The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1868-01-16
THE TRIBUNE.
Will there be . War Of the Races ?

races at the South, that the most saga
cious are naturally attracted to this uues-
eioh; now Is this war to commence II
namltted by the copperheads that il
Mlll not be by the blacks upon the whites.
40" then. 1t Is virtually conceded by
the opponents of the republican party
'lal THIS war must commence by the
whites uron the blacks to deprive them
OF the elective franchise which they are
now executing. In other words the
southern whites who are engaged in the
rebellion are so opposed to the political
and civil equality of those who were loyal
to the Union during the civil war, that
they are justified in commencing massa-
ere of the colored population if they can
not In any other way prevent them from
voting. This is the upshot of the cop
perhead war of races. Now, since the
whites are to be the aggressors and the
negroes are to be the sufferers, we ask
upon what plea Of benevolence of Justice.
or OF true Unlonism the copperheads can
appeal to northern men to sustain their
party which is committed to a war of
races if the enfranchised slave is allowed
to vote? This is the issue in 1868. and
1t is well for the people to understand it
IN time.
The speech of General Butler delivered
on the LIST instant, at Washington, to the
emonclpated, opens some interesting in
cldents IN his government of the depart
ment of Louisiana. From the experience
he has had in the south he declares that
war of races is an impossibility unless
the rebel white attempts to deprive the
loyal blacks of those rights which the
nation has thought proper to confer upon
him, not only for his own protection but
to ensure the perpetuity and preservation
OF the Union against such atrocious and
nefarlous wickedness as the shareholders
rebellion of 1861
L feel, my countrymen, that it is good
tor US to be here on this anniversary of
the elimination of American liberty
Looking with the eye of logical, politi-
Cal principles, and the eye of truth, we
see that the great event was the wiping
out OF the stain upon the escutcheon Of
that constitution given to us by the blood
OF Bunker Hill and Lexington, and the
battle fields of the revolution. That con-
test which grew up between Cass. Van
buren,, Taylor and others seemed to be
settled by the compromise of 1850, and
the fate of the black man scaled. The
great contest between Buchanan and
Fremont was for the extention Of slavery,
and from that cloud no bigger than a
man S hand resulted that which we cele
brate tonight. The white man was first
emanclpated, and the laundering of the
guns of Sumter did it. We had before
that time, been bound by constitutional
cl'ims. When the first gun was fired
every true man stood up and acted ac-
cording to his conscience At first dur
ing the war we scarcely knew what we
were fighting for, as the parricdal hand
OF the slave master had stricken the con-
sututlon, and we seemed to be drifting
without any guide. Slaves were contin-
ually coming into our lines, and by con-
stitutlonal obligations the generals of our
army were sending them back again. One
day IN the early part of the war crowd
OF black men, covered with sand from
the embankments they had been throw
ing up for the rebels, made their way
into general camp and were seized as
contraband OF war, the general conclua-
ing, that they should no longer give aid
and comfort to the rebellion, at least in
his department.. A roice-''Who was
that general ?" Another voice-''Gen-
eral Butler" Tremendous applansel
That act was but the emanation of the
minds of the people through the man in
command at the time, and | claim no
title as discoverer of the idea. if it be
termed a discovery. The idea that the
war would crush out slavery gradually
became apparent Fremont saw it while
III the far West, and gave freedom to the
slaves of Missouri. Then came the
clothing of the black man with a suit of
blue and bayonet and musket in his
han IN tho roha1c loL
this. Upon entering the city of New
Orleans two regiments of colored troons
were found with colored offers, which
was beyond the point we attained. The
white rebel soldiers had run away. The
colored ones alone remained, and we're
resting quietly in their houses. The at
tack upon the army which | commanded
before Baton Rouge was a severe one,
and we needed reinforcements to hold
our own. telegraphed to Washington
for aid, it being after the second Bul
Run fight, and they answered, eve can't
give man. then repried Il must
call on Africa for help" and did SO.
Sending for the officers of the two negro
regiments, | asked them if they were
willing to enlist and fight for the Union.
They replied. eyes" and in ten DAYS /
AA$N ~ ASSA"CHIS. duu alter
ward four of them. They asked me if
their officers could still command them.
| replied, yes, as | was too far away from
Washington to have that question set
tied Loud laughter These men
represented SIS, 100000 worth of taxable
property, and had been living all their
lifetime In the state. There we're their
homes, their wives, and children, and
they told me that they had been asked
to enter the rebel service and dared not
refuse. | had heard that negro would
not fight. | asked them if thew would
fight. They replied, "Yes, try u.s.
asked them, if they could fight why
already had not some good black man
struck blow for liberty in the absence
ofso many of their masters? They hest
tated to reply, and, after urging them to
do so, said that, if they had raised an in
surrection war of races would have en-
sued, and then what General of your
forces would have given us aid when we
would have been compelled to call for it
l was unable to answer the question.
From that day have always believed
war of races to be an impossbility. Peo-
pie daily rushed into my office and told
me long stories of a rising to take place
in one parish Or the other | never fear
ed a rlSing-events proved it to be an
impossibllity.
We need no constitutional amendment
to settle this great question of equal
rights. The hand of God, the shock of
battle and the clash of steel have settled
that great question. 1t may be we'll
enough to put it upon book for some
one to learn who does not know the fact.
There We're to be no more slaves any
ionger-they We're to be freemen. Free
men where? In America. What rights
have treemen in America? The right
to elect their a,ra, -,,lor.. al r., c...,.,.