Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1867-10-04

military authoiity having been exercised
oppressiyely or cruelty in the rebel States,
the testimony yolantarily borneby repre-
sentatiye, men of those States proves that
these reconstruction acts have been execu-
ted with moderation and forbearance.
lApplpse1 Tits true that military COM
nauderss have been law givers; IT, is true
that their codes wero more humane than
the laws they suspended. imprisonment
for debt has been abolished; the death
penalty imposed for larceny has
been confined TO cases of homicides and
efenseq Of equal gravity; the semibarbar-
GUS yet legaized custom, Of whipping
men and women, for misdemeahors, has
been prohibited. TApplause. That use
ago offendal times, according to which,
the landlord by his ewn warrant summari-
ly seized the gopdsapd chauels Of his ten
apt and turned an impoverished and help
less family Dutzof aoefs, has been ahroea-
ted; the freedmen have been clothsd with
civil righisand sdmitted 10 all the enjoy
ments Of life. [appIause] the cruelties
of prison, discipline have been ameliorated;
the mischievous practice of carrying weap-
ons, that bapeful source of affrays and dis
order in Southern communities has been
repressed; Irenewed applause the various
forms Of coercion employed by domi-
nant class 20 subjugate aud hamiliate the
laborers dependent upon them for employ
ment have been swept away, and the laws
made applicable alike to all the inhabi-
tants; aud where famine threatened to
sisrye, those left by conscription which
robbed the cradle and the grave, military
authority has been exercised to rescue the
home Of the widow and the orphan from
relentless creditors, and to enable an ut
,erly bankrupt population to cultivate
land enough to obtain the necessaries OF
life. Cheers of You did right" Good,
aud appIsalse1 If these acts are oppres :
sivc and cruel, then let condemnation fall
on the Government and its agents, who
have yainly tried to treat even their ad-
versaries with magmanimity and benevo-
lence. No.. The army. discarding oil
pal tisan feeling, took only for It's guides
In the manneemont Of the civil affairs en-
trusted to it.the orders of superior officers
and the act Of Congress; aud Whenever
these did not expressly provide for the
matter in hand, safe rules of conduct
were found in the Constitutions, laws aud
customs of the loyai States of the Union
(Rrpeu,ed ppplause.] Nor can it be said
with justice that the Temporary military
government maintained 10 the rebel States
has not been beneficial to the South, and
to the country at large. The system OF
? free labor has been inaugurated under
military supervision; two millions Of bales
of cotton were raised in 1866; millions OF
emancipated slaves have been gradually
assinilated with the civil policy Of the
States where they belonged; tranquility
aud order have been maintained during
the most critical period of transition from
the relation OF the mastcr.and slave to the
relation of man and man; the relation Of
political equality [applause] under the
guarantees which military occupation al-
forded forthe security Of life aud proper
"; Northern capital and Northern enter
prise have been rebuilding the cities and
caitsating the fields, restoring the rail
roads, aud navigating the waters, construc.
ting ~bridg ges- atrd establishing telegraph
lines, reopcniDg commerce aud rcvivipg
Industry, opening schools and building
churches from the Potomac to the Rio
Grande. And it has recently been affirmed
by authority than which none can he
higher in all 4he South, that our presence
aud our measures have saved their public
roads from destruction aud their own civil
officers from lawlcss violence. Nay, even
is It Acknowledged that to the considerate
acts OF military administration they are
indebted for the opportunity OF providing
means to subsist their families and for
producing the present crvp, which prom
ises TO be, in many respects and in many
sections OF the South, the NEST important
aud the largest which has been grown for
many years. 1t would be easy to prove
by abundent testimony that without mill
tary occupation and control, the restors-
ton Of the rebel States would have been
delayed for years, and if ever attained
would have been reached only after various
intervals of anarchy and conflict. Ap-
plause Gentlemen, | have already ex.
ceeded the limits prescribed for myself.
lUries Of "Go on. go on The theme,
however tempting to me, may we'll be left
to Others. la whatever L have said no
word IF it is intended to reproach any one,
not even to vindicate myself | sm here
for justice, yet shall not seek the verdict
Of aay popular tribunal. Even your ac.
quittajs would not yindicaie me as an
officer from the grave impuiations upon my
conduct which have been made by high
official personages. trust the occasion
and the opportunity will at the proper
time be afforded me to place the vindica-
tion. of my reputationAon The records OF
my government. Until then, upon all
matters concerning myself Ichoose to be
silent. i' Before saying 'sGood night let
me make a concluding remark upon the
topic which has already been my theme.
Without the reconstruction nets, and the
Temporary presence and control Of military
authority in the rebel States TO execute
them il would have been impossible 10
eniranchise the loyal freedmen, and Sc
cure to them that participation Ia the
Guvernmept under which they must CON
tiuue to live, that is essential to the preser.
yation Of their liberty aud vital to the pa
ciiication of the South. fApplause.
Enfranchisem ent is peace; liberty without
rights and,thc means TO protect them, ,iswar.
The only condition upon which military
occupation may cease in the rebel States
is 70 give the ballot TO the emancipatcd
race. With that shield of safety they will
bef secure from.oppression, aud the coun
try will be protected from sedition aud
treason. Renewed and repeated APP