The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-08-18
Andrew ]. Hamilton to the PeoD1o =,

Ae" d hemAAtOn 70 the PeODIe Of
Texas.
1t Is matter for graduation and thanks.
giving that among the Provisional Gov
ernors designated by the President to per-
form the exceedingly delicate and respon-
sible tasks of guiding the Southern people
back into the Union, there are two good
and loyal men-Andrew ]. Hamilton, of
Texas, and William Marvin, of Florida.
Both of these gentlemen have resided in
New York during the war. They have
noted the growth of the anti-slavery senti-
ment among the Northern people. They
go to their duties, therefore, fully in accord
with the heart Of the nation, and the peo-
pie will trust the Presidents experiment
to them much more confidently to than the
plant Holden, the infamous Sharkey, or
the unrepentant rebel Perry.
Andrew J.. Hamilton, Provisional Gov
ernor of Texas, addressed a large audience
at Houston on the 18th ult., and told the
audience of CT dsuant rebels that listened to
him ONE very plain truths. We make
some extracts from his speech, which prove
him a thorough Unionist and snti.slaYery
man:
Many valiant gentle
men heresbouts promised to collect all the
blood that would be shed in q lady's thin
bic. All they shed could be so collected.
Some of them are here to-day, who still
have the audacity to advise you as to whom
~, d. I rbaTT ~ -.aHo 1.oh a
mistake in my recommendations, nor Rd-
wise you to trust them. Remember sl
that they said snd predicted, and how sl
their predictions have been fslsIaed. They
lied to you from beginning to end. 1t
may be said that all this is not concilistory.
1 Am done concilisting men who are at
heart rebels to their government The
man who, after the experience of the past
four years, does not admit that his course
has been criminal, is an u~nconquered rebel
He is joined to his idols-wsste no
time uDon him. = . =
The North, you said, did not love slavery.
They had 8 constitutional right not to love
it. You seemed to think God had employ
ed the last twenty-five years of eternity in
perfecting this institution. You would not
allow free thought and speech. Slavery
} was too sensitive. You did murder men
) and maltreat tender women. You would
not even allow q man to be silent. If ne
attempted it you made him run round and
hunt up his %neighbors to prove his sound
! ness. Talk to me about a free man, with
the right of free speech and conscience.
The mesnest dog in The community could
. bring you before a vigilance committee.
Thank God, if the war did nc other good,
it secured the liberty Of conscience. . : >
The President advised with me as to the
good effect Of the proclamation, which
some doubted, unless enforced by armies.
/ said, your srmies will make it effectuaL
Slaves escaping to your lines heretofore
nave been sent back to their masters but
now, wherever the armies 90, they will
break down the institution. 1 told him
foreign intervention was threatened, butnO
foreign nation would dare interfere in be-
half of slavery after the PRONUNCIATION of
: his proclamation. Recognition, after this,
never would lave come, though the South
had waited ten years. Some think the pro-
clsmstion only 3 military order, and that
slavery can be revived after the resump-
ton of civil rule. This is folly. To say
nothing about the constitutional srgu-
ment, it is the law of war that 8 command
ing general has a right to destroy the prop
erty upon which his antagonist depends,
and thus break him down. You claimed
that slaves we're property, and only prop
erty, and the President had the right TO
destroy any of your property, especially
slavery, which was the cause of the war. A
voiee-"do you proclaim that the slaves are
free ~ 1 do. They are free by the maj
esty of the law and government, through
the voice of the martyred President, and
will forever be defended in their freedom.
The nan who now opposes it is more
guilty than the man who first favored the
rebellion. .
IT we do our duty to the negro he will live
and prosper. He is inferior, you say it is
would drag angels down father than ffFs
others up. Your former slave cannot be
forced upon your society, nor upon your
table; nor can you force yourself upon
his. Conduct and character will prove
which is the better man. 81 am willing
to take my chances with the black man"
and if he has a better moral character than
1 have, or better moral conduct, his claim
to be the best man is just.
How have the negroes behaved during
the whole war Never was there among
speople SO situated, and having such hopes,
such order, such good behavior, such God
like patience What dc you say to it ?
ITO the negroes. "True, trueF they
cried)
HBut we must control the labor of the
negro" How controlit2 "Well, he won't
work" Well, the laws suppress vagrancy
and we shall take up and punish both
white man and negro equally for it. They
will be treated precisely alike. It is pain
ful to tear you from the idol of slavery. It
is like drawing q ncst by the tail.D But it
has 'igone glimmering." "But we want 8
law to make the negroes fulfill their con-
tracts" Well, pass any law upon the sub
ject you please, go it acts equally on both
white and black men, and treats them
both alike. Rid yourselves of the idea of
treating the negro differently from the