Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-01-30
How General Butler Became an
Abolitionist.


In conversation with the New York
committee which waited on him Friday,
the 9Th inst, TO tender him the honors of
public dinner, General Butler gave a
most interesting account Of his admins
tration in New Orleans and of the condi-
ton of affairs and society be found there.
We make some extracts from report
of his remarks below:
"If they would allow him to be colo
quial he would speak of few things re-
specting his course in New Orleans,
which had heen captured and severely
criticized by those who had been accus-
toned to act with him politically in past
times-not for the purpose of injuring
him, but the cause ofthe country. With
reference to the slavery question his
views had undergone a radical change
during his residence at New Orleans,
and while entertaining no prejudices a.
gainst his old political associates, who
found fault with him on that score, he
would only say to them, that If they had
gone there with the same sentiments that
he felt, they would have come away
with the same sentiments that he felt
(Laughter) He thought he might say
that the principle members of his staff
and the prominent officers of bis regi-
ments, without any exceptions, went out
to New Orleans bunker democrats of the
hunkerest sort, for it was but natural that
he should draw around him those whose
views were similar to his own, and eve-
ry individual of the number had come TO
precisely the same belief on the question
of slavery as he had put forth in his fare
well address to the people of N. o. This
change came about from seeing what all
of them saw day by day.
In this war the entire property of the
South was against US, because almost the
entire property Of the South was bound
up in the institution of slavery. This
was well known fact, probably, but he
did not become fully aware of it until he
had spent some time at New Orleans
The South had $163,000,0O0 of taxable
property in slaves, and $163,000,000 in
all other kinds of property. And this
was the cause why the merchants of New
Orleans had not remained loyal. They
found themselves ruined-all their prop
erty being loaned upon planters notes
and mortgages upon plantations and
slaves, all of which property is now rea-
sonably worthless. Again he had learned
what he did not know before, that this
was net rebellion against US, but sim
ply rebellion TO perpetuate power in the
hands of few shareholders. At first he
bad not believed that slavery was the
cause OF the rebellion, but attributed it to
Davis, Sidell and others, who had bro't
It about to make political triumphs by
which to regain their former ascendency.
The rebellion was against the humble
and poorer classes, and there were in the
South large numbers Of secret societies,
lealing in cabalistic signs, organized for
he purpose of perpetuatiDg the power
# the rich over the poor.
When he saw the utter decentralization
# the people, resulting from slavery, 1t
truck him that il was an institution that
hould be thrust out of the Union. He
ad on reading Mrs. Stoves book, Uncle
Toms Cabin, &c, believed il to be an
verdrawn. highly wrought picture of