Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-07-18
Soldiers Reunion In Iilfm0f
SPEECH OF GEN. LOGAN.

illinois, on the 4th Of July-some account of
which was given in the Euening Poat of Mon
day last-speeches we're made by Gems. Sher-
mar and Logan. and Gov. Oslesby
Gen. Logan asked the Audience If they would
have believed two years ago. when certain
great man of this land said that treseon must
bs made odious, aud traitors N ust be punished;
and not only that, but that they must be i'm
poverished, and that their property must be
distributed among the loyal people, that he
would declare that they were entitled to rep
rssentaton in the U. S. Congress- Ii he did,
he had very strange way of expressing HIM
self. That is ali can say on that subject. No,
sir, the work of restoration 10 this country be-
longs TO loyal men and not to traitors,and while
loyal men are engaged in performing this work
and restoring this country they must say to
these traitors Gentlemen, we intend to con-
fer these rights upon you whenever we are
a-minded to. 1t 10 not for you TO say the time
when it shall be done, but it is for us to say.
1t is in our hands, in our power we have the
right, and you have no privileges In this ooun-
Try.
But it is said that inasmuch a. these states
have been recognised, and certain of hem have
acted on certain subjects. that they are fully
restored. Why. my countrymen, that is
great mistake. They are stored SO far as
the act that they perform is recognized BY oar
govefnnen. as lawful whether it was lawful at
the start and at the inception or not, by Il e
recognition We made il lawful. Hence, the only
acts that they can perform are such acts as We
REQ gnise as being lawful by our recognition
The acts that say to them they shall not
perform, they cannot perform until We say they
shall.
If the arguments that the acts passed by
tInrS Hepausn a
of the states were represented, then all the
laws pass ed during the war are uncoustitution-
al because JEFF. Davls's part Uf the country
not represented. Let where it would
carry US if the rebels, the moment they laid
down their arms, had all their rights restored
TO them. II the mere fact of laying down
their arms would restore them all their rights,
then | would ask you wha is there in treason !?
Suppoas We to-day just conclude here, while
We assembled to celebrate the Fourth OF
July, that We array ourselves against the state
government of Illinois. We 60 to work and
Commit treason against it. We peril our Ives
and our fortunes by our aots. Well, We look
abroad and see about to be whipped.
We cannot stand 1t any longer. SO We throw
down our guns aud send word TO the govern
ment, I" We stole these old muskets they did
mol cost US anything, you can take them back j
we will be Candidates, and take part IN politic-,
and the atf,irs OF tins state, just as We ever
did,
What is he result 1t puts the traitor in
a better position than the loyal man. IL he
goes and makes himself a new constitution
and new government and then loses, he Loses
nothing on the top of Gods earth. Now that
Is strange game tc play at. That's heads
win, tails you lose. daughter The traitor
loses nothing, the loyal man loses all. His
In lOsss hv tho
ton Of property it loses by the destruction Of
life il loses the effect o. the law of the land /;
it loses the moral effect that the enforcement OF
the law has upon the people. All this tue gov~
ernment loses, but the traitor loses Just moth
ing.
do not see Why the people should be in any
hurry to require them to be rpresented- Ihey
declined to represented for four years but the
moment they laid down their arms, they say,
" Why. want members in Congress, we
want part of the foreign missions We want
the officers of the law distributed among US !
we want our rights Tney talk of rights
Well, SO might a ncrse. thief at the very time
be is being tried, get up before the Judge, after
the proof had been given, showing that be had
stolen the horse, and say, Judge. want my
rights /! " The judge would say, My dear
friend, you will get them ln a few minutes 1
think that the jury will send you to the Peni-
tentiary for twenty years.
Oh, they want their rights, rights that they
forfeited, rights that they are not entitled to
rights that they denied to themselves by their
own &C, of treason. Tney tried to destroy the
government, and denied its authority by th-ir
acts, and thus lost all the rights that they had
in this Ind. Aad now, instead of m .rching
up with pardon in one pocket, and carth-
cate of election in the Other. demanding what
they call their rights, what ought they 20 do !!
They ought to be on their knees, lmpiorIng
this great and glorious government to be mag
unanimous, and offer them that olemency which
our gallant, honest and faithful President Abra-
ham Lincoln offered to them so often. and
which they 80 often refused.
do not wan, to be their execu-
toner, but do want to do few things one
OF the American people, as one of the loya
citizens of this land, a man who has as
much right anybody else, and no more, to
claim the exercise of certain rights and privi-
leges in this country that loyal men are entitlt
TO. l want to be recognised in this land a
soldier of the Republic of the United States,
and not disgraced man. want to be rec
| ognixed at the same time a man who has
| done more for his country than traitor.
wan, it to be SC In this land that Gen. Sherman
may stand here to-day before the America 4
people in prouder light, higher socially, NOR
ally, politically, and every way, than does Joe
Johnston, the m,n that fought against him 10
| the army of treason.
| That is what want to see. l want TO see
treason made odious and loyalty made respecta.
| bic.
want to know what magnanimity there i.
| in gres, government like lhis that will allow
one of our women, one Of our children, or
red man, or q black man TO be captured on ths
hiuh and made n aud fhap uh
the government is asked by the captive frieno'
TO demand him, say lie is not a citizen Of tn,
United States, ne cannot claim our protection
Now, the man must pay taxes, he must bea
the burden of government, but he has pt
claims to the protection OF the flag. You say
No, sir, he is not an American citizen," Sir
I .runt euery man TO be a citizen-raan, ,oonsa,
and ch'td, irrespective Of color"
| On" but say some friends iu this country
% it you do that you make voters of the coloret
people. 1t does no such thing. If the peopl
of Illinois want the people of color TO vote
they have the right to make voters of them.
they don't want to do it, they have the right tt
prohibit. That right remains the same witt
each state as it ever did. This proposed pro
vison of the Constitution says to you and l. sir
that every man is a citizen of the United States
You have no right to go out and murder him
you have no right to take his work withou
paying him his wages you have no right L
abuse that man or tride with his rights an,
privileges. He is a man, even as you are, an
has the same prote ction from the laws that yo
have. Any Christian people on top of Coo
earth that would not give this protection of tn
law TO every human being that had lite breathe
into him by Our Father, commits a great si
and sinks into oblivion.
Sir, when you ask me how l became such
great advocate OF universal eitixsnship, ca
| tha I hSv