Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-04-22
Opening of the Murylnud SANITARY Fair.
SPEECH BY PRESIDENT LINCOLN.
BAIrIvlRE. Ami Il

BALTIMORE, April Is
The Inauguration ceremonies of the
great Fair at the Maryland Institute
tonight were very imposing The
display was exceedingly fine TIC uu-
mense building was thr0ngcd. President
Lincoln made "a speech. Speaker Caiaz and
Senator Wilson accompanied the President
10 Baltimore. The Presidents appearance
IN the hail was greeted with tremendous APP
plause W Ich continued iJr some moments.
After the Inaugural address OF Gov. Brad
ford, the Presiden was loudly called for, and
in response he proceeded 10 make a b.i-f
address.
He referred TO the great change that bad taken
place in Baltimore in the last three years Truly.
! he said, the world moves. At the commence
ment Of the war the soldiers Of the Union could
not pass through B fillmore uumolcstel. and
now we have this large assembhge OF people
I brought together 10 do them honor and provide
/ for their wau's and make them comfortable.
All honor TO the brave patriots who had
wrought the change, and 10 the noble women
who aided them. When this war began scarcely
one individual supposed II would have lasted ull
now. All thought il would eud in some way IN
a much shorter time Very few az that time
thought the institution Of slavery would be much
affected. But these expectations were not reali-
zed and here We are. [Laughter.l And slavery
has been somewhat Affected. Gre1t laughter
So true Is it, my friends, that man proposes and
God dsposes. The world had long been IN want
Of a correct definition Of the word freedom
Whilst all professed 10 advocate liberty. there
were in the minds Of many very opposite views Of
what liberty was. With one man liberty impli-
ed to work for himself, and 10 DO as he pleased
with the proceeds Of his labor. With Others lib
L
and their labor. One Of these two conflicting
ideas would have to give way to the other. He
thought from some occurrences that had recent
ly taken place in Maryland, tina; her peoplewe
about 10 determine which OF these views Of free
dom should control her destiny
The President then passed. On 10 refer 10 a
matter which he said he supposed was lust now i
deeply ngitating the minds Of the people all over
the country. lie alluded to an occurrence which F.
was reported to have taken place az Fort Pillow.
namely, the massacre Of several wounded color
ed soldiers by the Confederates. Many suppos-
ed the Government did not intend to do its duty
in regard to the protection of these colorcd SOL
diers. He desired TO say that all such were
mistaken When the question Of employing col
ored men as soldiers was left to the Government.
it rested very much with himself whether be
should make soldiers OF them or not
He pOndered the matter carefully. aud when
he became convinced that 1t was a duty 70 50
employ them, he did not hesitate. He stood be-
fore the American people responsible for the act;
responsible before the christian world: resuonsi-
bic for it he should stand in the eye Of the histo
rian; responsible for It he stood before God-and
he did not shrink from the decision he had made
for he believed it was right. But when Govern
ment determined 10 make soldiers Of these color
81 people, he thought it only Just that they
shouli havn tho e. .
sohiiers Iapplausel, and he hestate,l not to de-
'lare that the Government would SO protect them .
10 the utmost Of its power
Whenever = clear authenticated case should be
made out, retribution would follow. Il had hith-
rto been difficult to ascertain with that certainty
which should govern a decision IN a matter % !
eriOus. But in the atfur at Fort Pillow he
bought they were likely to find a clelr case d
The Government had no direct evidence to con- :
rm the reports in existence relative TO the mas i
acre. but he feared that the fact. rs related were
rue When the Government does know the a
acts from Official sources, and they substantlate
be reports, retribution will be surely given. :
Great applause !,
But how should retributlon be administered .
las question still to be settled. Would il be I
ight to take the life Of prisoners in Washington.
! Fort Delaware, or elsewhere, in retaliation for :
cts in which they had not shared Would it
E right TO take prisoner captured, say at
ickshurg, and shoot him for acts Of which he u
ms no; guilty, and which, it probably VIII be y
Iund, we're the ordering Of only a few iudivid- b
ais, or possibly Of only one mani oi
The President reiterated the declaration that t.,
lie Government would not fail TO visit rctriba-
on when the sets were clearly proven.
Throughout the Presidents remarks were
armly applauded, especially his enuuoiatioa 4
determination 10 visit rrtribution Tor the at
srbarous deeds OF the rebels