The Portland daily press., 1867-10-03
erea, speech Of General sislle-.

The speech of Gen. Sickles at the Soldiers
Mass Meeting at Philadelphia was unusually
full of information, and at the close peculiar
ly eloquent. His exhlbit of facts, showing
what would have been the condition. of the
freedmen, of the loyal Southerners and of
Northern emigrants, if the rebel States had
been left to themselves, is one of the best
vindications Of miI,tary government that We
have seen. The following extracts are COM
mended to the attention of our readers:
Military officers have been sent to execute
the laws of Congress, preserve order, protect
loyal people and superintend the formation OF
the State governments. 1t has been said that
Congressional action and military protection
were unnecessary. Let us see about that for
a moment. The Legislature of South Caro-
lima in 1855 passed law, approved by Mr..
Perry, Provisional Governor, reorganizing
the militia of the State. By that law any
officer of the militia was authorized In the ex
ercise of his own discretion, to call out his COM
mand and shoot down, disperse, kill and destroy
any assemblage of freed people of color found
anywhere. Under the circumstances that
meant mischief That law was suspended by
military authority and Congress prohibited
all such militia. Cheers for Congress and
General Sickles.) In North Carolina In 1865
a a.law was passed legaliZing all transactions of
guardians, executors and trustees. by which
property of widows and orphan children were
turned into Confederate bonds, and went to
bolster up the rebellion, and impoverish the
women and children to whom it belonged
A worthy citizen of New York, whose name
is Mclaughlin, went 10 South Carolina soon
after the war and hired an abandoned planta-
tion from the Freedmen's Bureau, in whose
charge ir was placed by law. Mclaughlin
planted and raised crop, when along came
returned rebel, who claimed the land, had
him put in prison until he could find $4,000
bail for trespass, and took possersion of the
land and crops. Cries OF "Shame, shame" ~
That is specimen of the treatment Northern
settlers would have received in the absence of
military protection, since given by Congress.
In Caswell county, N. C., during the war. a
loyal student, while escaping from the enc
my's lines to ours, where he afterwards did
good service, took without leave one nioht !
piece of bacon for his subsistence on the
march. When he returned home, alter the
war was supposed to be over, he was arrested
tried on charge of burglary, and sentenced
10 be hung and pay the costs. Laughter aI,f
cheering! While he was awaiting bis trial
anu pehdihg tne execution of his sentence
the prisoner was chained inside an iron cage
'o1 % ycdit WltuOub u
even in winter. Information OF his case was
undergoing investigation, when the Governor
OF North Carolina, in exercise of the power
granted to him by the military commander
pardODed the man.
The costs not having been paid on account
| of poverty, he was confined for some time az
| forwards in the same place. until released by
military authority. Here is an Illustration Of
| what must have been the fate OF loyal reiu
| gees If the Government had not afforded
| them military protection. Three thousand
| schools for the education OF freed people have
been established under the protection of our
bayonets. Two hundred and fifty thousand
colored people attend these schools; nor has
our presence aided only our loyal friends,
whom we were bound in honor and humani-
ty to protect. Assured OF justice, free labor
has produced this year 2,500,OOO bales OF cot
ton, and the largest crop of grain raised IN
many years.
Have no fear that the colored race will not
know their friends from their foes. Their
hearts, full of gratitude, will govern their
conduct as citizens. Loyalty and order are
to them almost as sacred as religion; indeed,