Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-08-28
The situation North and South
speech by senator Wilson, Of Hassa-
ehusetta.

The Hon. Henry Wilson, United
States Senator from Massachusetts,, Wis
tied Saratoga recently, and made a
speech on national affairs, from which
we extract the following:
It has recently been my fortune to
travel four or FIVE weeks through the
rebel States, and as they invited me to
speak to them, 1 said Just what l
thought. / held them responsible be-
fore man and God for every drop OF
blood shed in this country, for every
life lost, for every dollar expended. l
spoke to them palmer than ever spoke
even to the people of Massachusetts, !;
but tried to do it in q spirit of kind
ness, that really felt l pitied their
misfortunes. They were more severely
conquered than / dreamed of. ] tell
you here tonight that the people OF
that section of the country put into
the contest all they had of blood and
treasure, and they were defeated, ut
terly annihilated, their powers gone
No man who loves his country and his
fellow-men, and who regards those
States as parts of the country, and the
people as part of his countrymen, can
witness the condition Of that section
without having his heart softened and
stirred within him. For myself, while
/ spoke to them plain words, l desired
to speak to them in kindness, and in
thirty-two speeches made in that sec
ton of the country, to various kinds OF
audiences, 1 never received hiss, or
whisper, or unkind word. But l have
now innumerable invitations from va
rious portions of that country to speak,
which cannot accept. | trust that
the men at the North, who can afford
to be generous as well as just, while
they have resolved that treason shall
never more sway the councils of the
country, will be kind and generous,
and forgive the faults of their erring
countrymen. Applause. ,s-~
1 trust that the public men of our
portion of the country will visit that
portion of it. Freedom Of speech they
have not had for generation; they
have looked only on one side-on the
side of slavery, notification, secession,
disunion, civil war, hatred Of Yankee
institutions. Now, when the truth is
presented-when the cause Of liberty,
justice and humanity is presented to
them-they listen as no people ever
before listened, and say to you it is
the great missionary ground OF the
country. Kind words, words addressed
to the heart, conscience and reason,
viii do more than in any other portion
of the country for good. So much for
the position of that portion of the
country, as / comprehend it. And now
! will tell you what think has
brought around this rapidly improved
condition of the country, and that it is
the overthrow of the policy Of the
President of the United States, and
the utter hopelessness on the part of
the people that the Presidents policy
can never be sustained by the nation.
| Cheers. The policy brought bitter
words, violent deeds, wrongs and outra-
ges. Loyal men were everywhere in
suited, freedmen were outraged, and
even murdered but when the Con-
gress of the United States, sustained
by the people who had fought them on
600 battle fields, laid down the terms
and conditions of reconstruction, and
when the Presidents policy was repu-
dated, when their hopes in the Su-
preme Court failed altogether, then
they saw that they must submit to the
authority Of the nation, and they are
doingit with very good grace. There
Is another thing that has contributed
to the peaceful aspect of most portions
Of the States lately in insurrection.-
That is the ballot put into the hands
Of 100000 black men. Those men, let
me say to you, will bring these States
back loyal to the country, and fully
and unreseFYedly committed to the
cause of human liberty in America
Applause.
make the prediction that eight or
nine, and 1 think nine, of these ten
States will not only comply with the
terms and conditions Congress has laid
down, but will elect men who can take
the iron clad oath, and will send men
to the Congress of the United States
who will think, speak, and act as the
loyal progressive representatives think,
speak and act. Cheers. l will tell
you why. These 100000 black men
feel that they are fighting the battles,
not only Of the country, but of their
own liberties and rights. Of course,
they will vote for the Union, for they
believe in this country as no people
never believed in it before; and they
have reason to. They revere the name
and memory of Abraham Lincoln as no
portion of our countrymen do. Ap-
olause.l The word Union" is en-
yraved on their hearts; they viii vote
not only for the Union and Liberty,
1ut for school-houses and churches,
md for liberal and progressive policy
n that section of the country. They
will carry it too. Old Virginia, this
very autumn, within ninety days from
his time, will put herself along side of
Vermont, Massachusetts, and Ohio, as
strong, iberty-loving, progressive, |
Radical State of the Union. APP
,lause. South Carolina will follow
Applause. Other States will do the
anne; and then, gentlemen, l predict
hat these States will enter on liberal,
policy, such as is pursued
n New England and the great Central
nd Western States of the country.
There Is not Democratic flag float
ng from the Potomac to Florida. and
hey dare not raise one. The people
{ the South will tell you that the Re-
,ublicans never cheated or deceived
hem. They were led into the rebel-
On by words of encouragement from
be North. But they will tell you the
aen who said these words had to 90
ato the fight, and they met them on
be battle-6elds. Then the old Henry
lay Wings, who are in the ranks of
be opposition of that part Of the coun-
~, let them raise the Democratic flag,
nd they fly and carry thousands with
hem into the ranks Of the Republican
arty. The old national men of '33
re doing the same. OF course, the
blowers of John c. Calhoun snd his
leories of government would not be
expected to do anything but to main
lin the position and spirit of hostility;
ut they will be defeated, and sink
own one by one TO disappear in the end
ON the government of the country, (
, the Tories of the rVeolution disap-
cared.
For myself 1 want no more punish I
lents than have already been inflicted
a these men. They have suffered, |
i'd have been disappointed more than 1
~ body Of men in the history of the
orld. Seven years ago these chief 4
Iins trod the halls Of Congress, proud
nd defiant. They raised the banners s
revolt. They went out to establish {
.laua bolIi,1 rovublio that abo-,ld :