The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-03-31
SPEECH OF Mr.. LINCOLN.
His Views as 10 the Aiming OF Slaves
by the Rebels.

WASHINGTON, March ia rebel flag.
captured at Fort Anderson by the 14Oth
Indiana volunteers, was to-day presented
to Gov. Morton of that State, in front of
the National Hotel. A large crowd Of
people was in attendance.
Governor Morton made brief speech
in the course of which he congratulated
his auditors on the speedy end of the re-
bellion, and concluded by introducing
President Lincoln, whose purity and pa
triotism, be said, were confessed by all,
even amongst the most violent agitators.
His administration will be recognized as
the most important epoch of history. It
struck the death blow to slavery. and built
up the republic with power it had never
before possessed. If he had done nothing
more than to put his name to the emanci-
patton proclamation, that act alone would
have made his name immortal.
The President addressed the assemblage
substantially as follows: No.. w..
FELLOW CITIZENS: 1t will be but few
words that I shall undertake to say. was
born in Kentucky, raised in Indiana, and lived
in Illinois, and am now here, where it is my
duty to be, to care equally for the good people
of all the States. am glad to see an Indiana
regiment this day, able to present this cap
tured flag to the Governor of the State of In
diana. ON not disposed, in saying this, to
make distinction between States for all have
done equally well.
There are but few views or aspects of this
great war upon which have not said or writ.
ten something whereby my own views might
be made known. There is one-the recent
attempt OF our "erring brethren" as they are
sometimes called, to employ the negro to fight
for them. have neither written nor made
speech on that subject, because that was their
business and not mine; and if they had wish
upon the subject, had not the power to in
troduce it or make it effective. The great
question with them was, whether the negro,
being put into the army. will fight for them?
do not know, and therefore cannot decide.
They ought to know better than we, and do
know. have, in my lifetime, heard many ar
guments why the negro ought to be a slave,
but If they fight for those who would keep
them in slavery, 1t will be better argument
than any Lave yet heard, He who will fight
for that ought to be slave.
They have concluded at last to take one out
of four OF the slaves and put him in the army,
and that one out of four who will fight to keep
the others in slavery ought to be q slave him
SELF unless he is killed in q fight.
While have often said that all men ought
to be free, yet would allow those colored
persons to be slaves who want to be. and,
next to them, those white men who argue in
favor of making other people slaves.
am in favor of giving an opportunity to
such white men to try it on for themselves.
will say one thing in regard to the negro being
employed to fight for them, that do know.
know that he cannot fight and stay at home
and make bread too; and, as one Is about as
important as the other to them, don't care
which they do. am rather in favor of having
them try them as soldiers; They lack one vote
of doing that, and wish could send my vote
over the wires, 60 that might cast it In favor
of allowing the negro to fight. But they can
not fight and work both. We must now see
the bottom of the enemys resources.
They will stand out as long as they can, and,
if the negro will fight for them, they must al
low him to fight. They have drawn upon their
last branch of resources and we can now see
the bottom. am glad to see the end so near
at hand.
have said now more than intended to,
and will therefore bid you goodbye.
The President then retired