The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1865-04-26
speech OF GEN. Butler.

| success OF tue arms VI tue IlepQDilC, WDIcI
opened to us the prospect of glorious
peace and happy country 10 the future
! The flags, now the tokens Of mourning
were raised in gladness. To day, in q
short hour, we assemble to mingle oul
grief with the loved ones at heme who
mourn the loss of the honest man, the
iDcorruptible patriot, the great statesman,
the saviour of his country in this crisis
Abraham Lincoln (applause), cut down
by the hand of an assassin and while
We look with reverence up to God, who
rules thus for our good, and mingle OUT
tears with the nation in this hour of sad
ness. vet there is sterner and nobler
duty to perform, and that is to see that
his death is not lost to the country =
Rebellions in other countries have almost
always been commenced by the assassin S
dagger. 1t is left to US to exhibit the
spectacle of a Rebellion crushed in its
body, in its strength and blopd, reviving
itself by assassination and death. With
that blind hate which has ever character
lied its birth, it has struck down the
most forgiving, the most lenient, the
most gracious friend that the misguided
men of the Rebellion have ever had IN
this country. (Applause.) If Rebellion
can do this to the wise, the kind, the
benevolent Abraham Lincoln, what ought
We to dc to those who from high places
melted the assassin's mind and guided
the assassin's knife? Applause, and cries
of "Hang them p') Shall we content our
selves with simply crushing out the
strength, the power, the material resources
of the Rebellion ("Never never !')
Shall we leave it yet uDsubdued to light
the torch Of confrgratlon in our cities !?
Are we to have peace in fact, or peace
only in name? (Cries of "in fact" and
appiause) Is this nation hereafter to live
in peace, or are men to 90 about in fear,
and in dread, as in some of the countries
of the Old World, in times past, when
every man feared his neighbor, and no
man went about except be was armed to
the teeth, or was clad in panoply Of steel
This question is to be decided this day,
and at this hour, by the American people.
1t may be that this is dlspensation of
God, through His providence, to teach
us that the spirit of Rebellion has not
been broken with the surrender of its
arms (Applause.) My friends, [ would
say, be of good cheer. There is ne oc-
oason for dependency, A great and
good man has fallen in the fulness of his
fame, in the height of his glory, to join
the sages and the patriots of the Revolu-
tion. His life was saved four years ago
when we needed it-when he went thro
Baltimore unscathed when the waves
of Rebellion were beating against him.
Then he was spared to his country but
now that his work is done, it remains for
us to do tuat which is left for US to do in
the same direction. He has subdued the
life and the strength of the Rebellion it
is for US to take care of the soul Gap
plause.) am glad to speak here, and
say to you what | know to be the senti-
ment Of the new President Of the United
States, who has succeeded Abraham
Lincoln, by the dIspensation of Provi-
dence, to the highest place on earth. I
know that Andrew Johuson feels as you
and | do upon the subject of putting
down the Rebellion He has had nearer
view of it than we have 1t has been at
his hearthstone, and at his door, and he
is able to deal with it as we would have
him deal with it. (Applause.) 1t is said
that those who would recommend con-
digu punishment for treason are blood
thirsty. But oh, fellow citizens, could
he who has gone before US have forseen
what would have been the end of his
policy of his clemency and forgiveness,
it might not have checked the desire of
his heart in that direction, but it would
have Informed his judgment, and we
would have been spared his death this
day and hour. If be could have foresecn
that forgiveness meant assassination
that clemeney meant death; if he could
nave lOIceCb ludb tuG UGNlIlSu SplIlG OI
Rebellion would have gone into the sick
room, and stricken down the man whom
God had spared little longer, be would
have known that mildness aud clemency
to traitors is cruelty to thousands But
now he has gone from us-tbe first vic.
tim of his own clemency--with the words
of forgiveness upon his lips even as he
died. 1t is left for us to review his
course, aud see whether or not we are to
be instructed by his death and therefore
| say to you, my friends-not in the
spirit of revenge, not In the spirit of vim.
dictlveness, not IN any spirit of blood.
thirstiness-no, God forbid-shoud We
demand punishment upon those who have
caused this great wrong. (Applause. y
The nation demands it. The widowed
wives of thousands of our brave soldier:
sleeping their last sleep upon Southern