The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-10-17
SPEECH OF MAJ. GIN. B. F. BUTLER
DELIVERED BEFORE THE VT. LEGISLATURE,
Oct. 1G, 1861.

spcct and tribute to service rendered in the
course OF duty to the country. | accept that
tribute In behalf OF my companions IN arms,
who are now, as ought to be, in the field. in
defense Of your and our Liberties, no, Of our
country, all that we have to look to in the
past, or 1.-Two for in the future.
have SAID, sir, that my companions in arms
are engaged in defensive war, and indeed it is
so. Let us tor moment, if you please, throw
back the nina single twelve month ago, when
we were citizens Of the fist country in the
world; when strength, happiness, peace, pros
perty, and tranquility were ours, under con-
stitution which the wise government Of our fa-
theirs framed SO WE'LL that those who have tried
their haLd in the unhoy work Of making new
and better, have fonnd 1t impossible-haye made
no change save IN the minor question OF office
holding. Or perhaps may say there is q change
IN making human slavery the cornerstone Of
their CONSTITUTIONS instead Of Freedom, which
was the foundation OF our fathers Constitution,
"A change which we may be content TO leave
to the opinion of the civilized world whether
it is an improvement. | say under that happy
Constitution We were living IN peace and quiet
no portion Of the country where the laws were
not administered justly and rruly under the
Government Of the United States-no portion
OF the country where instant redress could not
DC had III courts OF justice, at least in favor of
Southern rights. What, | say, wha;, | cali
your attention, has changed all this? In con-
sttutional mode under a FORM and under those
guarantees and safeguards which have been
thrown around every election since the founda-
ton Of The Government the people OF the Uni
ted States expressed their Will upon the ques-
ton who should rule over them tor the consti-
tutional term Ct time to which the highest
office OF our Government is limited And that
election tell upon one who, under that mode,
was the choice OF the people Of the United
States. We proce ded peaceably and quietly,
and III the ordinary form, TO have that election
decl red and it declared. lie was DECLARED
elected by the mouth OF his principal petit
tor, who now is d fugitive from his native STATE,
in rebellion against her and the Union he sought
to govern. " it'll that change came, what? any
change oil law? any. action the part OF the
new ruler takiag away the liberty OF amy pOr-
ton Of the country? Almost before he took his
scat we heard the muttering storm that was
soon to break over our land. Threats were
heard which nOae ct us credited we had heard
them before 50 often, that they tell 1nust upon
idle ears. Bat ut the moment he was bang Ia
augurated, toe work was being carried forward
by men who were not contending Tor tuor
rights, but to CRAFTY mad ambition that de-
sired political power.
Ana when the Government under It's present |
WAS inuuguratcd seven Of tho |
States Which should have been represented and |
are now in the eye OF the law, anu IN the eye of
MORAL right purtlon OF the United States, 4u-
dcrIook to 90 what? IL set up government
Tor themselves, to which | have called Your at
Sention as DO improvement upon the ola "a form
winch was bat the ghost or shell OF tue Conieu-
9racy, which our fathers repudiatod. Not con.
jent with that, Tor we AT the North quietly
ooked on, mol ContentWlth that, they under COX
- Wrest from us by force OF arms our birch.
ght, still we looked calmly quietly, on, with
ne nope that returning reason, the sober,
ec0nd thought, would lead them back. We still
leld odt the hand OF friendship until at Sumter,
N tho 18th day Of April the flag OF our Union,
he symbol of all that was dear to us, of home
ountry, honor, was lnsulted, fired upon and
Or the first time lowered. When that was
ore the Green Mountains answered to the
rairics, and the Rocky Mountains gave back
he tone to the sounding sea, and the whole
ouMry North and South rose as one man in
at This most hOrrid form Of rebellion
)ur brothers have marched with arms in their |
ands to put 1t down, and as have said IN
mother place there must be no steps back ward,
nth evory lncn OF terrific over which that f1ag +
Applause) {
ii theFe are any among us Who ale crying I
eace, peace, when there is no peace ask such ,
n one to reflect moment with me- whether he !;
as right to mako peace until Sumter is ayen- t
cd desire to put the question to HIM, as L
IAN to man until the honor OF the North, that G
onor which as treemen they regard, is estab- Il
shed alter the affair at Manassas
For until that question is settled, until the
uestlon whether our blood is she'd and runs :,
i clearly and caluliy in our veins, as in the g
3ins Of any Southern man, until that question ~
settled, we may mako contracts and treaties, 9
AZ ilaments and constltut lOnS but there is no \
eace. We must determine that question by \
lie right arm OF power, and when that is Ge- T.
rmlned, and acknowledged, and that acknow-
dgment takes The form of the recognition of !
ar banner, over our whole country, then and
OF till then, for one, am for peace, (appause) 4
ut hear perhaps some doubter say no not y
ere | hear such doubter. | am Sir in the ;,
tate OF Vermont, where that kind OF doubt does {
1t flourish, but some doubter may say per =
APPS, " We shall accumulate debt OF treasure
N our posterlty to pay; We are piIing up for Il
or children and our chldren's children load f
national debt.' Let us examine for mo- i
ent that doubt grant that we may oyerstep d
e present limit OF taxation in the accumulation =,
expenses Tor the war. But SO far, | have o
ght to say, in the first place, these expenses a
&c owed to no foreign country; they are owed l.
ourselves, aud to ourselves only. "
We have expended money from our own r,
Jckes, and in payment of our own soldiers. so :,
lat We may, perhaps, be said t. have shifted it i
ON one pocket to the oher. | agree that we ~
&c laying up a debt, but it will be debt Of \
latitude. To which our children and our