The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-09-26

and to enable uu utterly bankrupt pop
ulation to cultivate land enough to OBJ
tain the necessaries of life. Cries of
"You did right" "Good," and APP
plause.l II these acts are oppressive
and cruel, then let condemnation fall
on the Government and its agents who
have vainly tried to treat even their Ad-
versaries with magnanimity and beney-
olence. No. The army, discarding all
partisan feeling, took only for its
guides in the management of the civil
affairs entrusted to it, the orders OF su-
perior officers and the acts of Congress;
and whenever these did not expressly
provide for the matter in hand, sale
rules of conduct were found in the
Constitutions, laws and customs of the
loyal States OF the Union. [Repeated
applause.l Nor can ii be said with jus
lice that the temporary military gov
| ernment maintained in the rebel States
| has not been beneficial to the South
/ and to the country at large. Ihe
system OF free labor has been inau-
| gurated under military supervisioni
two millions of bales OF cotton were
raised in 1866: millions Of emancipated
| slaves have been gradually assimilated
with the civil policy of the States where
| they belonged; tranquility and order
have been maintained during the most
critical period OF transition from the re-
| lation of the master and slave 10 the re-
| Iation of man and man; the relation of
political equality [Rpplausel under the
guarantees which military occupation
/ afforded for the security oil lie ana
| property: Northern capital and NorIh-
| ern enterprise have been reoulidlnB
the cities and cultivating the helds,
restoring the railroads, and navigating
the waters, constructing bridges ana
establishing telegraph lines, reopenlng
commerce and reviving industry, open
ing schools aud building churches
| from the Potomac TO the Rlo Granue.
! And 1t has recently been athrmed by
authority than which none can be
higher in all the South, that our pres
ence and our measures have saved
their public roads from destruction and
their own civil officers from lawless
violence. Nay, even is II acknowl-
edged that TO the considerate acts OF
military administration they are in
debted for the opportunity Oi proVId-
| ing means 20 suDsIst their families, and
for producing the present crop which
| promises 10 be i'll many respects and in
| many sections OF the South, the most
| Important aud the largest which has
been grown for many years. 1t
would be easy To prove by abundant
testimony that without military occu-
patton and control, the restoration Of
the rebel STATES would have been delay
ed for years, and If ever attained, would
have been reached only after various
intervals OF anarchy and conflict. lAp-
plause.l Gentlemen, l have already
exceeded the limits prescribed for my
self. [Cries of "Go on, go On". The
theme, however tempting 10 me, may
well be left to others. In whatever l
have said, no word OF it is intended to
reproach any one, not even to Vindicate
myself. | am here for Justice, YET l
shall not seek the verdict of any popu-
lar tribunal. Even your ncquittal
1. No.
from the grave imputatlons upon my
conduct which have been made by high
official persona2es. l trust the Occa-
sion and the opportunity will at the
proper time be afforded to me to place
The vindicatiOn OF my reputation on the
records of my Government. Until
then, upon all matters concerning my
self, I choose to be silent. Before say
ing "Good night" let me make con-
Guiding remark upon the topic which
has already been my theme. Without
the reconstruction acts and the tenn
porary presence and control OF
military authority in the rebel
have been impossible to enfranchise
the lOyul freedmen, and secure 10 them
that participation in the Government
under which they must continue to
live; that is essential TO the preserva-
tiOn of their liberty and vital to the
Eufrunchisement is peace; liberty
without rights and the means to pro-
tect them, is war. The only condition
upon which military occupation may
cease in the rebel States is TO give the
ballot to the emancipated race. With
that shield OF safety they Will be secure
from oppression, and the country will
he protected from seditiOn and treason.
Renewed and repeated applause.l II
follows, therefore, that the peace, pros
perity and welfare of the South have
depended upon temporary military
control over their local governments,
to be exercised only until legal civil
authority could be esta ablished, in ac-
cordance with the requirements of
Congress. The events OF the rebellion
taught us that the enfranchisement of
all the loyal people OF the rebel States
was an essential guarantee of present
and future security and repose; and
that unless the freed people were en-
abled TO protect themselves by the
ballot, they would have been com
PEELED in self-defence TO seek refuge
in the loyal States and Overcrowd
all the channels of industryi or else
to prevent that exodus of millions of
blacks flying from oppression, the Gov
ernmeut would have been compelled to
protect them at home by prolonging
military occupation until the rebel
State governments voluntarily afforded
adequate security for The lives and pos
sessions of the loyal colored people,
and 1t remains to be said that the mill
tary officers on duty in the rebel States
were sent there by the authority of
Congress, and with the sanction OF the
loyal people who put down the rebel
lion, expressed through their represent
atives. In the discharge of his duties,
an officer trusts all to the approval of
the Government; from the people he
only expects that considerate judgment
upon his conduct which follows the
publication of the official record of his
acts. Comrades, IL is impossible to
undo that noble act of justice which has
elevated the loyal freedmen of the
South TO the rank OF citizens. From
many points of view there is NO reason
to apprehend that subordinate race
can do more than defend their rights.
y law of gravitation controls the moral
as it does the material world; the weak
cannot overcome the strong numbers.
Culture and destiny combine to assure
the domination of the white race. II
was Mr.. Fore, l believe, who called a
reaction of the most dangerous form OF
a revolution. Such would be the char
acter of a reaction that restored the
rebels and their friends to power, May
that day never, never dawn.
Gen. Sickles' speech WAS listened to
with most earnest attention, and fire.
quently Interrupted by storms of aP-
plause. He spoke in a clear, ringing
voice, and was clearly audible at the
very outskirts of the immense crowd,
which had now increased to at least ten
thousand people. Several times ne at
tempted to stop, but the demands that
I he should go on were so Imperative
that he could do nothing but obey. He
/ finally concluded, and retired amidst
| the greatest enthusiast IN. His speech is