Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-02-03

TIE following extract from Gen. But
ler's Lowell speech, is significant. The
General said:
l understand that there are those who
were among my old friends in politics, but
who, unfortunately have lately got upon
the other side, who sneer at me as the
"Hero of Big Bethel and Fort Fisher" l
accept the title. They do me honor over.
much. What was Big Bethel7 1t was a
skirmish in which twenty.fiv men were
killed and wounded. But Big Bethel was
not Bull Run Big Bethel was not Fair
Oaks; Big Bethel was not Seven Pines (;
Big Bethel was not the Chickahominy.-
Big Bethel was a failure, but it was no dis
aster. No West Point General commanded
there. claim credit for this, that when
we of the volunteer army of the United
States make failures we do not make dis.
asters. Stop a moment and compare the
battles have named with Big Bethel
Why, at these there were more men
slaughtered and homes made desolate than
there were leaves on the trees in the forest
around Big Bethel-not to be numbered.
But am the hero Of Fort Fisher too
Well, Fort Fisher Was not Fredericksburg;
Fort Fisher was not Charlottesville; Fort
Fisher was not the Wilderness Fort Fisher
was not Coal HarbOr. A volunteer General
commanded at Fort Fisher at each attack,
one was without result bat no disaster; the
last was success; all honor to Gen. Terry
aud his brave volunteer soldiers. Again,
1t is charged upon US that we did not make
so big hole in the Dutch Gap Canal as
We ought to have made. 1t may be that
we did not (although Dutch Gap Canal
was success) make so great hole there
as was made by the explosion of the mine
at Petersburg last summer; but thank God
neither did we fill uselessly that hole IN
with American dead until it ran blood. -
| am therefore content; nay, claim to be
the hero Of the comparatively bloodless
attacks on Big Bethel and the wholly
bloodless failure Of Fort Fisher; and | do
not claim TO be the hero of fredericksburg,
of Charlottesville, ofthe CbickahominY,
of Fair Oaks, of the Wilderness, of Coal
Harbor, nor of that charnel- house of usel
less dead in the mine before Petersburg -
l am prepared to take the issue; and here .
after, fellow-citizens, when you bear me to
that little Enclosure on the other side of the
river which hope for as my last resting.
place, l pray you to put over me for NV
epitaph: "Here lies the General who saved
the lives OF his soldiers at Big Bethel and
Fort Fisher, and who never commanded
the Army Of the Potomac" 1 ask for
nothing else. ...-l
The auimus of Gen. Buffers speech is
easily discoverable, and it is to revepke
himself upon the power or powers that re-
moved him, even if in doing SO he runs the
risk OF undermining all popular confidence,
including that of the soldiers, in thbse
who lead the armies. he is proving him
self wanting in that element which dis.
tinguishes a true mans patriotism, regard
for the time and circumstances at which
and under which he INDUCES his private
resentments. When such talk is iuduleeta
in by suspicious journals and speakers,
those whom We believe on good evidence
to be Sympathetic with the rebels, We Justly
deem it worthy of most decided reproba.
ton. 1t is none the less to be reproba,ed
because it comes from one Who processes
to be par sEes'IsHes champion of the good
cause.
The whole effect of this speech is but as
the New York Tiasl says, ITO impair con
fdeuce in men to whom the destipies of
the nation are for the time committed" If
this is not rank iu6delity to loyalty, then
We know not what would be so regarded:
Possibly Gen. Butler is the pioneer of a
new era of military criticism, when the
press aud the people are alike expected to
utter their sentiments freely, aud to CON.
denim aud criticise without regard to exne.
dieuoy. But 3 general indulgence in such
charges and destinations as form the sts
pie OF the foregoing extract, would spesdilv
peril the best interests of the county.