The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1864-05-03
Presidents Speech al Baltimore.
President Lincoln attended the ina,


President Lincoln attended the inau-
guration of the Sanitary Fair at Balti-
more, on Monday evening last, arriving
in that city at six o'clock, in company
with the Secretary of State, and other
distinguished gentlemen. His appear
ancc at the large hall Of the Maryland
Institute, where the. Eair was held, was
greeted with general and hearty ap-
plause.
The Fair was opened with an impress
sive prayer, offered up by the Reverend
Bishop Whittingham. Then followed
an Inaugural address by Gov. Bradford
of Maryland. ge
The President was then loudly called
for by the assemblage, and in response,
he delivered an address, of which we
have the following report:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN Calling
it to mind that we are in Baltimore, we
cannot fail tonote that the world moves.
Looking upon the many people see as
sembled here to serve as they best may
the soldiers of the Union. it occurs to
me that three years ago those soldiers
could net pass through Baltimore, l
would say, blessings upon the men who
have wrought these changes, and the
ladies who have assisted them. This
change which has taken place in Balti-
moreis part only of far wider change
that is taking place all over the country.
When the war commenced three years
ago, no one expected that it would last
this long, and no one supposed that the
institution of slavery would be materi-
ally affected or mterfered with. So true
is it that man proposes and God dispo'
ses.
The world is in want Of a good def.
milton of the word liberty. We all de.
clare ourselves to be for liberty, but We
do not all mean the same thing. Some
mean that n man can do as he please:
WIN nirrr5~rrs ss's~, i---r---.- -"-,.'
others it means that some men can dc
as they please with other men, and 9th
er mems labor. Each of these things
is called liberty, although they are en-
tirely different. To give an illustration
A shepherd drives the wolf from the
throat of his sheep when attacked by
him, and the sheep of course thanks thu
shepherd for the preservation of hi
life but the wolf denounccs him as de
spelling the sheep of his liberty; cspe
cially if it be black sheep. This sam,
difference of opinion prevails among
some Of the people of the North. Blu
the people of Maryland have recent.
been doing something to properly de
( fine the meaning of the word, and
thank them from the bottom of IN,
heart for what they have done and ar
doing.
1t is not very becoming for Presi
dent to make a speech mt great length
but there is painful rumor afloat in TIN
country in reference to which few
\ words shall be said. 1t isreported tina
4 there has been wanton massacre o
some hundreds of colored soldiers a
Fort Pillow, Mississippi, during are
cent engagement there, and think i
fit 10 explain some facts in relation t
the affair. 1t is said by some person
that the government is not, in this mat
ter doing its duty. At the commence
ment of the war il was doubtful wheth
er black men would be used as soldier
or not. The matter was examined int
very carefully, and after mature delibe
ration, the whole matter resting rs
were with myself, on my judgment
decided that they should. / am res
ponsiblc for the act to the America
people, to a Christian nation, to the fl
ture historian, and above all, to Goo
to whom i shalt have one day to rendc
an account of my stewardship.
The President proceeded to say thu
in his opinion the black soldier shoul
have the same protection as the white
and he should have it. II was an crro
to say that the government was not az
ting in the matter. The governmer
: has no direct evidence TO confirm th
reports in existence relative to this ma
saerc, but he himself believed the fact
in relation to it to be rs stated. Whe
the government shall know the fact
from official sources, and they substal
tiate the reports, rctribution will be sur
" given. What is reported he though
6 would make clear case. If it is NJ
, true, then all such stories are tc be col
sidered as false. II proved true who
the matter is thoroughly examined, VIII!
, shape is to be given to the rctribution
! Can we take the man who was captu
!. ed at Vicksbnrg, and shoot him for Il
' victim of the massacre? If it shou
/ happen that il was the act of only OF
! man, what course is to be pursued thel
! II was a matter requiring careful exar
I ination and deliberation, and if il sho
G be sllbstautiated by sufficient evidenc
q all might rest assured that retributiC
9 would be had.
c \ BrqrEH SToRy.--A good story
= toll of n farmer u-ho can,a into town