THE BALTIMORE FAIR.; A Speech from President Lincoln The Fort Pillow Massacre His Views on Retailaction.
Published: April 19, 1864
BALTIMORE, Monday, April 18.
The inauguration exrcises of the great fair, at the American Institute, to-night, were very imposing The display was exceedingly fine. The immense building was thronged. President Lincoln made a speech.
Speaker COLFAX and Senator WILSON accompanied the President to Baltimore. The President's appearance in the hall was greeted with tremendous applause, which continued some moments. Alter the inaugural address, by Gov. BRADFORD, the President was loudly called for, and in response he proceed to make a brief address.
He referred to the great change that had taken place in Baltimore in the last three years. Truly, he said, the world moves. At the commencement of the war the soldiers of the Union could not pass through Baltimore unmolested; and now we have this large assemblage of people brought together to do them honor, and provide for their wants and make them comfortable. All honor to the brave patriots who had wrought the change, and to the noble women who aided them. When this war began scarcely one individual supposed it would have lasted till now. All thought it would have ended in some way in a much shorter time. Very few at that time thought the institution of Slavery would be very much effected by it; but these expectations were not realized, and here we are, [laughter,] and Slavery has been somewhat effected. [Great laughter.] So true is it, my friends, that man proposes and God disposes. The world, he said, had long been in want of a correct definition of the word Freedom. While all professed to advocate liberty, there was in the minds of many a very opposite view of what liberty was. With one man liberty implied to work for himself and do as he pleased with the proceeds of his labor. With others liberty meant to do as you pleased with other men and their labor. One of these two conflicting ideas would have to give way to the other. He thought from some occurrences, which had only lately taken place in Maryland, that her people were about to determine which of these views of freedom should control her destiny.
The President then passed on to refer to a matter which he said he supposed was just now deeply agitating the minds of the people all over the country. He alluded to the occurrence which was reported to heve taken place at Fort Pillow, on the Mississippi River -- the massacre of several hundred colored soldiers by the Confederates. Many supposed that the Government did not intend to do its duty in regard to the protection of these colored soldiers. He desired to say that all such were mistaken. When the question of employing colored men as soldiers was left to the Government, it rested very much with himself whether he should make soldiers of them or not. He pondered the matter carefully, and when he became convinced that it was a duty to so employ them, he did not hesitate to do so. He stood before the American people responsible for the act -- responsible before the Christian world. Responsible for it he should stand in the eye of the historian. Responsible for it he stood before God, and he did not shrink from the decision he had made, for he believed it was right. Eut when the Government determined to make soldiers of these colored people, he thought it only just that they should have the same protection as the white soldier; [applause:] and he hesitated not to declare that the Government would so protect them to the utmost of its power. Whenever a clear, authenticated case should be made out, retribution would follow. It had hitherto been difficult to ascertain with that certainty which should govern a decision in a matter so serious. But in the affair at Fort Pillow he thought they were likely to find a clear case. The Government had no direct evidence to confirm the reports in existence relative to the massacre. But he himself feared that the facts as related were true. When the Government does know the facts from official sources, and they are substantiated the reports, retribution will be surely given. [Applause.] But how should that retribution be administered, was a question still to be settled. Would it be right to take the life of prisoners in Washington, in Fort Delaware or elsewhere, in retaliation for acts in which they had not shared? Would it be right to take the prisoners captured, say at Vicksburgh, and shoot him, for acts of which he was not guilty, and which it will probably be found were the ordering of only a few individuals, or possibly of only one man.
The President reiterated that the Government would not fall to visit retribution when the facts were clearly proven.
Throughout his remarks were warmly applauded, especially his enunciation of a determination to visit retribution for the barbarous deeds of the rebels.