The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-05-05

l
Baltimore Sanitary Fair, either correctly 0,
orfully.. wefind it ii full in the Baltimore
Papers, and give it below: 5af.'I i''as
7 THE PRESIDENTS REMARKS
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN Calling to
mind that we are in Baltimore. we cannot
fail to note that the world moves. Looking
upon these many people assembled here to
serve, as they best may. the soldiers Of the
Union, It occurs at once that three years ago
the same soldiers could not SO much as pass
Ethrough Baltimore, The change from then
It'll now is both great and gratifying. Bless
ings on the brave men who have wrought
the change, and the fair women who strive
to reward them for It. i.na7 Z sf'i 90 s9f
/ But Baltimore suggests more than could
happen within Baltimore The change
within Baltimore is spart only OF far wider
change. When the war began, three years
ago, neither party, nor any man, expected
it would last till now. Each looked for the
end, in some way, long ere to-day. Neither
did any anticipate that idmestie eiavary
would be much affected by. the war. But
here we ars ; The war has not ended. and
slavery has been much affscied-.how much
needs not now be recounted. So true is it
that man proposes and God disposes. ''' o
But we can see the past, though we may
not claim to have directed it and seeing it,
in this case, we feel more hopeful and conf
dent for the future yqg a. sgGlanaa
The world has never had good ,defini-
ton of the word liberty, and the American
people, just now, are much in want of one.
We all declare for liberty; but in using the
game ssprta we do not all mean the, sam e
thing. With some the word liberty. may
mean for each man to do as he pleases with
himself and the product Of his labor while
with others the same word may mean for
some. men to do as they please with other
men and the product Of other mems htor.
Here are two, not only diffassni, but incom-
patible things, called by the same name,
liberty. And it follows that each OF. the
things is, by the respective parties, called
by two different and incompatible names
liberty and tyranny. -
The shepherd drives the wolf from the
sheeps throat, for which the sheep thanks
the shepherd as iberator, while the wolf
denounces HIM, for the same act, as the des
troyer Of liSarty. especially as the she ep was
black one. Plainly, the sheep and wolf
are not agreed upon a definition of the word
liberty and precisely the same diffaren ce
prevails to-day among US human creatures.
even i'm the North. and all protesting to love
liberty. Hence we behold the processes by
which thousands are daily passing from un-
der the yoke of bondage hailed by some as
the advance of liberty. and bewailed by
others as the destruction Of all liberty, Be-
Gently, as it seems, the people of Maryland
have been doing something to define liberty.
and thanks to them that, in what they have
done, the VOLTS dictionary has been repudi.
ated Loud cheersl .....-,.e.,.'.. -.
It is not very becoming for one in my
, =
position to make speeches at great length /;
but there is another subject upon which I
feel that I ought to say word, "A painful
rumor-true. I fear has reached us of the
massacre, by the rebel forces at Fort Pillow
in the west end of Tennessee: on the Missis.
sippi river, of some three hundred colored
soldiers, and white officers, who had, just
been overpowered by their assailants, There
seems to be some anxiety. in the public mind
whether,the Government is, dong it's duty
to the colored, soldier, and to the service. at
this point. At the beginning of the war,
and for some time. the use Of colored troops
was not contemplated and how the change
Of purpose was wrought, I win not now
take time to explain. Upon clear convic.
ton Of duty, I resolved to turn that element
Of strength to account; and am responsible
for it 10 the American people. to the Chris
tian world, to history, and on my final ac-
count to God. Having determined to use
the. negro as a soldier. there is no way but
to give him all the protection given to any
other soldier The difficulty is not in stat
ing the principle, but in practically applying
it. 1t is mistake 70 suppose the Govern
ment is Indifferent to this matter, or is not
doing the best it can in regard to it. We do
not today EsosQ that a colored soldier, or
white, officer commanding colored soldiers,
has been snassacred by the rebels, when
made prisoner. We fear it, believe il, Il
may say, but we do not kroso it To take
the life Of one of their prisoners on the as
sumption that they murder ours, when it is
short Of certainty that they domurder ours,
might be too serious, too cruel mistake. -
We are having the Fort Pillow affair tho
roughly investigated; and such Investigation
will probably shov coBclusively how the
truth is. IF after all that has been said, it
shall turn out that there has been no mas
sacre at Fort Pillow, it win be almost safe
TO say there has been none, aud WIN be none
elsewhere IF there has been the massacre
of three hundred there, or even the tenth
part Of THE hundred, It win be conclusively
proven and being SO proven, the retrihn-
ton win as surely eome.usIt will be matter
of grave consideration'm what exact course
to apply the retribution; but in the suppo.
sed case, it must come! tvociferous ap-
iplsuse.l bliioa en indl f6sg yebia3
Y Four men were lately riding along
q af4 Z tea..a sE. q
in light one horse wagon in Mis-
souri. when they were oyartaken with