The Portland daily press., 1865-01-30
BY TELEGRAPH
soTRA Ra
Portland Daily Press.
Speech of Gen. Batter at Hunti,,o,a,. Ha,l
Dr L0aCelI.

nome, and then introduced MN 10 the audi
ence, whose demonstrations were of the mosl
dattering character. 1 .sT
Gen. Butler said that he stood there to speak
to them OF what had happened to the country
and what had occurred in the Department, &c
take command of which he had left them q
year ago last November. On assuming the
position which had deyolVed upon him by the
partiality of the President, he had looked about
him to see what there was for him to do. He
found $4,000 freedmen needing his attention
1t seemed that his first duty was to them. He
established an Organization Of labor, and mean.
while provided them with food, raiment and
protection from the inclemency or the weather
The results of this portion of his work had been
to bring 5000 colored troops into the army, II
had been demonstrated that the former slave
population could be made self-supporting, and
that they We're capable of education. He said
that his next step was to attend to the ex-
change of prisoners, and he had settled every
point but one, viz. in regard TO the colored
troops. The rebels threatened to enslaye them
and set them to work. He then proposed to
himself TO carry on system Of special ex-
changes until he had reduced the proportion
OF prisoners so that while they might have
some 500 10 their hands he would have Il, 600,
and then he could say, make slaves of those
500 and win set these $1,000 to work and we
will see. The General then referred to the
orders he had received to stop all exchanges,
and said that II he was asked why he left 15,-
900 men starving in rebel prisons, he could
declare that the stain of their blood was not
upon his garments. vsf ss
Gen. Butler next alluded to the fall of Ply.
mouth and the evacuation of Washington, N.
G. He spoke somewhat in detail Of move
ments of the army of the James upon Bermu-
da Hundred, and Of the army of the Potomac
from the Rapidan upon Mechanicsville, the
design of those movements and causes of their
failure, and then proceeded to speak of the af-
fair at Wilmington and Fort Fisher. He said
that as early as August last Admiral Porter's
fleet had assembled at Fortress Monroe in
preparation for the movement, but through a
great flourish of trumpets its designs became
known and the sailing was postponed. He
referred to the preparations finally made for
the undertaking, and TO the delays which had
occurred when the expedition reached its des-
tination, and then spoke of the powder boat
which was stated to haYe been prepared by
him. He had lived among them, man and boy,
for thirty years, and with their consent ex-
pected to live among them thirty years longer,
and they knew he would not misrepresent the
TACT He had never seen the powder boat and
had only ordered his ordnance officer to turn
over quantity of powder to the naval officer
in charge. The thing was planned by the
navy and they had it all THAR own way. The
dispatch which stated that he was the author
of the scheme was lie and the truth was not
in it. He had been assured that he should be
when the boat was to be exploded,
but he was sixty Five miles off at Beaufort when
the explosion took place, and Admiral Porter
knew h was there. a ,viaaeas3
In regard TO the assault on Fort Fisher Gen.
Butler said that he had. been definitely told
by most skilful engineer officers that if he or
dered it it would be MURDER 1t was charged
that he was not in command of the expedition,
but could he even then have done Otherwise
than follow the advice of Gen. Weitzel. He
did his duty according to his best Judgment.
As he lived, and as God lived, if the occasion
was to recur, even in view of, this stream of
obloquY that was pouring upon him, he would
do so again, praying however, lead us not
into temptation,1 for the temptation was strong
to take il. But he did not care rupee He
had stood much worse storm than this, and he
could stand a thousand more. ess. N e
He was there O a letter from the Lieut..
General to the President, but no word of Fort
Fisher, no word Of Wilmington was assigned
as the reason for his presence thuss What the
true reason was he had not received permits
sion to diyulge. He had been called by some
the hero OF Big Bethel and Fort Fisher. He
accepted the term. The General then spoke
or the explosion Of the Dutch Gap Canal 1t
did not make, perhaps, so large hole as the.
mine at Petersburg, but he had not filed 1t
with American dead until it ran blood. He
desired to have it inscribed on his tombstone
in that little Enclosure where hisremains would
one day be laid, Here lies the General who
saved the lives OF his soldiers at, Fort Fisher
and Big Bethel, He had criticised no man or
army man, but he had criticised somewhat
sharply the roth which is always the accom-
paniment OF lively Porter .id5 ii ~ ~
Gen. Butler then proceeded to discuss the
of the natianal cause. He said that
be was prepared for more endurance, more
strife in the service of the country. Ii at any
time in the future The country needed his SER
vice it would be as freely rendered as it had
been in the present. Whatever mistakes may
be committed by men at the head of affairs,
we should not spare our efforts. Do not, he
said, be carried away with any delusive ideas
of peace. The, timea for peace has not yet
come. To talk of peace until the army OF
Gen. Lee is either captured or whipped Is
vain, See that the Union armies are kept
up, that recruiting goes on, and OF ultimate
success there could be no doubt. A lasting
peace would be finally established provided
we dealt fairly and justly with all men, black
or white, but on no other terms. Do every
thing you can to sustain the Government and
the President at the head OF the Government.
He is honest, patriotic and capable, and he
will do all that he can. Gen. Butler said that
he would have them, however, 50 far as pos
sibe, by voice or vote, oppose the method OF
flling up our armies by means of large boun-
ties. Large bounties did not get the best men,
and they were putting great burden OF taxa
ton upon the laboring men, besides being in
other respects measure of questionable
utility. 49, 90 - p 2ne sss q md nas
The General next referred to proposition
which he had made just after the soldiers OF
the James had said to the mob of New York,
peace be STILL" That proposition was one OF
pardon to the rebels if they
would submit to the laws. 1t was objected
that this made no provision Tor the freedom OF
the negro. Why not? He regarded the
proclamation of President Lin
coin as the law of the land. II the rebels would
not accept that proposition he proposed the
filling up of the Union armies for a continued
contest; to substitute for the large bounties
now paid the possession of Southern soil, tax
ing from those who had made it curse to the
country instead of the blessing it was intended
to be. , "a 4lE 80 tas
In conclusion Gen. Butler apologised for
speaking at such length. He was ordered to
report at Lowell, and he had now reported in
full. They had a right to know if their well
come was worthily bestowed He referred to
the apparent prosperity of the people, and said
that Gen. Terry would soon send them that
from Wilmington which would make all their
spindles turn with the hum of industry. Never
had the interest or the welfare of Lowell been
other than the object of his thoughts. With
thanks for their hearty welcome he then babe
the audience good night. sa $50 n
Gen. Butler spoke over an hour and was re-
peatedIy interrupted by loud and continued
applause. 5E5 :. - n. 3 se.sF
Result of Mr.. Blair's Mission to Richmond.
WASHINGTON, Jan. %.
The result of Blair's volunteer visit to Rich
mond is this - @A@, -''--s as9A
That Jefferson Davis is willing TO waive
formalities and sent to Washington or receive
from there Commissioners to treat OF peace