The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-04-29

slaughter of Negro SOA0AcT" a.
Fort Pillow.
BALTIMORE, April 19-The inaugura-
ton exercises of the great SANITARY Fair
at the Maryland Institute, last night, were
very imposing. President Lncoln's ap-
pearance in the hall was greeted by tre-
mendous applause.
After the inaugural address of Governor
Bradford, the President was loudly called
for, and, in response, proceeded to make a
brief address. He referred to the great
change that has take n place in Baltimore
in tho last three years. The world, he
said, has long been in want of correct
definition of the word freedom Whilst
all profess to advocate liberty, there were
IN the minds of many very opposite views
as to what liberty was. With one man,
liberty implied work for himself and do as
he pleased with the proceeds OF his labor.
With other, liberty meant to do as you
pleased with other men and their labor
One of these two conflicting ideas would
have to give way to the other. He
thought, from some occurrences lately
taken place in Maryland, that her pc =
pie are about to determine which of
these views of freedom should control her
destiny.
He then alluded to the occurrence re-
ported to have taken place at Fort Pillow,
the massacre of several hundred colo ed
soldiers by the Confederates. Many sup
posed that the gove' nment did not intend
to do its duty in regard to the protection
of its colOred soldiers. He desired to say
that all such were mistaken When the
question of emplo, ing colOred men as
soldiers was LETT to the government, it
rested very much with himself whether
he would make soldiers of them or not.
He pondered the matter carefully, and,
when he became convinced that it was
duty SO to employ them. he did not hest
tate to do 50. He stood before the Ameri-
can people responsible for the act-re-
sponsible before the Christian world. He
was responsible for it, and should stand
so in the eye of the historian. RESPONSE
bic for it he stood before God, and he did
not shrink from that decision he had
made, for he believed he was right.
But, when tho government determined
20 make soldiers of the colored people, he
thought it only just that they should have
the same protection as the white soldiers
Eapplause1; and be hesitsted not to declare
that the government would so protect
them 10 the utmost Of its power. When
ever clearly authenticated case was made
out, retribution would follow. Hitherto it
has been difficult to ascertain to a GER
tainty which should govern decision in q
matter so serious, but in the affair at Fort
Pillow, he thought We were likely to find
clear case. The government has no d.
rect evidence to confirm the reports in ex-
lstence relative to the massacre, but ho
himself feared that the facts related were
true. When the government does know
the facts from official sources, and they
substantiate the reports, retribution will be
surely given. [Great spplause.] But how
retributiOn was to be administered was
question still to be settled Would it be
right to take the life of prisoners in Wash
ington, Fort Delaware, or elsewhere in re-
taliation for acts in which they had net
shared, and which will probably be found
to have been ordered by only few indi-
viduals, or possibly by only one man?
The President reiterated that the gov
ernment would not fail to visit retribution
when the facts were clearly proven.
Throughout his remarks he was warmly
applauded, especially his declared deter
minatiOn to visit retributiOn for the barba-
rOuS deeds of the rebels