Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1863-02-18
A Democratic Broadside for the Union.
Speech of Gen. Butler, at Lowell, Mass

Speech OF Gen. Butler, at Lowell, Mass.
On the arrival of General Butler at his home
| in Lowell, Massachusetts,, he met with cor
dial and enthusiastic reception. A meeting
was held, which was presided over by the
mayor of the town. Hon. John II. Goodwin
made the welcoming address, and was replied
to by General Butler. After thanking them for
their kind reception, he said:
| | have heard but cannot believe it, that
some are taltering in this hour of their coun-
! try's peril; that the faith of some in the ma
tion's triumph in this unhappy war has for a
moment given way. Do you believe that
there is just God +? Whoever believes in
| Him, must believe that the cause of right and
justice and truth must necessarily triumph.
Upon that subject never permit yourselves to
doubt. We may have to peril more treasure
to lose more sons and brothers in the cause of
the country, but ultimate success is sure. To
doubt this is, in my judgment, atheism of
the worst sort.
have heard it said, my friends, that have
changed in some of my ideas and thoughts on
political questions since l left you. | have
changed in some of my ideas, grant You,
because have learned something fapplansel
but that have changed in a single principle
l deny. l stand before you the same Demo-
crat who for so many years battled for the rights
of the people at the North, and now battle for
the same rights in the South.
have found that this rebellion is rebellion
against the working classes, without distinc.
tion of color; and | have stood upon that
vbara hon I
shall ask you TO stand-as know you will.
The rebellion was begun and is carried on for
the purpose of creating landed arstocracy,
which shall give to four hundred thousand the
government of eight millions of whites and
four millions of blacks. 1t is for that jeff
Davis and his confederates have underta ken a
rebellion which they claim is to secure the
rights of the people.
Do you think, II it was rebe llion of the
people, it would be necessary to resort to con-
scription to raise their armies Did our
fathers have to conscript menu Did not our
fathers willingly go forth2 At this time,
may say that more than one-half the army of
the South is composed OF men driven into it
at the point OF the bayonet. Did anything of
this kind ever succeed before, and will it sue
ceed now? No. unless the laws of nature are
entirely reversed.
Now let us look directly at your interests
and your duties; for L am speaking now, hav-
ing just come from the cotton regions where
interests and duties for once go hand in hand.
Would you wish to be at the command of
those masters at the South who could make
you do as they said by cutting eff the supply
Of cotton = 1t is for y our freedom from those |
masters that we fighting to day that the |
people of the South may not claim to be our
masters, but our brothers; that we may place |
ourselves where they will feel us to be, as we |
know we are, their equals--not their interiors. |
1t is to correct this idea that the Northern |
man, with red blood, blue eyes, light hair, and /
all that God gives to this image of himself is |
not equal to the slave-drivers, with their thin |
lips and palld brows-it is to correct this idea,
L say, that We engaged in this monentous
struggle. That is the question before Us and
he who does not side with US on that question
says that be desires to kiss the feet of those
masters.
went to Louisiana desiring to do every
thing to restore it as it was-to if by any
possibility l might bring the principles, the
laws, and the institutions which govern that
State into harmony with the Union ; but l
found there no disposition to have that done
1 found that the aristocraoy looked upon us as
their enemies, and | found that the working
and middling classes looked upon us as friends.
Within the first month 1000 of those who
compose the bone and sinew of New Orleans
had taken the oath of allegiance, not by lip
service only, but from their hearts, and from
that day found no man owning slaves who
would take the oath OF allegiance, except for
The purpose of saving his property. That wa
The rule; there were some exceptions.
found the working men true to the Union, and
found the shareholders false to the Union.
dealt kindly with the working men, and
lealt harshly with the shareholders. loud
,pplause.l
recognize my friends and my enemies, and
md the other as there was between Dives and ,
lazarus. [Applause.] understand that you .
rave sent forth your sons and brothers, not for {
he purpose of max ing peace, but war, where !
,ver they found enemies. 1 be lieve that you s
ent your sons and brothers for the purpose Of
insisting that the flag of the United States
hould wave everywhere in sympathy with the t
,owers of tho United States; and upon those q
have acted.
l encouraged the laboring men. A thou !
and were employed every day by the United
states; $4,000 were fed every day by the
United States, and over II 900 of these we're