Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-02-02
Unisrism In the sout,,.


pondent of the Cincinnati Gazette, recently
escaped from the rebel prison at Salisbury
North Carolina, number of speeches wer'
made, from which we copy the following
by Mr.. Brown, in response to the toast
''The Union People Of the South-White
and Black. May their deliverance b.
speedily and permanent"
Nh. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN: ] AM
no orator as Brutus was; and even if 1 were
| would not at this hour detain you, for the
night grows apacc, and the stars are twink
ling toward the morn. However inclined
as an by nature to silence, should feel
recreant to duty, and be guilty Of the basest
| iDgratitude if did not make some response
TO the sentiment just offered, large recipi-
/ ent as | 30 recently have been Of the count
less kindnesses Of the Union men-black
and white-of the South.
/ Before touching on that theme, would
/ refer to the remarks OF my friend and broth.
er journalist, Mr.. Colburn, respecting the
idea that, when captured with Mr.. Rich
ardson and myself before Nicksburg over
/ twenty months ago, he obtained his release
by some kind Of disloyalty to the Govern
ment or to ourselves. OF course, none who
were acquainted with Mr. Colburn could
| believe him guilty Of such dishonorable,con.
/ duct under any circumstances; but as there
are many who know him only by name, |
am happy 10 profit BY this opportunity to
testify to Mr. Q. entire loyalty to his coun-
try and his friends. When our present
troubles first broke out, Mr.. G., then resi-
ding in St. Louis, No, where secession was
almost as rampant as it now is in Charles
ton, s. C., carried Union musket for three
mouths-a fact which his modesty prevent
ed him from mehtio1ing-and has ever
shown himself most devoted to the best in.
tsrests Of the Republic Still, he had the
misfortune. at the period Of his capture, to
be connected with what is called now-a-
days, "Copperhead" journal, though, at
the, time Of attaching himself to the pa
per, its character vas very different, and if
he received any benefit therefron, it was
certainly some compensation Tor being found
in such bad company. The "WOrld" has
been ever changing, and few persons had
the peTspicaci;y to tell to-day what its conl-
plexion would be tomorrow. Ny friend,
MIR. G., found his journal loyal when he
entered the field, aud was somewhat sur
prissd, when the campaign was over, that,
! like the country, II had undergone revo-
lution.
Respecting Mr.. C.'s conduct toward his
Collaboration it was ever faithful, gener-
Gus and noble. During the captivity Of
Mr.. Richardson and myself, Mr.. G. was
ever our friend. and acted as our advocate
and brother. do not wish to make his
modest merit blush; but he must permit me
! to say, on this occasion, that | know no
| more honorable and noble hearted gentle
man, and no one who made more constant
! exertions to secure our freedom
Revenons q nos nloutonS. l am glad to
know that public opinion has become so far
| deloped that the negro can DO toasted on an
apology. When Mr. Richardson and my
/ self we're incarcerated at Castle Thunder
one Of the rsbel officers gave US a reasen for
some new injustice toward Us. that we were
! abolitonists before the war. Thank God
was an aboitionist before the war, and |
| am proud to say so; although TO be an abo-
litionst just now is far from being distinc.
ton.
When the war Grst broke cut we in tie
! North declared the South was iulloi Union
men in state of suppression; and subse-
queutly we came to the conclusion there no
were Union men in the insurgent districts
! No one, hope, will hereafter talk to me
of the lack of loyalty in the so called Con
! fedeIacy" | have had such evidences of
/ this recently, that were indeed strangely
unconscious of the most generous efforts, if
! did not testify, during our late march, to
| the unquenchable zeal and devotion ofhun-
dreds of Southerners 10 eur sacred cause
Everywhere they aided and bsfriended us;
black and white, young and old, men, wo
men and children-and though entire
strangers, they sheltered Us, and led US, and
protected MS as if we were their nearest Of
kin and their bost believed; feeling, as was
really so, that we were their brothers in
sympathy and in attachment TO o common
and glorious cause. Through long, weary
and tempestuous nights, hungry, cold, and
fatigued, we passed from the dwelling of
ono Union man to another, receiving food
and concealment in every instance at the
most imminent risk to themselves. Again
aud again, the rebel scouts and home
guards. who are merely band of ruaians,
incendiaries and murderers, had robbed and
burned down the houses of the loyal fami-
lies, and had threatened to do so whenever
! they found therein fugitive conscript,
desertnr, or Yankee beneath their roef. =
/ Notwithstanding this, they invariably ex-
| tended to us the warm hand of fellowship;
/ and gave us their best most bountifully, and
| laid their brave hearts beneath our wound
| ed feet.
There was nething they would not do for
US. Oar only fear was they would do too
much; that they would take TOO much risk
in our behalf, and expose themselves, after
we had departed, to the malignity and vim
dictiveness of the pitiless and heartess reb-
els They asked US to sleep in their hous-
es but we refused, going to their barns and
corncribs; conscious, ifw were therein
discovered, that there would be no just
grounds for charging the Union persons
with completely.
The negroes were not a whit less jealous
than the white loyalist-. Though conf
dsnt they would be cruelty beaten, perhaps
murdered, by their ''chivalrous" masters il
they were known to hsve sheltered Yankees
especially such odiors ones az attaches Of
the New York Tribuue-they never hesita-
ted for moment to administer to our. re,
; lief to rise from their beds on bitter cold
aud extremely inclement nights, direct. us
TO stables and out.houses, furnish US stealth
ily with food, and guide us to places where
we would be secure from danger.
The name of Union maa or Yankee Is
sufficient at any time to awaken their deep
est interest, and TRANSFORMS them, through
the spirit of self sacrifice, into heroes. Goo
bless them! what havethey IL expect ol
! fsntx, en- a half starva1 1