Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1864-04-21
Baltimore Sanitary Fair-Speech
of the President.

The great Sanitary Fair of Baltimore
Maryland, was opened on the 18th by
the inaugural address of Geo. Bradford,
of that State, after which President
Lincoln appeared in the Hall, was
greeted with tremendous applause, and
loudly called for, and in response made
the following brief address. The senti-
ments here uttered by Mr.. Lincoln,
with regard to the Fort Pillow massa-
ere, will receive a hearty amen from
every loyal citizen in our land. But
read it, it is short, and to the point :
He referred to the great change that
had taken place in Baltimore during
the last three years. The world, had
long been in want Of correct definition
of the word freedom Whilst all pres
ent advocated liberty, they had
very opposite views of what liberty was.
With one man, liberty implied to work
for himself and to do as he pleased with
the proceeds of his labor With others,
! liberty meant to do as you please 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 which had lately taken
place in Maryland, that her people were
about to determine which of these views
| Of freedom should control her destiny.
/ He then alluded to the occurrences
reported to have taken place at Fort
Pillow and the massacre Of several hun
dred soldiers by the Confederates. -
Many supposed the Government did not
intend to do its duty in regard to the
protection of negro soldiers. He desir-
ed to say that all such were mistaken.
When the question Of employing color
ed soldiers was left to the Government,
it rested very much upon himself wheth-
ef he should make soldiers Of them or
not. He pondered the matter carefully
when he became convinced that it was
his duty SO 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. He should stand in the eye
Of the historian responsible for it. He
stood before his God, and he did not
shrink from the decision he had made.
Moreover he believed he was right, and
when the Government determined to
make soldiers Of the colored people, he
thought it only just they should have
the same protection as white soldiers,
and he hesitated not to declare the
Government would 50 protect them to
the utmost Of its power.
Whenever clear. authenticated case
is made out, retribution would follow.
Hitherto it had been difficult to ascer-
tain certainly which should govern a
decision in a matter so serious but in
the affair at Fort Pillow it would be
likely to find clear case. The gov
eminent had no direct evidence to con-
firm the reports 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 substanciate
the reports, rotribution will be surely
given, Great applause) But how
retribution will be administered was a
question still to be settled Would it be
right to take the lives of prisoners at
Washington, at Fort Delaware or else
where in retaliation for acts in which
they had not shared, and which will
probably be found at the ordering
of only few individuals OF possibly
of only one man? @
The President reiterated that the
Government would not fail to visit ret1i-
button when the facts were clearly
proven. Throughout his remarks he
was warmly applauded, and especially
his determination to visit retribution
upon these barbarous deeds of the rebels.