Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1863-04-30
The Presidents Policy in Regard to
the Aiming and Treatment Z of
Freed Negroes Speech Of Adj
GEN. Thomas at Lake Pr0vidence.
SPEECH OF GEN. THOMAS.

for me to say anything in reference to it.
Still. as come here with full authority
from the President of the United States to
announce the policy. which, after mature
deliberation by, the wisdom Of the nation,
has been determined upon, it is my duty
to make known to you clearly and fully
the features of that policy. 1T is'a source
of extreme qualification to me to come a.
mong you this day, knowing. as / do full
we'll how glorious have been your achieve.
meuts on the field Of battle. No soldier
can como before soldiers of tried valor.
without having the Representations of his
soul stirred within him. These emotions
l feel on the present occasion. / beg you
will listen to what | have to say as sol
diers receiving from soldier the COM
mands Of. the President of the United
States ~afa.1i * 10 1il -@ssa.s .as
! come from Washington clothed with
the fullest power in this matter. With
this power l can act as if the President
were himself present. i am directed to re.
fer nothing to Washington, but to act
promptly--what have TO do, do at once
Ito strike Down the unworthy and elevate
the deserving. l can only speak briefly,
and cannot entci into the details of the SUBJ
ject at present. 1t may DC that some OF
yon are better acquainted with this conn
try than l am: but all my early military
life was spent in The South. know this
whole region well. | am Southern man;
and. fyou will. born with Southern pref
udices; but am free to say that the poll.
} cy now announce to you endorse will,
my whole heart. You know full well.
for you have been over this country, that
the rebels have sent into the field oil their
available fighting men; every man capable
OF bearing arms; and you know that they
} have kept at home all their slaves for the
raising of subsistence for their armies in
the field. so
In this way they can bring to bear a
gainst 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 an.
other portion to cultivate our fields and
supply the wants of an immense army
The Administration has d. t,rmined t, take
from the rebels this source of supply--tC
take their negroes-compel them to send
back a portion Of their whites to cultivate
their deserted plantations: and very poor
persons they would be 10 fill the places oil
the dark handed-laborer. They must dc
this or their armies viii starve, You know
perfectly we'll that these rebels had an OPP
portunity offered them under the Procla-
nation OF the President. in September. to
lay down their arms and come into the
Union. They failed to do SO. Not blu,
that the hearts of many men in the South
arc with US. end against the rebellion,
permit il; therefore they are still in arm:
against us.
On the first day of January last, the
President issued his Proclamation declar-
ing all the slivTs in all the States then in
rebellion, from that day, forever free
y on know what vast numl e's of these
slaves are within your bordsrs--inside the
lines of this army. They cnmc into your
camps aud are not received. The au
thoritics in Washington are very mitch
panied to hear, and fear with too much
, truth in many cases, that some OF these
poor creatures have. on different occasions
been turned away from us, and their ap
plications for admission within our line,
: have been refused by our officers and oui
soldiers. This is not the way to use freed
men. The question has been discussed il
Washington. "What shall be done with
this unfortunate racer" They are coming
upon ms in such numbers that some pro.
} vision must be made for them. You can
not send them North. You all know the
prejudices of the Northern people against
receiving large numbers Of the colored race
Some States have passed laws forbildine
them to come within their borders. Al
, this day. in some States. persons who
have brought them have been arraigned be
fore the Courts to answer the violatian OF
State enactments.
Look along the river and see the multi
t tudes of deserted plantations upon its
banks. These are the places of these
freedmen--where they can be self-sustain
ing. All. all of you will some day be OF
picket duty, and charge you all If any o.
this unfortunate people come within your
lines that you do not turn them away. bu,
receive them kindly and cordially. They
] are to be encouraged to come to us
, they are to be received with open arms
they will be fed and clothed--taey wiU b
armed. -, 4,t - 1s3oq - &c ...-sf
; This is the policy that has been fully de
termined upon. ! am here to say that
; am authorized to raise as many reg
iments Of blacks as i can: ! am an.
thorized :. to giye commissions from
the high st to tue lowest. and desire those
> persons only who are earnest in this work
to take hold of it. desire oaly those
whose hearts are in it. and to them alone
will | give commissions. / don't care
who they ale. or what their present rank
may be. lido not hesitate to say that all
proper persons will receive commissions
Whilst lam thus authorized, in the
name Of the Secretary of War, | have the
fullest authority to dismiss from the army
any man, be his rank what it may. whom
End maltreating these freed men. tThi,
part Of my duty | shall most assuredly per.
form. If any case comes before me.
, would rather do that than give commits.
sions, for such men are unworthy the name
of soldiers. szJ suE coz skg' saf 1GsE.
! hope to hear that in this large, this
splendid division, as know it to be
veterans. as Napoleon would call them
for you are veterans--I hope to hear
81 =. n.