Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-04-27
THE GREAT FAIR IN BALTIMORE
Speech Of President Lincoln.

| BALTIMORE, April 19.-The inaugura-
| ton exercises of the great fair at Maryland
/ Institute, last night, were very imposing
/ The President appearance IN the hall was
greeted with tremendous applause. After
! the inaugural address of Gov Bradford, the
| President was loudly called for, and IN re
| sponse, proceeded to make brief address
He referred to the great change which has
taken place IN Baltimore IN the last three
years. The world he said, has long been
wanting to correct the definitions of the word
freedom. Whilst all professed to advocate
| liberty, there was in the minds of many,
very opposite views, of what liberty IS.
With one man liberty implied working for
himself and doing as he pleased with the
proceeds Of his labor. With others liberty
meant to do as you pleased with other men
and their labor. One Of these two conflict
ing ideas would have to give way to the 9TH
er. lie thought from some occurrences that
had lately taken place in Maryland, her peo-
pie were about determining 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 mas
sacre of several hundred colored soldiers by
the Confederates Many supposed the Gov
ernment did not intend TO do its duty in re-
gard TO the protection OF our colOred sol
diers. He desired TO say to all such that
they were mistaken. When the question of
employing cOlored men as soldiers was left
to the Government, it rested very much with
himself to say whether he should make sol
dIers Of them or not He pondercd the
matter carefully, and when he became CON
vinced 1t was duty to employ them in that
capacity lie did not hesitate to do so. He
stood before the American people response
bic for the act, responsible before the Chris
tian world, responsible he should stand in
the eyes Of the historian, responsible he
stood before God, and he did not shrink
from the decision lie had made. for he be-
leved he was right But when the govern
ment determined to make soldiers of coIored
people, he thought it only just that they
should have the same protection as white
soldiers, iapplause, and he hesitated not
to declare that the government would so
protect them to the utmost Of its power
Whenever a clear aud authenticated case
was made out retrbution would follow.
Hitherto it has been difficult to ascertain to
a certainty what should govern a decision in
a matter so serious but in the affair at
Fort Pillow he thought we were likely to
find a clear case. The Government had no
direct evidence To confirm the reports in ex-
IStence relative TO the massacre, but he fear
ed the facts related were true. When the
Government does know the facts from Off
cial sources, and they substantiate the re-
ports. retribUtion will he surely given.
IGreat applause But how IS the retribu-
ton to be settled. Would It be right to
take the lives of prisoners In Washington,
Fort Delaware, or elsewhere. in retaliation
for acts in which they had not shared, and
which will probably be found tie ordering
of only a few individuals, or possibly of ouly
one man
The President reiterate that the gov
ernment would not fail to visit retribution,
when the facts We're clearly obtained.
Throughout his remarks he was warmly ap-
plauded, especially for his determination to
visit retribution for the barbarous deeds of
the rebels.