American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-10-09

snS ietc Va Jai fciuSecs III tfte govern
ment had not afforded them military rro
| lection. E er e -
Three thousand schools for the edu,
cation of freey people have been estab,
lished under the protection of our bayo'
nets. Two hundred and fifty thousand
colored people attend these schools. MOI
has our presence aided only our loyal
friends, whom we were bound in honor
and humanity to protect. Assured Of
justice, free labor has produced this year
two million FIVE bundled thousand bales
of cotton, and the largest crop of grain
raised in many years, The value Of this
crop in money is more than two hundred
millions of dollars.
Its value to the population of the
south can only be measured by the esti.
mate to be put on their lives for with
out it they must have perished by famine
Aud yet without military protection the
freedmen would have fled from their old
masters and sought security and employ
ment in the free States. Congress did
not send us there to compel the rebels
TO pay the expenses of the war, as Bis
marck would have DONE The north is
paying the costs OF the rebellion after
winning the victory, and we have been
helping our former adversaries to feed
and clothe themselves, and to recover
from tue ruin in which they have in
volved themselves. (The crowd here
became very much excited.) History
may be challenged for another instance
in which vanquished enemies have been
so generously treated by their conquer>
ors.
My strength and your patience will
not hold out if my remarks be prolonged.
(Cries of $50 on ! we like to hear you"
Don't stopl") | will add one or two
observations, with your indulgence, be-
fore / say "Good night" r -H i
Comrades, "This government is re.
public, where the will Of the peple is the
law of the land" This maxim, so full
of wisdom and truth, we have from Grant
the General-in. Chief of our armies. No
military authority has been .exereised
in the rebel States not authorized By
Congress aud sanctioned by the laws of
the land. Military force is there only
to execute the laws. Under military
protection loyal civil governments will
be established land maintained by ballots
put in the hands of loyal men.
If that could have been done ten years
ago we would have had no rebellion. If
we do it now, we will not have another.
Have no fear that the colored race will
not know their friends from their foes.
Their hearts, full of gratitude, will gov
ern their conduct as citizens. Loyalty
and order are to them almost as sacred
as religion. Indeed, they believe their
deliverance to be the work of Providence
Safe and trusted at home, they will con-
tribute vastly to the resources of the ma.
ton, and take nothing away from the
employments or the franchise of any 9th.
race or class.
Within the sound of my voice is the
spot where the sublime truth was pro-
claimed that sail men are created free
and equal" Upon this rock our repub-
lican institutions are built. No power
can prevail against it,
Comradesl Let us not forget our brave
companions who fell in the war for the
Union. Their shroudless forms lie bur.
led in many forest and field, like au-
tumn leaves. Their nameloss graves are
numbered only by the recording angel.
Let us sometimes listen to their sad voic-
es, mouruful as muffied drums, and heard
even through the yielding sod. They
say to us now, "Brothers-You who are
spared-leave not undone the work we
did not live to help you do" 1i
This closed the exercises of an even
ing that no parcipitant could fail to have
enjoyed.