American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-10-09
"a, WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER q 1867.


you still true in its present hour of dan
ger from covert rebellion AS We fol-
lowed you then in the fight, SO will W,
follow yon now in your efforts to recon-
struct the south upon the basis of tn,
will of loyal men, as expressed by the
acts of Congress, and as victory ant
glory and honor rewarded you then, SC
will glory and honor be your portion in
these days of political contest
Again, in the name Of my comrades
l beg to bid you welcome, and to assure
you of our continued fealty to the cause
of freedom, of liberty, to our Gag anJ
our country.
He then introduced Major Genera
Phil. Sheridan, amid vociferous peals Of
applause--applause calculated to bring
an attack of bilious collie upon every ad
mirer of Mr.. johnson, or candidate fol
Democratic place or Office. ffAEfs
General Sheridan said simply this.
Comrades, 1 have had many proud
days of late many day of exultation and
delight. have felt them both when
carrying the flag Of victory on the battle
field. | have been gratifed during the
last four years on many days, but | dc
assure you, heartily assure you, that /
never felt prouder than 1 do this day in
being welcomed here by the Union
League and by the citizens of this loyal
Philadelphia. -;.5 ,5ne-
The shouts that went up as the Gen
eral retired we're huge in their dimen.
sions, if sounds have tangible volume
or the term be admissible Next came
calls for General Sickles, who laying
aside his crutches aud resting upon the
balcony, thus spoke: 5 -ata9 lIl
Comrades, am glad to see you, one
and all, and thank you for these ex>
pressious of attachment and regard.
This meeting recalls the time when the
country was in peril; and Scott was
holding Washington for the inaugura-
tion of Lincoln, and Cameron was filling
the arsenals Floyd had emptied when
Stanton, the great war minister of mod
ern times, created the armies that won
the day at Antietam, Shiloh, Gettysburg
Chattanooga, Winchester and Richmond.
CHEERS We recall the day when crouch
ing rebellion held Sheridans stirrup
while he mounted for his ride through
the valley. prolonged shouts) We see
Hancock repelling the enemy's last
charge on Cemetery Ridge; we see Lee
surrender his sword and bis army to
Grant--invincibe in the field, trust
worthp in council.
Yet peace has her victories also. Now
the government is engaged in the con-
servative duty of organizing loyal civil
authority in the Rebel States. OF course
this can only be done by giving the right
to vote to all the loyal people in the
south. (applause.) And until loyal
State governments are established Con-
gress must retain control No other
means being possible, military officers
have been sent to execute the laws of
Congress, preserve order, protect the
loyal people, and superintend the forma.
tion of State governments. as a.
1t has beeen said that congressional
action and military protection were un-
necessary. Let us see about that for a
moment The Legislature of South
Carolina, in 1865, passed law, approx
ed by Mr.. Perry, the Provisional Gov
erner, recognizing the militia of the
State. BY that law any officer of the
militia was authorized, in the exercise
of his own discretion to call out his com,
mand and shoot down. dsperse, kill and
destroy any assemblage of freed people
of color found anywhere under circum-
stances that, in the opinion of the officer
meant mischief. That law was suspend
ed by military authority. And Congress
prohibited all such militia. (Cheers for
Congress and Gen. Sickles.)
In North Carolina, in 1865, law was
passed legaliz.ng all transactions ofguar>
dians, executors and trustees by which
the property of widows and orphan chill
dren was turned into confederate money
and confederate bonds, went to bolster
up the rebellion and impoverish the
women and children to whom it belong
ed. This law was revoked by military
authority. A worthy citizen of New
York, whose name is Mclaughlin, went
to South Carolina soon after the war and
hired an abandoned plantation from the
Freedmen 8 Bureau. in whose charge il
was placed by law. Mclaughlin planted
and raised crop, when along came the
returned rebel who claimed the land, had
Kim put in prison until he could find
forty thousand dollars bail for tresspass,
and took possession ofthe land and crops
lCries of "Shamep' "shame p')
That is specimen of the treatment
northern settlers would have received in
the absence of the military protection
since given by Congress. In Caswell
county, North Carolina, during the war,
loyal resident, while escaping from the
enemy's lines to ours, where he after.
wards did good service, took without
leave, one night,,a piece of bacon fer
tubsistence on the march. When he re-
turned home after the war was supposed
to be over, he was arrested tried on the
charge of burglary, and sentenced to be
hung, and to pay the costs. (Laughter
and cheering.
While he was awaiting trial and pend
ing the execution of the sentence, the
prisoner was chained inside of an iron
cage and kept there for year, without
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