The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1864-12-14
Gen. Buffers Speech i'm New
Work.

The following is the important portion
of Gen. Buffers significant speech in
New York at the entertainment given
him Monday evening. 1t undoubtedly
foreshadows the policy of the government: :
Does any one now claim, as was claim
ed in 1860, that Abraham Lincoln is the
President of minority? That question
is settled by an overwhelming majority.
(Applause.) Let US look for a moment
at the fact that if we count every rebel
against him, as he was, if We count every
sympathizer with rebels against him, as
he was, if we count every untrue and dis.
loyal man against him, as they all were,
yet he is reelected by majority only
second to that with which jackson swept
the country in the hour of financial peril.
Those material results have been achieved.
Now, then, what is the duty ofthe gov
ernment In the present and future p
War cannot always last. The history of
the nations, the experience of the world,
has shown this. War, therefore must
come to an end; but how +? A war of
this kind is to be prosecuted for the pur-
pose of breaking down the power of those
opposed to the government, and bringing
them into the field of the government,
under the supremacy os Its laws. In
view, therefore, of the unanimity of the
American people, in view of the strength
aud majesty of the law, in view of the
might of the nation, might it not be sug-
gested that now is good time for US
once again to hold out to the deluded
men of the South the olive branch of
peace, and say to them, "Cone back,
come BACK now This is the last time of
asking Come back and leave the feed
ing upon the husks and come with us to
the fat of the land and let bygones be
bygones; If bygoues are bygones, our
country will live in peace hereafter. =
Loud applause.)
Are we not able to afford that now :?
Do we not stand strong enough :? Do we
not stand with union enough to be able
to afford that to the leaders and to all !?
There might have been reason, I think,
among proud and chivalrous people
that they would not desert their leaders
IN answer to the amnesty of President
Lincoln but now has come an hour when
we can say, "Come back, come back and
submit to the laws, and you shall find
exactly such laws as before, except SO far
as they are altered by the good judgment
of the legislatures of the land. Gap
plause We are In condition now, not
taking counsel from our fears, not taking
counsel from our weakness, but taking
counsel from our magnanimity and our
strength, again to make an offer for the
last time to call upon them, and then
shall we not, in the eyes of the country,
have exhausted all the resources of states
manship in the effort to restore peace to
the country. (Laughter.) Who shall
hinder? Not for the rebel to GENE back
after he has fought as long as he can, and
then chooses to come; but to set some
time, perhaps the 9Th of January, for the
association will be as good as any, for all
to come back. And when that time has
come to every man who shall scout the
proffered amnesty of a great and powerful
nation, speaking in love, in charity, In
kindness, in hope Of peace and quiet for
ever, we say to them, to him who scouts
that profered love, and kindness, let US
meet him with sharp, quick, decisive war
that shall bring the war to an end, to the
extinguishment of such mea wherever
they may be. (Applause.)-
But how is this to be done? Blood
and treasure have been poured out, spent
without measure, until taking advantage
of supposed depletion. of treasure first,
bad men have banded together by specu-
lating in that which ought to be the cir
culating medium, and raised upon the
poor man the price of the Goals upon his
on1 tha I,oo L