the slaves are declared now and forever
free, and the executive power is pledged to
the maintenance of this freedom. II 1t were
not so, 1t would be national imposture, and
/ would no more be guilty of that piece Of in
fanny than l would steal into your house at
night and rob your pantry. Laughter and
cheers.)
But what have we to do with this proclama-
ton in the rebellious slave States? Ii is very
simple thing. just simply recognize the Union
men who remain in those States. Such men
as Durard, Mr.. Flanders and Mr.. MAY, and a
whole host of others who were known as slave
owners, are now satisfied that the Union men
oil the SOufb n IN that elavarr
never be permitted to bere-established in those
States. Take such man as the Hon. Mr.. An
derson: When he went home and stood up for
Lhe mon, what did the slave aristocracy do
for him? They drove him from the State. and
his wiie and little ones were obliged to take
sheiter III the bushes, and SO with multitudes
OF Union men In Texas at the present day,
Dut all oi them wish TO get back and establish
free State in Texas, because they say no
other than free State can ever protect them
from the enemies of freedom, and, i was going
to say, Of human nature Cheers
Again, 10 Florida there were many who were
driven away who are now anxious to return.
Is there man here who wants these noble
generous Union men of the South to 90 back
TO be tramped under foot by restored rebels ?
Cries oil No, No. Let them go back, but let
tnem 60 back under the egis of the American
Union, with the protection of the Government
pledged TO them, Ieheers,l and then they will
take care to settle this question of slavery
They will amend the Constitution so as to put
the slavery question where it ought to be
When that is done, who is going to talk about
the proclamation? You have here. nv fellow.
citizens, an intelligent statement, as il seems
TO me, of the manner in which this thing car
be settled, simply by standing by the uncondi.
tional Union men, who, almost all of them
have embraced the doctrine of emancipation
in the border States, and standing by the Unior
men In the pro-slavery States, and letting
them protect themselves against the institu
ton Of slavery.
FOREIGN INTERVENTION.