New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-09-23
Gen. Hooker at the Union League.

GEy. JOSEPH HOOKER visited the Union League
| Club last evening, and was welcomed By very
large attendance of members, in whose behalf Nj.
4. s.argis the President, addressed him as follows:
GENERAL: This is not partisan Club as many
suppose, but Club whose declared object Is 70
cultivate love for our Union, and to sustain tho
government in restoring its authority in ,hoss
States which arc in Rebellion. We agree With
General Mcclellan in his Report, page Az, wha
he expresses the opinion: " Afer a calm, impartia,
patient consideration of the subject, that a necss
sary preliminary TO the establishment d
the Union, is the entire defeat or virtual
destruction Of the organized military power OF tho
Confederacy. and that such result should be fol-
lowed BY conciliatory measures. Believing this, We
cannot sustain any man who goes upon al " lmme-
date armistice" platform, with such men as M
Pendleton, Of Ohio. We feel it to be more consist
eut TO do honor 10 those Generals who "propose Il
fight il ont on this line if it takes oil Summer"
Several Of these are with us tonight. have The
honor of introducing to the Club that gallant solier
Major-Gcncrh Joseph Hooker.
Gen. IoozER, in reply, observed that the Loyal
League were not aware of the service they had rem
dercd the Army. They had formed good reserve;
and for this the Army fell strong in front. Tbs
fighting is now nearly closed. There will be few
spasmodic plungcs, but they are the natural mani
fcstations of dying. The Government has been
slow; the People have been fast, and has led the
Administration; but the latter has come along, and,
on The whole, done tolerably well. II is absurd to
suppose the soldiers can vote other than ons
way. They will vote as they have fought, 70
mt down the Rebellion. We have not only fough
the Rebellion but England. She has furnished To
Rebels with I'LL their arms and clothing aud for these
she holds mortgage on the whole South. Idontthlnk
she vii undertake 10 foreclose II. Genera n'
further remarked that he had ut no time ieisany
doubt of the success Of the war for the Union.
There had been mistakes and mismanagement IN iu
conduct, yet the Union arms had made steady pro-
gres so that the close of each year had seen heare
of theRcbeion narrowed and its relative power ms
,erially weakened. He confidently believed that
we were now very near the end-nearcr than most
Of us believed But he would have no oyertnres
made 10 the Rebel Chief az the proper time they
would signify their readiness to give
up. The time to begin negotiating was VICE
we bad finished The fighting.
II is folly 20 talk Of Il TIL we have wAippcs
out our enemies and swept away tns
cause Of the Rebellion. The Constitution nc''
be interpreted in accordance with the principles@
humanity, nor can we have permanent peace III
We do So We must not make peace IN sueh'
way that another war will break out again "i'niH
ten wears. We have been generous enough to OH
enemies,-evcn Ia fault-and they lnyaFiAD. 'oH
strued our lcnity into weakness. -
The General was frequently oheered during lns
progress of his remarks, and az their Close h' VI"
greeted with prolonged and hearty applause