, 1865-03-10

| additional troops viii be needed, ana We hope
that the Government Will place at the d!spo.
| sal Of the officers commanding, afl that Is ne.
| cessaEy, to end tho Indian troubles.
| Mr.. r. also represents that the times nre
| good in Montana, and that there are uuknoTn
! Quantities OF the precious ore buried tier.
/ vet. Provisions there ore demanding birI
| priccs.-6t. 10. HeT0ld, Ah.
Remarks Of CHIEF Justice chase,-
On taking the chair at the annual meeting o.
theNational F1eedmen's Relief Association
held in the hall Of the House Of Represca
tatives, at Washington City, February &c
1866:
LADIES AND GEST1E11ES: It has been made
my duty, and certainly esteem II as greai
honor, to call this meeting to order.
An accident Just now dims the light In this
noble room but every effort is being made to
repair it, and We hope that this hall will soon
be filed with it's wonted illumination. Mean.
while We must be patient. / have seen the
time when tho great cause Of freedom was In
DINNER light than this and I think God
that have lived to zee 1t made all glorious
T by t4s double Illumination of popular favor
This war, now waged for national ,unlty, Is
marktd by peculiar characteristics. The
pra1se Of our brave army and nayy Ia unou
all lips. The endurance ard patriotism o,
the heroic people, which has never faltercd
In Its resolve to maintain, ut whatcrc1 cost,
nssh to this. and Will furnish to all after
coming generations, objects Of wonder and
topics ofeul5gT. The vast energies and the
vast resources which hnYc been called into
action puzzle the statesmen and economists
Of The old world and astonisi1 our own.
But these, ! think, will not hereafter be re-.
gardcd as tlc most peculiar characteristics Of
this war. Men Of thought, and especially
men who recognize the proyldencc Of God in
the affairs Of men, cannot fail to observe that
1t is distinguished by great charities even
more than by great achievements.
What age before this age, and what coun.
try besides our country, ever Witnessed such
mission? What needs have been supplied ;
what wants relieved what wounds healed :;
what evils ayerted, by the activity, wiedom,
and un0agsing zeal Of this admirable organ.
ization. f0stercd and sustained by the peo-
pic, and recognized and aided BY the Gov
And what shell bo said Of the Christian
Commission Who can do justice to the
zeal and energy, sustained BY religious faith,
and blessed By natton's benedlctions, for
blessing constantly the march Of our armies,
relieving present distress, giving tender and
lcytd ones at home, alcviating physical aud
mental sutfcling, and cheering dying mo-
ments hy immortal hopes?
Nor can that later Organization be forgot
ten-the Union Commtssion- whose. noble
work it is to care for Union refugees from
feel that among tho loyal people,
will be ut home, until a righteous and hon
cradle peace ehAl1 restore to them the tlcs-
sings Of which rebellion has robbed them.
Ard here tonight the Freedmen's Com.
mission holds It's third anniversary. Organ
iztd to meet q demand upon judicious SYM
pathy ard prudent beneyolence created BY
The war, it has addressed itself to tho help Of
those who have long had no helper-or tho
boEdmen, whose bonds hare been broken by
the thunderbo1ts Of war. Like the other or
ganfzations ! have raucd, It knows neither
party nor sect. It invites the cooperation
Of all pho feel, and it labors wherever there
are freedmen to be relieved, instructed In
duty, ard prepared for usefulness to them
selves and society. By some its work may be
thought the humb1est Of all, but I, believing
tlat the poo- aEe Gods especial cure, venture
to call it nobleat Of al.
Nothing more amazing marks the history
of this war than Its action upon slavery, By
which the work Of this association is pre-
| pa1td.
one Of the fruits Of war but the people soon
| saw its justice and wisdC1n, and, atter time
that great act Of emancipation was promul
gated, which hos made the name Of Abraham
Lincoln forever memorable.
Then necessarily arose the question,
| whether black men should be called to lake
| rart in the war for union, now become, also,
| Vnr for freedom. The lntMtions Of the
| people answered this question also In ad-
vance Of the authorities; but the autAoritie:
followed, and now TIC have some two hun
| d.ed thousand black men under arms. and nc
man longer doubts that they arc soldiers.
And now cohacs another question. Shall
the loyal blacks Of rebel States be permitted
to protect themselves, and protect white 10y.
| allsts also by their votes, from new oppges.
sions By amnestied hut still vlndictive rebels
cannot doubt what a just and magnanimouE
people will determine. They will eay, t'Let
! ballots 20 with bullets let freedom be de-
Tended By suffrage" !" aud again legislation and
administration will bow to the majesty Of the
people.
70 prepare freedmen for tho new duties ami
| responsibilities which haye already come upor
item, and ore get to come, Is the specio1
| work Of this Association. Immediate Telie
for immediate wants Is indeed Its first care
but Its larger end higher duty aud purpose /:
to enable them to provide for themselves
AID make them useiul and worthy citizens.
It IS part Of the vast work Of ameliorntio1
and education by which our whole nation Il
10 be advanced TO higher and better nationa
life, and prepared for the grind future which
Is to make all It's glorious past dim by com
rarison. Hc who doubts its final success
must doubt the goodness Of God toward
| man.
Twill no longer detain you BY these reflec
Of The other duties assigned to me.
l