The Portland daily press., 1864-04-08
Friday Morning. April 8, 1864.
General Butler Talking TO Rebel Clergy.
man.

man.
The Norfolk New Regime of March 90, pub
fishes two-column report of the examina-
tlon of Rev. George ID. Armstrong, of that
city, by General Butler. This is the same
clergyman who was recently sentenced to i'm I,
prisonment at Fort Hatteras for his rebel
sentiments. An aid of General Butler con-
Quoted the first examination, but the Cen
eral himself afterwards made careful per-
sonal investigation, ,cross-questioning Mr.. Arm
strong very sharply. The following are ex-
tracts from the report of the interview:
General Butler-I perceive that in your
former examination you declined answering
this question: "Do you call yourself loyal
mau in letter and spirit to-day ?"
Mr.. Armstrong; do not decline to an
swer now; If were to put my own inter
probation upon it, | should say / am; but l
don't know, sir.
General-Well, sir, perhaps ! can teach
you. Now, sir, what is the name of that gem
tleman who had taken the oath, and while
coming out of the Custom House with you,
made the remark that he "would like to spit
upon the northern Yankees"
Mr.. A. Chas. Red. l declined to answer
on my former examination because had not
AIS OcitoCAb W iSlAs ciA Oub ctnCt lHub nave
seen him, and he has given me his consent to
mention his name.
General-Where is Mr.. Reid?
Mr.. Ale is in Norfolk.
General-(To an aide) Telegraph to Col
onel Wheldon, Provost Marshal, Norfolk to
arrest Mr.. Charles Reid and send him here.
He lives on Main street.
General-He stated that, as he came out
from taking the oath?
Mr.. A.-Yes sir.
General-With the oath fresh on his lips
and the words hardly dry in his mouth, he
said he wanted to spit in the face of the
northern Yankees? ?'
Mr.. A.-Well General, he took it with the
same view as / did.
General agree to that, sir.
Mr.. Al meant to say
General-Stop, sir, | don't like to be in
suited. You said, sir, that that internal Sc
cessionst wanted to spit ia the faces OF loyal
men of this Union, and that you took the
oath with the same view as he did, or rather
he took it with the same view that you did
1t makes no difference which. / agree, sir,
that you did. have treated you, sir, during
this interview, with propriety and courtesy
up to this moment, aud yet you, sir, tell me,
In order to clear this vile wretch, who shall be
punished as he deserves, that you took the
oath to my government with the same view
that he did.
} Mr. A-Well, sir, it was mortifying fact
to confess that we were a conquered people;
and 1t was the irritation growing out of that
fact.
General-You have not helped it, sir. You
better not go on in that direction any further
sir, for your own sake. Now, sir. while you
did preach very virulent sermon upon "The
Victory OF Manassas at the recommenda-
tion OF the Confederate Congress, have you
ever since preached in your pulpit sermon
favorable to the Union cause, or one that
would be likely to please the loyal, and dis
please the dsloyal2
Mr.. A.-No sir, never have.
After some further questioning, the ex-
animation was continued as follows:
General-You said you looked upon the
hanging of John Brown as just and right be-
cause he interfered with the peace of the
country.
Mr. A-Yes, sir.
General-Very good, sir. Now, then,
would you look upon the hanging of the
prominent rebels, Jefferson Davis for ir-
stance, as just and right? You know the
rebels have interfered with the peace OF the
country aud have caused rivers of blood 10
flow where John Brown only caused pints.
What do you say to that?
Mr.. Al would not, sir
General-Are your sympathes with the
Union or the Confederate cause.
Mr.. A.-With the Confederates.
The examination concluded with the fol-
lowing order from the General
"Make an order that this man be committed
to the guard house, in close confinement,
there to remain until he can be consigned to
Fort Hatteras, there TO be kept in solitary
confinement until further orders and send a
copy of this examination to the officer in
command there"