The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-09-14
The Last Grand Rally before Election.

The Last Grand Rally before Election.
From Six to Eight Thousand people Assem-
ed-MusIc-Torchlights and
Rockets-Gen. Buffers
Speech.
One of the largest political meetings ever
held in this city, was held in front of the
United States Hotel on Saturday evening"
Every inch of space within hearing distance
OF the speaker was occupied. The audience
was variousy estimated at from six to eight
thousand, who listened with profound atten-
ton from the commencement TO the close.
notwithstanding the rain commenced falling.
The meeting was called to order by n A.
Foster, Esq, who nominated Hon. Charles
Holden for Chairman. Mr. Holden. after
some preliminary remarks, introduced Elisha
Trowbridge, Esq, Chairman of the nominat-
ing committee, who announced the names OF
the gentlemen who had been put in nomina-
ton by the Union City Convention, for Repre-
sentatives which were unanimously accepted.
Mr.. Holden then introduced NAL GENERAL.
BENJAMIN +. BUTLER, of Lowell.
Gen. Butler, on taking the stand on the bal
cony of the U. S. Hotel, was greeted with en-
consented to come down to Maine to address
the people on the great question of the hour
He was ready at any moment he might be
called upon to fight rebels in the front or
traitors in the rear. He gave history of his
political course from 1892, when he was a
Jacksonian Democrat, occupying now the same
position he did then, except what changes had
grown out OF the course pursued by those of
the South, who had been associated with i'm.
The Southern wing OF the party, each Presi-
dental campaign, had demanded new guaran-
tees for the support of slavery, and for the
sake of the Union, he, with those associated
with him, had always granted all they asked
mp to the time of the firing upon Sumter
From that moment he had known no party
but that of his country. Whoever struck at
the flag of his country, he was ready to strike
down, and whoever was endeavoring to sus-
tain that flag and willing to use every means
within the power of the government to put
down this wicked rebellion, belonged to his
party.
In his opinion, the States that had gone out
of the Union, were now only territories, and
could only come back upon such terms as the
loyal States may dictate. Slavery is now
dead, and we are to consider ourselves under
no obligation to support it. By the action of
the South, all constitutional obligation to sus-
tain it, is abrogated, and it can never again be
one Of the constitutionally recognized nsttu-
tons of this country. No change i'm the Con-
stitution is necessary to kill slavery, as it finds
there no support.
He said the restoration of the Union as it
was is an impossibity. Bring back to their
homes all the brave men who have fallen upon
the battle feld-restore to the treasury, the
money that has been expended in carrying on
this war. and then we will talk of the Union
as it was. Are we willing to assume a portion
of the debts the South has contracted in carry
ing on this war to break up the government?
The Union as it was, might throw their liabil-
tiles upon us, if southern men held the balance
Of power in the government 1t is quite as
impossible to restore slavery as it was. The
negro has learned that he can fight, and he
will never, hereafter be a slave. The rebel
leaders have never asked to come back-have
Union on any terms and will not until they
are completely conquered. We have only
100000 slave holders to contend against, whom
we have not to subjugate, but to extingush,
to avoide further trouble.
He spoke of the Importance Of the coming
election in bringing an end to the war. If
Maine, as he had no doubt she would on Mon
day, give her voice emphatcally for the I'm
ion, and Ohio and Pennsylvania did the same,
the war would be closed in sixty days. He
closed his eloquent and able speech by urging
every man to give his voice with his vote on
Monday for The Union.
The rain continued falling so as to render it
imprudent for speakers to remain in their ex-
posed condition. Gen. Butler closed his speech
sooner than he otherwise would, having spok-
en- about an hour and half. At several points
in his speech he was greatly applauded
The meeting was briefly, but in patriotic
words and stirring eloquence, addressed by
G. J. Prescott, ESQ.,, Joshua Dunn, Esq. and
the Chairman, and closed with three rousing
cheers for Gen. Butler, as many for the Union
and music by the Band