The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-29

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SECRETARY HARLAN.
In Washington, on Friday night a
| large number of citizens of Iowa, resi-
dent and sojourningatth the Capital, toge-
| ther with other friends of Secretary Har-
Ian, repaired to his residence and COM
plimented him with a serenade. Will
liam d. Wilson, Esq, on behalf of the
Secretary's friends, informed him that
this was donein view of his distinguish
| ed services as a citizen of Iowa, while
officially engaged in Washington, and
his recent election to the Senate. Mr..
Harlan, in response, said:
Fellow citizens of Iowa, in expressing
my gratitude for this call, it may not be
inappropriate to respond to the kind al
fusion made by n Of your number to
my public services. Heretofore | have
not done anything personally to entitle
me to this distinction, unless it was an
endeavor faithfully and persistently to
discharge the duty of a representative of
your State while occupying Il position
In one of the branches of Congress; and
since that period to devote myself with
equal zeal, vigilance and fidelity to my
public duties as a membe OF the great
Union party of the whole country.
/ presume | am indebted fpr this COM
pliment to the recent action of the Leg
| islature of Iowa in giving me the legal
right to anticipate the acceptance of n
seat in the United States Senate some
wear and q half hence. can only say
with regard to that event, l am not fool
ish enough to disguise the fact that it is
| personally gratifying to me as an en-
dorsement of my official services at the
| capital, and imposes Upon me additional
obligations of fidelity to principle and
| vigilance in the performance of my pub
lie duties.
You will scarcely expect of me, on
this occasion, To address you on the gen.
eral subject of national affairs; but there
is one great question to which | will
briefly allude, now a~gitating the public
mind and moving the publicheart, and
| that IL the terms on which our brothers
who reside In the districts recently in
rebellion shall be permitted to affiliate
with theirbrothers of the other states.
The rebellion has been substantially
crushed, and the fact is admitted by all;
and the terms on which they shall be
admitted to full fellowship with the re-
representatives. of the other states of the
Union is the only great question which
occupies the mind Ofthe American peO-
pie.
In some states the question Is attended
with difficulty, in consequence of the
great incongruity of the population, one
half of them having been in bondage,
and abject slavery; while some doubt
the possibility of their assuming and
wisely discharging the duty of Ameri-
can citizens. apprehend that none
will now doubt that they must forever
remain free. CApplause.] There are
none who suppose they can be shifted
from this loountry to other chimes. II
this four millions must forever be free,
and they and their posterity remain in
this country, | presume no wise states
man thinks that, for a long time, they
can be deprived of citizenship. The time
at which they should be admitted is
question to be decided by the Senators
and Representatives of the United
States. A partial recognition Of the
states has taken place. The leaders in
the rebellion have given up the struggle
as worse than futile, and they cannot
hope in the future to sever the Union,
| anu uluSl, ttltIclOIC, iCilklh III ~ dtiu
as citizens render obedience to the laws.
We had no right to expect they would
| at once acquiesce and admit those who
were once slaves to equal rights of citi.
zenship. But the safety of the Republic
is more important.
Many of our wisest finanoiers doubt
very much whether it would be safe to
| admit them in their present condition,
| with nearly one-half of the population
| excluded from citizenship, and that half
the most loyal part of the population.
They fear that under the present orga-
nization, with the local governments in
the hands of those who have recently
been in rebellion, the Union men will
be in a very lean minority, and think it
no more than right that those who re-
Gently had their hands red with the
blood of the loyal people of the country
should not fully manage the local affairs
of those States.
Some doubt whether the liberated race
have sufficient knowledge to participate
in all the rights of American citizenship;
but for myself have never doubted it
is much safer to trust an ignorant loyal
man than a wise rebel. [Applause. /
would prefer to secure the loyal minoris
ty by uniting them with those who
have heretofore been in bondage, but
are now free, in order to secure, if not a
majority, a strong minority at least, to
exact just terms of reorganization.
need hardly say that during the
brief perior l may remain inmy present
position ] shall not fail to discuss these
| opinions or urge my convictions in the
proper quarter nor am I disposed to say
tonight that such views would be dis
tasteful to the great and good man who
is the Chief of the Republic. Hereto
| fore he has had the capacity to speak for
himself. / believe II has been his pur-
pose to leave the great question of adj
mission with the two houses of Congress
[Applause.] thank you, gentlemen,
for your compliment.
1t is stated that $780, 600 of the new
issue of fractional currency, which are
| intended to supercede the old issues OF