The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-04-16
Ovation to General Butler.
His Speech upon the Character, Pro
gress and Results Of the War.

gTesS ana IteSuttS 81 He WQT.
An immense gathering of the citi
zens of New York was held in New
} York on Thursday evening, at th'
, Academy of Music, under the auspice
of the Loyal League and the hundred
gentlemen, who, some time since, ten
dered to Gen. Butler the compliment
of public dinner, to extend to him il
this form, as most agreeable to him, 9
, welcome to the city, and to testify theil
appreciation aid appreciation of the
distinguished services he has rendered
the country during the present war
The Academy was crowded to its ut.
most capacity. The boxes, dress cir.
) Gle and balcony fairly blazed with the
beauty and fashion of the city, while
the deep aisles of the parquet and the
more remote recesses of the amphi.
theatre, were relieved from the sombre
colors of male attire by the waving
plumes, the ruddy ribbons, and the
glittering jewels of New York's fair
est ladies'.
At 1880 o'clock precisely, Senator
Morgan, accompanied by several gen
tlemen, conducted Gen. Butler upon
the stage. Immediately there began a
cry of enthusiasm and a scene of ex.
citement which very few people in this
city have witnessed. With the thun-
ders of applause. shouts of admiration,
waving of hats, boquets and handker.
chiefs, the whole interior of the Acad.
emy except the roof was alive and in
motion. For several minutes this con
tinued. At last. when it had partially
subsided, Senator Morgan presented
Gen. Butler to the Mayor. The pre-.
sentation was but pantomime, for the
cheering was yet SO great that the Sen
ator's words could not be heard. The
Mayor then welcomed Gen. Butler in
an exceedingly pertinent and happy
address, which was enthusiastically re-
ceived, the General, who was in citi
zen's dress, standing the while. When
the Mayor had concluded
General BUTLER advanced, and was
again greeted with the heartiest ap.
plause. After rendering bis deep graf
itude for the cordial reception which
had met him, he proceeded to discuss
IN his inimitable style, the great issues
of the day. He first touched OH the
theory of the war. While discussing 9
this point, he said: Up to the time
that disunion took place, / went as far
as the furthest in sustaining the ccnsti-
tutional rights of the States, however
bitter or however distastefnl to me
were the obligations my father had
made for me in the compromises of the
Constitution, aud among them, it W as
not for me to pick ont the sweet from
the bitter; aud fellow democrats took
them all loud cheers because they
were constitutional obligations Zap,
plause and taking them all. | stood
by the South and by Southern rights
under the Constitution, until / ad.
vanced and looked into the very pit oi
disunion, and, not liking the prospect,
quietly withdrew. Immense ap-
plause and laughter. And we were
from that hour apart, and how far apart
you can judge, when ! tell you that on
the 2sth of December, 1860, ] shook
hands on terms of personal friendship
with Jefferson Davis, and on the 2sth
of December, 1862, had the pleasure
of reading his proclamation that l was
to be hanged at sight! Great ap-
plause and laughter.
Gen. Butler then spoke of his ad-
ministration at New Orleans at consid-
cradle length, and then passed to
THE UNIoN-BUT NOT AS 1T WAS.
And now, my friends, / do not know
but that shall commit some heresy !;
but as Democrat, and as an Andrew
Jackson Democrat, / say that / am not
for the Union asit was. Loud cheers.
have the honor to say as a Democrat
and an Andrew Jackson Democrat,
that am not for the Union to be again
as it was. Understand me. / was for
the Union as it was, because / saw, or
thought / saw, in the future, the
troubles which have burst upon us !;
but, having undergone those tronbles.
having spent all the blood and treasure,
l do moi like to go back again and be
"cheek by jowl," as We were before
with South Carolina, if l can help it.
[Cheers. Let no man misunderstood
me; and | repeat it, lest it might be
misunderstood ] do not mean to give
up a single inch of the soil of South
Carolina. If had been alive at that
time, and had the position and the
ability, ] would have dealt with South
Carolina as Jackson did, and kept her
in at all hazards. But now she has
gone out and / will take care that
when she comes in again she will come
in better behaved. Laughter and
cheers. will take care she shall be
no longer the fire brand of the Union
aye, and that she shall enjoy what
her people never yet have enjoyed, the
blessings of a Republican f,rm of gov
ernment. Cheers Therefore, in this
view, / am not for the reconstruction
of the Union as it was. have spent
tears and blood enough on it, in con-
junction with my fellow citizens, to
make it little better. 1t wac good
enough if it had been let alone. The
old house aoas good enough for me; but
as they haze pulled doaon the early
part, 4 propose, aohen zoe rebuild 1t, to
build 1t up acilh allthe modern Improve
naents. Enthusiastic applause.
HOW THE CONTEST Is TO END.
There are but two WAYS in which