The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1865-03-30
Speech by President Lincoln
Ills viows on Aiming slivcs.
wAsmsoros, March IL, 1865.


A rebel fleg, captured Of Anderson. h,
the l4o,h Indiana Volunteers, was pro
scnted, to day, 10 Governor Morton, h
front of the National Hotel. A larr,
crowd was in attendance. Goycrnol
Morton made brief srecch, In which h,
Congratulated his auditors on tho speed,
end of the rebellion, and concluded b,
introducing President Lincoln, who's
purity and patriotism were confessed, h,
said, by all, even among the most violcn
ag,ts,oss. tApplausr.
His administration would be rocognz ze,
as the most important epoch of history
II had struck the blow to slavery Zap
plausel and built up the Republic with
power It never before possessed. II he
had done nothing more than put his nam,
to the Emancipation Proclamation thai
alone would have made his name i'm
mortal lAPplause.
ThE PRESIDENTS srErcn.
Tho prpsidcui addressed the assembl,
substantially as follows:
FELLow CITIZENS; IL Is but very
few words that shalt undertake to saw.
! was born IN Kentucky, raised in In.
diana. and lived In Illinois laughter.
Aud now am here, where Il is my bust.
ness 10 care equally cstihc good people
of all the States. am glad to see an
Indiana regiment on this day able to pre-
sent the captured ilag 10 the Governor OF
Indiana. lAppla1se | ain not dis.
posed IN saying this tu make a distinction
between the States, ior all have done
equally well. (Apphusc
, There are but few views or aspects OF
this great war upon which | hava nu,
said or writ en- scmcihing whereby nv
! opinion mi1at be kioEn. rug there
is onc--ihc recent attempt Of eur crring
brethren, 0s they ure sometimes called
lliughlesl 10 employ the negro to ight
for them. hive neither written nor
made speech on that subject, because
that was their business not mine, and il |
had a wish upon the subject, had not
the power TO introduce IL or make il Of.
fective. The great question with them
was whether tho negro being put into
The army will fight for them. do not
know, aud therefore cannot decide.
Laughter. They ought to know better
than we. | have in my lifetime heard
many arguments why the negroes onrh,
to be slaves; but if they fight for those
who would keep thom In slavery, Il will
be better argument than any have vet
heard. He who viii fight br that, ought
to be slave. [Applause.
They have concluded at last TO take
one out OF four OF the slaves, aud put
them in the army; and that is one out of
the four who will fight to keep the others
in slavery out 10 be slave himself, un-
less he is killed in fight. IApplausc.1 |
While have often said that all men
ought to be free, yet would allow those
colurcd men TO be slaves who want 10 be /;
and next 10 them those white persons
who argue IN favor of making other PEG.
pie slaves. [Applause.1
am in favor Of giving an opportunity
TO such white men TO try il for themselves.
| lApplausc.1 | will say one thing in re-
gard to the negro being employed to
night for them. do not know how he
can not Gght and stay at home and make
other, then do not care which they do
Renewed applause.
| am rather in favor Of allowing them
to try them us soldiers. Applause.
They lack one vote OF doing that, and !
wish ! could send my vote over the river
30 that might cast il in favor of allow
ing the negro to fight. Applause But
they can not lght and work both. We
must now see tue bottom Of the cuemy's
resources. Thcy will stand out as long
as they can; aud if the negro will fight
for them they must allow him to fight.
They have drawn upon their last branch
of resources fapplauseI and we can now
see tho bottom. Applausc.l I am glad
TO see the end 30 near Ot hand. Ap.
plnuse. ] have said now moro thnn
inteuded, and | will, therefore, bid ycu
good bye.
The President then retired, while the
crowd below saluted him with loud and
hearty cheers, and the band played u
lively time.
Gov Morton then stepped forward and
remarked that they had now seen the
rebel rag, and he proposed that each one
in favor of the perpetuity Of this great
Union take OFF his hat and give three
cheers for the Union flag. The reques
was responded to with hearty goo'
will. Three hearty cheers were given
for President Lincoln, with three NOR,
for Governor Morton, after which III,
band struck up Yankee Doodle.