Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-04-20
Inauguration Of the Fair mt the
Maryland Institute So. Speech of
President Lincoln.

BALTIMORE, April 18.-The Inauguration
exercises of the great fair at the Maryland
Institute tonight were very imposing
The Presidents appearance in the hall was
greeted with tremendous applause. After
the inaugural address of Governor Brad
ford, the President was loudly called for,
and in response proceeded to make brief
address. He referred to the change which
had taken place in Baltimore in the last
three years. The world, he said, had long
been wanting in a correct definition to the
word freedom. While all professed to adj
vocate liberty, there was in the minds of
many very opposite view of what liberty
was. With one man, liberty implied work
for himself and do as he pleased with the
proceeds of the 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
other. He thought from some occurrences
which had lately taken place in Maryland,
that her people were about to determine
which of these views of freedom should
control her destiny. N LlN. i.
He then alluded to the occurrence report
ed to have taken place at Fort Pillow, the
massacre of several hundred colored SOL
diers by the Confederates. Many supposed
the Government did not intend to do its
diers. He desired to say to all such, they
were mistaken. When the question of en-
ploying colored men as soldiers was left to
the Government, it rested very much with
himself whether he should make soldiers of
them or not. He pondered the matter
carefully, and when he became convinced
it was duty to employ them, he did not
hesitate to do so. He stood before the
American people responsible for the act;
responsible before the Christian world; re-
sponsible he should stand in the eyes of the
historian; responsible for it he stood before
God, and he did not shrink from the decis-
ion he had made, for he believed he was
right.
But when government determined to
make soldiers of colored people, he thought
it only just that they should have the same
protection as white soldiers [applausel, and
he hesitated not to declare that the govern
ment would so protect them to the utmost
of its power. Whenever a clear authenti-
Gated case was made out retaliation would
follow. Hitherto it had been difficult to
ascertain certainly what should govern a
decision in a matter so serious, but in the
affair at Fort Pillow, he thought we were
likely to find clear case. The government
had no direct evidence to confirm the re-
ports in existence relative to the massacre,
but he himself feared the facts related were
true. When the government does know the
facts from official sources, and they sub
stantiate the reports, retribution will be
surely given. (Great applause.
But how retribution was to be admins
tered was question still to be settled
Would it be right to take the life Of prison.
ers in Washington, Fort Delaware or else
where, in retaliation for acts in which they
had not shared, and which will probably be
found the ordering of only few individu-
ais, or possibly of only one man. The Presi-
dent reiterated that the Government would
not fail to visit retribution when the facts
Throughout, his remarks were warmly
applauded, especially his determination to
visit retributiOn for the barbarous deeds Of
the rebels. g A cAGHrOgH ff0Ja3Ar