The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-04-21

rHE NEW POLICY ANNOUECED.


ocrat writing from Millions Bend. IN
der date of the 9th Of April, gives the
following report of an address by General
Thoma. to the army, and of the manaer
in which the new policy is received by
the volunteers:
Gen. Thomas reached Lake Providence
day before Yesterday, and at the close Of
. review of the troops at that point, SCI
forth the policy OF the Government to
wards the black population of Louisiana
As this is an emanation from high au
thority, the speech has considerable i'm
portance At Berray's Landing, shor
distance above Lake Providence. he mad,
a similar address, and it is probable tina
be will set forth the same views every
where through the Department Thu
7 following is the
SPEECH OF ApJ'T GENT THOMAS.
Felior Soldiers: Your commanding
General has SO fully stated the object o
nv mission that il is almost unnecessary
for me to say anything to you in reference
to il. Sill as / come here with full author
ity from the President of the United States
to announce the policy, which after ma
ture deliberaiion has been determined up.
on by the wisdom of the nation, it is my
duty to make known to you clearly and
fully the features of that policy. 1t is q
source of extreme qualification to me to
come before you this day, knowing as
do full we'll how glorious have been your
achievements on the field OF battle. No
soldier can come before soldiers of tried
valor without having the deepest emotions
of his soul stirred within him. These
emotions l feel on the present occasion,
and beg you will listen to what have
to say a. soldiers recsiying from soldier
the commands of the President of the
United States.
come from Washington clothed with
the fullest power in this matter. With
this power can act as if the President Of
the United States were himself present,
! am directed to refer nothing to Wash
ington, but TO act promptly what have
to do to do at once: to strike down the
unworthy aud to elevate the deserving.
can only speak briefly, and canno, en-
ter into the details of the subject at pres
ent. 1t may be that some OF you are bet
ter acquainted with this country than
am, but all my early military life was
spent in the South. know this whole
region we'll. an Southern man, and,
ii you will, born with Southern prejudices;
but / am free to say that the policy au'
now to announce to you | endorse with
my whole heart. You know full well for
you have been over this country, that abe
rebels have set.t to the field all their avail.
able fighting men--every man capable OF
bearing arms, and you know they have
kept al home all their slaves for the rails
ing of subsistence for their armies in the
fcid. In this way they can bring to bear
against US all the strength of their So
called Confederate States, whilst we at
the North can only send portion of our
fighting force, being compelled to leave
behind another portion TO cultivate our
field aud supply the wants of our immense
army. The Administration has determin.
ed to take FROM the rebels this source Of
Supply--to take their negroes and compel
them to send back portion Of their whites
TO cultivate their desolated plantations,
and very poor persons they would be t.
fill the place OF tue dark-hued laborer.-
They must do this or their armies will
starvs. You know perfectly we'll that
these rebels had an opportunity offered
them under the proclamation Of the Pres
idenl in september to lay down their arms
and come back into the Union. They
failed to do it. Not but that the hearts
OF many men in the South were with Vi
and against the rebellion. The leaders o.
the rebellion, jeff. Davis and his satellites,
would not permit it, therefore they are
still in arms against us.
On the FIRST day Of January last the
President issued his proclamation de-
clanng that from that day forward all the
slaves in the States then in rebellion
should be free. You know that vas
numbers Of these slaves are within you
borders, inside the lines Of this army
They come into your camps, and you can
not but receive them. The authorities il
Warrington are very much panied to hea
and I fear with truth in many cases, tina
some Of these poor unfortunates hav
on different occasions been turned ava
from US, and their applications for admis
sion within our lines have been refuse
by our officers aud soldiers. This is nj
the way TO use freed men. The questio
came up in Washington, "What is be-
70 be done with this unfortunate race
They are coming upon US IN such nun
bers that some provision must be mac
for them. You cannot send them Nortl
You oil know the prejudices Of the Nortl
srn people against receiving large nun
bers of the colored race. Some Snt'
have passed laws forbidding them
come within their borders. At this da
in some States. persons who have brougl
them have teen arraigned before Il
courts to answer for the violation OF Sta1
enactments.
Look along the river and sec the multi
tude Of deserted plantations upon It's DO
ders. These are the places for these free
men, who're they can be self-sostainin
and self-supporting. All of you wi
some day be on picket duty, and chare
you all. if any OF this unfortunate rae
come within your lines, that you do NJ
turn them away, but receive them kindl
and cordially. They are to be encourage
TO come 70 rs. They are to be receive
with open arms they are to be fed an