Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-04-02
LOYALTY OF THE NEGROES.
Some Truths Worth Considering.

In speech delivered in town in
Connecticut few evenings ago Gen. f.
p. Blair, jr., alluded as follows to the
declaration by the Radicals that the ne.
groes were the only loyal men in the
South:
The negroes had no idea of loyalty to
any government-the only idea they had
was Of loyalty and affection for their old
masters, and they acted on that through
out the war, remaining with them
and giving their labor to them. Was
that loyalty All, but say the Radicals,
the negroes we're coerced to do these
things. They are quite willing to admit
this plea in the case of the negroes, but
scout it in the case of the white Union
lists. Cheers. The Abolitionists had
proclaimed, up to the breaking out ofthe
war, that it would be a signal for gene.
raj uprising of the negroes, and we all
shuddered at the thought of the blood of
innocent women and children that might
be she'd When we were proclaiming
the freedom and declaring that we were
fighting for their freedom, it was quite
natural that they should rise, and per-
haps, guided by ignorance and british
instincts, fall upon the women and chill
dren of the combatants in the field But
there is not a single such instance re-
corded. On the contrary, the negroes
protected the families of their old mas
ters, and supplied them with food and l
certainly do not say this in derogation of
the negroes. On the other hand, JEFF.
Davis, you remember, complained of the
desertion of white soldiers from the
ranks. Men who had been forced into
the ranks took the first opportunity to
abandon the cause to which their hearts
never were given. But the negroes, who,
we are told, we're the only loyal persons
during the war, we're making food fer
the support of rebel armies, were
building parapets upon which the
lives of thousands and thousands of
Union soldiers were destroyed they
built the parapets which held our
armies at bay at Richmond, at Atlanta,
at Vicksburg, and everywhere were Civ
ing aid to the rebels Not only did we
give them liberty, but we offered them
wages and bounties which appeared
magnificent in their eyes, and yet how
many of them volunteered ? Out of the
five millions of negroes South, and all
through the country, there had been, at
the end of the war, only one hundred
and fifty thousand negro soldiers on
our lists. And | will tell you how these
were recruited, for saw that thing my
SELF Laughter and applause. | saw
it done. One Of Cur vast armies would
make a raid into the enemys country,
and drive back the Confederate forces
for two or three hundred miles. Fol-
lowing behind our army, were gentle
men bearing commissions for negro
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, lieutenant colo
nels, lieutenants, who wanted very
much to put on shoulder straps. They
would walk up to the negro left behind
the retreating Confederstes and say
" Come here Sam, or John or Cesar. |
want you to- join my regimen" | do
wan join nobody's regiment, Mass'r."
don't care whether you want to join
or moi, you've got to join )" and that is
the way they were recruited. Laughter.
Besides when they came to our lines it
became absolutely necessary that they
should join us whether any recruiting
officer went to them in this manner or
not. When our armies took possession
Of the enemy's country, it brought with
in our lines large numbers of these
negroes. Our soldiers took all there
was to eat in the region around about,
and the negroes had nothiag to live
upon. % the other hand, they were
offered food, clothing, wages and boun-
ties. as have said, that seemed mag
nifcent in their eyes. And besides this,
they we're told that they would have an
easy time they would not be expected
to do the fighting, but rather to garri-
son, and hold the forts and places
taken and / can tell you that prom
ise Ens kept Now, is 1t not
marvellous considering all this,
that only one hundred and fifty thousand
negroes we're recruited 10 our ranks2 Is
that an evidence Of extraordinary 10y.
aityY / repeat that the only idea OF
loyalty they had was Of loyalty TO their
old masters So that these two pretexts
for this last measure Of Congress--trst, |
that the great mass Of the Southern peo-
pie we're disloyal, and second, that the !
negroes we're the odly loyal people in The |
South-are both transparent humbngs, |
unworthy Of fbehet-not believed BY them.
selves / DO not speak in any spirit q |
unkindness of the negroes. 4 believe
am incapabie Of doing that but hon
estly admit thai I DO pov and always |
have preferred nay own race 70 the negro |
rsos. [AppAsse,l Il Is the great and /
illnstrioas Facn WHICH has achieved every |
,hine thai has tesn done fof cuileation |
since. ue haze knorn ol the history 81 |
~ wurli ] think nuuratural and non /
sfrous thai B white man shonld not glory /
In bis own race ] think He have deali J