Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1867-04-10
4 View Era II, the south.

H.
visit to Petersburg, Va, last week. Had
he gone there in the days of democratic
apprehension, pistols, bowie knives, tan
and feathers, ~mobs and mob law would
have ruled. Now freedom of speech and
freedom of opinion prevail, through the
laws of that Congress which carried out
what democracy used to profess but never
practiced:
'On Thursday morning Gen. Wilson
started for Petersburg, and when he reach
ed there was called upon by the Mayor of
Ihe clty and committee of CGuncilmen.
who addressed him as 4 citizen of the
United States and a Senator from the
great state OF Massachusetts and invited
him to speak TO the people on the duties
and responsibilities of the hour This
committee was followed by a delegation
OF coIored men, who ttIu,rrI him their
congratulations, and extended to him the
same invitation, and thi again by a com
mIttee OF Radical white .l.i.n, who endors-
ed what had been said iA the others. AT
elght O'Clock III the g, ming he spoke in
front of the hotel to al! Immense thronp.
stand .ng upon the s:rGir spot where Judge
Douglas stood, in l%,J, when he Travelled
South 10 warn the .-uuthern Democrats
OF the plots OF the -eceders, led by Davis
ami Breckenridge. The Mayor of the
cltY presided at the meeting, assisted by
number OF leading citizens, including
one OF the judges of the courts. General
wilson spoke for more than an hour He
announced himself as Radical of the ex
tremest school, and declared his intention
10 speak to them as frankly as if he ad-
dressed his own constituents in Massa-
cnusetts. He came 10 speak in no spirit
or bitterness or revenge. To the white
people he said, in trusting to the Copper-
heads of the North YOU have trusted to
taIthless politicians. They promised that
II secession ended in war they would de-
1end youi II necessary, to make rampant
OF thelf Qe4d bodies. You saw that prom
Use fulhlied by seeing their followers N
the Union army fighting against YOU.
where they will be found again if they
could tempt you into another rebellion
ou trusted Andrew Johnson, and he has
deceived you as lie has everybody else
ana now some of you are looking to the
Supreme Court of the United States where
you Will be more disappointed than in the
other two Instances. | will tell you where
YOU can place full and constant reliance.
mean upon the great Radical Republi-
can party of the United States-that party
which has never deceived anvbody-
which pledged freedom to the slave and
won 1t, and then pledged them their
rights and has secured them. II extends
from Maine to Mexico, and whatever NAV
be said or hoped, it is bound to continue
to maintain its present position. Let the
men OF that party see that you mean in
good faith to abide by the law, and the
removal of all your disabilities will be
magnanimOusly and promptly proffered.
General Wilson then addressed the color
ed race before him. He told them he did
not intend to speak to them in a patroni-
zlng way. That day had gone by. He
nad TOT thirty years prayed for their de-
llVerance from slavery, and belonged to a
party that had made their elevation and
liberation subject of constant solicitude
He Implored them to do nothing in an
GER or violence, or revenge. He invoked
them to elevate themselves, but not TO
seek to pull others down. Let them al
ways vote for liberty and for the friends
of liberty. Let them remember that the
day OF the plantation had gone and the
day or the SchOol-hOuSe had come Let
them see to it that when they are taxed
1t shall be for universal education. Such
Is rough sketch of General Wilson's re-
marks at the Petersburg meeting. We
learn that it is his intention, at an early
daY, to accept the invitation that has heen
sent him to speak in other parts of the
South, and we have no doubt that manv
other leading Republicans will be glad to
do likewise.
Quite number of meetings have been
held through the South, and rebels, cop
perheads, and conservatives are vieing
with each other who can flatter the ne
gro most, who can out-Herod Herod in
kissing "nigger" babies, saluting women,
and shaking hands and walking arm in
arm with Sambo, Cuffee, &c.