Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-03-24
JOHN SHUCK.
AN ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT LINCOLN.
HIS VIEWS OF SLAVERY AND NEGRO SOI.-
DIERS IN THE REBEL ARMY.
The Enemy at the end of his Resources.


WASHINGTON, March IA rebel flag, captured
was to-day presented to Governor Morton, of that
State in front Of the National Hotel A large crowd
of people were in attendance
Governor Morton made brief Speech in the
course of which he congratulated his auditors the
speedy end of the rebellion, and concluded by intro
dueing President Lincoln, whose purity and patriot.
ism, he said, was confessed by ALL even amongst the
most violent agtators. [Applause.]
His Administration will be recognized as the most
important epoch Of our history 1t struck thedeath-
blow to slavery, [applause and built up the repnb-
lie with power it had never before possessed. Ii
he had done nothing more than put his name to the
emancipation proclamation, that act alone would
have made his name immortal. [Applause.l
The President addressed the assemblage substan-
tally as follows;
FELLOW CITIZENS 1t viii be but a few words
that shall undertake to say. | was born in Ken
tucky, raised in Indiana and live in Illinois, laugh
ter 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, on this day,
able to present this captured flag to the Governor
of the State of Indiana. Applause. am not dis
posed, in saying this to make distinction between
States, for all have done equally well. Applause
There are but few views or aspects of this great
thing whereby my own views might be made known
There is one-the recent attempt of our ''erring
breteren," as they sometimes called [laughterl
because that was thei Dhgincss and not mine; ana
if they had wish upon the subject, had not the
power to introduce or make it effective. The great
question with them was Whether the negro being
put into the army will fight for them2 / do not
know, and therefore cannot decide. Laughter. |
They ought to know better than we, and do know
| have in my lifetime heard many arguments why
L L Il 4 l.
those who would keep them In slavery, it will be a
better argument than any have yet heard. Laugh
ter and applause. He who will fight for that ought
to be slave. [Applause.l
They have concluded at last to take one ont offour
of the slaves and put him in the army, and that one
out of four who viii fight to keep the others in sla-
very ought to be slave himself unless he is killed
in fight. [Applause.
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 af making other peo
pie slaves. tAppause.)
am in favor of giving an opportunity to such
white men to try it for themselves. (AppIause)
will say thing with regard to the negro being en-
poyed to fight for them that do know. know he
cannot fight and stay at home and make bread too
daughter and applause) and as one is about i'm
portant as the other to them, / don't care which
they do. (Renewed applause.) | am rather in IA
vor ofhaving them try them soldiers. Applause.
They lack one vote of doing that, and wish [ could
send my vote over the wires, so that might cast it
in favor of allowing the negro to fight Applause J
But they cannot fight andwork both. We must now
see the bottom of the enemy's resources.
They will stand out as long they can, and if the
negro will fight for them, they must allow him to
fight. They have drawn upon their last branch of
resources applause e)-and we can now see the
bottom. (Applause.) | am glad to see the end so
at hand. (Applause.)
| have now said more than intended to, and will
therefore, bid you goodbye.
The President then retired while the crowd below
saluted him with loud and hearty cheers, the band
at the same time playing lively tune
Governor Morton then stepped forward and renar-
ked that they had now seen the rebel flag, and he
proposed that each in favor of the perpetuy Of
this Union should take off his hat and give three
cheers for the Union flag. The request was respon-
ded to with hearty good WILL Three rousing cheers
were then given for President Lincoln, and three
more for Governor Morton, after which the band
struck up yankee Doodle