Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-09-02
GEN. rIsKsADDREss4OT mrREED.
nTr~

whites and and blacks, Of both sexes As.
I sembled on the night of the 1st of Septem-
Der, in the hall Of the Honse Of Representa-
tives at thee opitol, to listen to parting adj
dress from Gen. CLINTON B. FISK. The
floor of the House and galleries we're well
filled, and the audience respectable in ap-
pearance and demeanOr At 81 o'clock the
General appeared and spoke substantially as
follows
Mr.. President AND FRIENDS: Ii is with
much reluctance | come before you tonight
to bid YOU goodbye. Ever since / have re-
ceived your invitation ! have been sorely
taxed by official business, and, therefore
must trust to your kindness to listen while
say few parting words.
BY order Of the President of the United
States my official relations with YOU termi-
mated this day. and l am again citizen.
For five years | have been ia the harness.
and am glad to get out Of it. feel as il /
had been promoted.
IL is now fourteen months since | came
among you. Then the victorious army of
the boys in blue were going to their homes
in the North TO the fourishing, cheerful
homes that were open to receive them. The
other army was returning, but it was to des-
olate homes and abandoned fresides they
bent their weary steps.
All society in this State was disorganized.
Civil courts did not exist. Destitution
reigned through the country, and the people
looked TO the Government for support. AT
that time $4,000 persons were drawing
rations from the Government 1900 were
whites; 5000 were blacks. The class of
white persons were the poors widows and
orphaR of the war, and squalid refugees.
The colored people were mostly wives and
children of colored soldiers, and the old
people who had left their masters. This
was in June, 1865. The whole number of
rations issued 10 whites is 955,74S; 10 per-
sons Of color, 61,322. Total number of
rations issued, 1,56S,770 at cost Of $780,
600. 1t will thus be seen that the issue to
whites was fifty per cent greater than the
blacks.
These white persons really needed help
and there was none TO extend il save the
Freedmen's Bureau. And to show the good
work it has done he would state, that it had
fed last winter the widows and orphans of
800 rebel soldiers. The destitute of both
armies were cared for.
The General then alluded to the aban-
doned lands. The Bureau found that ,173 |
families had deserted {, $685. S1 acres ofland,
worth S27, III ,456. This land was aban- |
doned in 1861. Some Of ii comprised the |
most valuable portions of Memphis and |
Nashville. This abandoned property was |
rented and made as productive as possible, |
and with such success, that, aside from the /
salaries Of officers the expenses Of the Bureau |
had been paid, and $4,000 surplus had been
sent to Washington. Now, most Of this
property has been restored to Its owners by
pardon from the President.
He then spoke Of the educational inter-
ests of the freedmen. There was Al schools
N Tennessee, taught by l25 teachers, having
J, 400 scholars. The interest in these schools
was rapidly extending, and the freedmen
we're apt to learn.
The General said that he had gone earn
,stly to work to promote good fellowship and
y0od order He had labored to promote
he good Of both races; had told the freed
men that circumstances and necessity COM
,elled them, in a measure, 70 live with their
ormer masters, and it was the freedmen's
luty to so conduct themselves as to make
friends and be respected. In this labor he
lad received the hearty cooperation of
|
Tennessee, and he took this occasion to
hank them for their manliness. The greater
opposition he had met with was from men
Who had never owned slaves, never had
money enough to buy them, and if they
we're offered to them would not give dollar
nd-a-haIf dozen. 1t was the poor whites
Who were the bitterest foes to the freedmen.
He paid high compliment to Gen. GEO.
/. THOMAS, and his staff: to Gov. BRowN-
.ow, and to w. MATT. Brown, Mayor of
Nashville, for valuable assistance and adj
ice
To the Press of Nashville he returned his
heartfelt thanks for cordial support and
many favors. He attributed the great sue
ess of the Freedmen's Bureau in Middle
to the uniform courtesy of the
gentlemen who conducted the newspa-
,ers of Nashville. Had the Press of Mem
his been conducted with similar dignity
nd moderation, we should not now have TO
ament the bloody massacre that has stamp
d disgrace upon the fair name of Memphis.
These Memphis papers had melted insur-
ection, and it was no wonder the people in
Vest Tennessee feared instruction last
Christmas.
He spoke of West Tennessee as it once
appeared, when the wide-spreading fields
doomed the cotton and tasseled the corn.
Then came war and made dessolation.
PEACE followed, and the fields were already
waving with the bright green blades of the
ustling corn, and the snowy wealth of the
otton, and it would come pouring into our
APPS soon.
He would say to the gentlemen of the
,ress, "when YOU do write anything, write
he truth" He had been abused and Wilt
led in Kentucky. He reiterated what he
lad stated in Cincinnati, that thirteen re-
urned colored soldiers had been brutally
reated in Kentucky upon their return home.
The committee who were appointed to in
-estigate his statement had lied about him.
lie stood ready 10 prove all he said. He
aid that it was notorious that freedmen /
we're so shockingly treated in Kentucky I
hat General JEFF. c. DAVIS, but
ew days since, called upon the President
o send him regiment of cavalry to protect
he freedmen from the terrible outrages in
licted on them in that cruel State.
He dwelt at some length upon the i'm
,Ortance Of education among the freedmen,
nd said he was about making arrangements
o establish 100 new schools in Tennessee
When his official career terminated.
In conclusion, the General spoke eloquent
y and feelingly of his parting with the
He said he never could speak to
II again. For death comes to all homes
nd carries the dearest to the grave. He
to all the Religion of the Cross.
,eek it while young. Be not satisfied with
reedom from earthly slavery, but secure the
liberty with which CHRIST makes men free.
Be good citizens. Be true TO yourselves and
ind to all about you. Be industrious. You
an solve the problem. 1t rests with you
Ehether you will be good men and women.
Bear in mind that il is not man has made
-ou free 1t is GoD has done it. Give glory
o His name.
After giving his hearers cordial invita-
ion 10 visit him at his home in st. Louis,
ghere he said the latch-string always hung
ut, the General concluded.