The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1867-07-19


Vnws OF GEN. SIcxLEs.-M q larg'
gathering in Charleston, 8. c., on tho 9TH
Gen. Sickles, commanding that district''ad
dressed tho assembly. The following ex
tract from his speech 10 Interesting:
In 1866, I was admonished not to per.
init you to celebrate your holidays In mul,
titudes, with professions and banners, and
music, and marshals, and bonfires, and fire.
arms, and fireworks Why? Because II
was said, you would rise in insurrection.-
Against whom for what? demanded
Not against tho authority Of the United
States for that authority has made them
free. Not against their former masters
for as slaves they did not rebel. MOI
against mo for am hero to protect them
from injustice. No; I wus told the colored
people would have land, and they would
seize il and drive away the lawful owners
of the soil Times have changed insur.
rection Is only remembered rs anight-mare
Whenever colored man wants land, u Is
seen that no buys II from any ono willing
to sell or hires land, if he can find any
one willing to let 1t to him. Here l will
offer a suggestion. There are many plan.
tations in these States, not cultivated at all
or only half cultivated. If tho owners, who
can neither plant nor afford to keep their
lands idle, would divide their useless lands
into small farms Of twenty acrcs each, and
sell them at fair prices to honest, industri'
Gus, and thrifty laborcrs, the cry OF "con.
fiscntion" would soon be lost IN the glee OF
busy labor the noise Of landless agitators
would he huslied in the repose Of con-
tented, happy peasantry. When was sent
to the Carolinas, in the Autumn Of 1865, ]
was told that the freed people would never
work for wages-that they could not be
made TO understand what II was to work
for wages. Now, hear different com.
plant that the freed people will not work
without wages ] was told, also, tilat il
would never do to admit colorod people to
the courts Of justice to assert their rights
by suits at law, or to give testimony in
controversies between man and man; Tor
it was said you could not comprehend
the meaning and obligation Of an oath,
or the forms Of judicial procccdings-
Now, hear that unless colorcd man has
lawyer and lawsuit, he does not consid-
or nlNlSeI ItspcCtuUo CW1ou' "eS
told, also, that 1t would DO useless to estab-
lish schools for the instruction of the blacks;
it was insisted they wero not capable OF
leaning-their heads were TOO thick and
their brain too small. Now, hear that so
many free schools for colored children arc
filed with colorcd pupils, taught by color.
ed teachers, that public opinion is aroused
to the Importance Of providing for the edu.
cation of tho poor whites Nay, more; IN
some places tho school houses for tho col
ored race need tho protection Of my bay
onets; and I am sure II colored people
could not learn, society would not hate
their teachers nor fear their schools, aud
mobs would not attack and destroy their
school.houscs. ! was told, also, that 1t
would be absurd to make citizens Of the
freed people, because they would never
know anything about politics; that they
would be led to tho ballotbox like sheep to
pasture, without caring whether they were
voting for friends or foes. Now, hear
that the colored people divide their spare
time about equally between religion and
politics and that they arc almost o. par
iicular about the politician they trust n
they are about the preacher they choose to
pray for them. -.