Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1866-08-29
THE KNOXVILLE WING
Knoxville, Tenn, August 20, 1866.
Speech of Hon. Henry S. Lane.

On the return Of Hon. Henry s. Lane, u. S. Sen
atOr from Indiana, to his home at Charlottesville,
in that State he serenaded, and afterwards de-
livered speech, in which he said:
lam member of the Radical Congress. FCheers. 7
\ member Of that Congress which is indeed radical
in its loyalty 10 country-radcal in its devotion to
the trucst interests Of all parts Of this Union-rad
cal in its opposition 30 all schemes and devices of
rebels and rebel sympathizers. But what has this
Radical Congress done? There is indeed a differ
ence Of opinion between the President and Con-
gress. l believe that the President is wrong, and
that Congress is right, and such also believe TO be
the opinion Of almost the entire party which elected
President Vice President and Congress.
Among other things done by Congress was the
passage Of the civil rights bill, passed by two
thirds majority in both branches of the National
Legislature the Presidents objections 10 the con-
trary notwithstanding This bill was a necessity
created by the victorious march of our glorious ar
my in crushing the rebellion, whereby four millions
of slaves were made four millions of freemcn. But
you told in horror by the opposers Of this Just
and necessary measure, that by it is conferred the
right to vote. This is not true and these gentlemen
themselves know il is not true.
The time is coming when these freedmen may be-
come good enough citizens to become voters, but
perhaps that time is not yet. / take the position
that the time is already here when, if must choose
between loyal eolored men and redhanded rebels to
reconstruct the South the colored is far safer
and greatly TO be preferred.
The Radical Congress has also passed free linens
bureau bill, which, say rebols, Copperheads and B.
and b. men, is scheme of plumber of white poo
pies money for the purpose of feeding and clothing
negroes.
Unfortunately for these gentlemen in their argu-
ment the returns for the past four months show
that nearly thrceourths Of the expenditures by this
bureau for the purpose Of relieving the suffer-
ings of the poor whites in the South. To this no
of the Radicals objects for have charity for
all, with malice towards none. But let these gem
tlemen cease their clamor unless they willing TO
allow the whites of the South 10 suffer in the ratio
Of three to one as compared with the freedmen
themselves, upon whose defenCelcss heads The slime
Of the entire party is poured.
This Radical Congress has also passed a bounty |
BILL increasing the pay and equalizng the bounty to
the loyal boys in blue TO whom, under God, we are
indebted for the preservation of our noble Republic
This debt of gratitude il is TO be hoped we will al
Further than this Congress has increased the PEN
sion # the disabled soldier, that he has now
nearer approach to a comfortable support
The Committee on Pensions Senator Lane chair
mani made ninety-two reports, each of which was
acted on by the Senate, and all of which, without
execution are now parts of the laws of the land.
Here the Senator made some statements in refer
ancc to his personal Career-iRtended particularly
for his friends at home. In this statement he said
that during the five years Of his duties Senator he
had been absent from his post but one day, and on
that day he visited Gettysburg in connection with
some distinguished military gentlemen, to look after
the graves monuments &c, of the dead buried
there. As a member of the Military Committee he
had never been absent from a single meeting He
never missed vote on any important measure.