The Portland daily press., 1865-06-20

.sA1 CAIRO, June IS.
Cotton depressing; middipg s4@se. Good erdil-
IS VII G ssoss l1sysss. q w Ah
- Nww YnxK June 10
General Butler on Reconstruction,

On the IItn lnst.-the anniversary of the
battle of Bunker Hill--the Ladd and Whitney
monument was eonsecrated at Lowell, in hon
or of the young men who lost their lives 10 the
passage OF the Massachusetts, "Sixth" through
Baltimore, on the 19th OF April, 1861, on their
way to the defence of the national capital
At the dinner, after the Grafton of Gov. An
drew, Gen. Butler was called upon to respond
to sentiment to the Army and Navy. The
conclusion Of his speech is thus reported:
WHAT'S the duty of this country to these
soldiers. To whom belong the lands forever
rescued by them from rebellion, secession and
treason? Do they belong to the men who
thrust Them aside and thrust the laws of the
land aside at the same time or do they be-
long to the men who went forth without boun,
ty or reward to battle for their country? Shall
we not therefore take the confscated lands Ct
the Southern States and give them as rich
and due reward to the soldiers who went forth
and W II receive no other claim upon the gov.
eminent for their valor? Why should we give
them back to those who have forfeited them
by treason In the sight of God and man p
Why shall we not give them to those who,
in my Judgment, have the best title TO them
the men who have earned them by barring
heir breasts in the field to the storm OF trea.
son and war, which they have SO bravely op-
posed p sssinssA sa5 10 ~ baa .sFa fs
While, then, we give every guerdon to the
citizen soldiers who went forth from the free
North, from Massachusetts and New England,
and from the States East and West, guided by
intelligence, and instructed in their political
rights, and burning for national honor, what
shall we say OF another class of soldiers
class that had had no instruction, no political
rights; had had no joy in the past, and little
hope in the future9 What shall we say of
those colored men who, with instructive loyal
ty and patriotism, volunteered with us in our
defencef Shall there be no word of encour-
agement for the negro soldier who stood side
by side fighting Tor the couRtry which had
heretofore been unjust to him, but who, rely
ing in the future upon her faith, and on the
justice of Omnipotent God, still stood up and
fought bravely? Is there no reward to be Civ
en- to him ? Shall we forget him? Shall he
be denied even the poor honor of participating
in the review OF the troops who won those
great victories, at the national capital P
trust this country will never be guilty of such
ingratitude, II may make such promise,
l will never CEASE to urge, upon the govern
ment to do Justice to the negro, at least 10 al
low him to appear in arms in the capital that
he helped to save by his valor. Aud 7 again
appeal to the men of Massachusetts, to say
whether the man who is ft to fight is not ct
toyote. Cheers.I Whether a man that can
carry cartridge-box is not fit to walk up to
the ballot-box. Whether the man who knows
how to handle bayonet does not know how
to handle little Bit OF paper. r84 sR
St | amready to admit the want of intelligence
and cultivation In the negro. Iknow that he
is Ignorant, but he knew enough TO beright In
this contest, to be loyal, and that is great
deal more than his master did. [Cheers and
laughter And therefore as / know, from
having seen the rolls of ten thousand Of the
rank and Gle of the confederate army prison
ers as know that only one in eight was able
to sign his name in this reconstruction we
have got to trust TO the instinct and not TO
the intellectual cultivation of the voter. I
had rather trust TO the loyal black instinct than
TO the dislnyal white instinct. Laughter. II
Therefore, my friends, 1 think we can ask
the government to hold on and first punish the
disloyal citizen either by the loss OF his ife his
liberty or his understanding to the degree Of
his crime. But do not punish the loyal citi-
zen who has done everything that the ability
God has given him would permit, to further
the cause OF Union and Government. 81 sss4
Further, ask OF the government simply TO
walt and see who its friends are; to deal only
with those that are friends to day--not of the
lip, but at the heart; and the men who have
fought for it and to those who have fought
against it; to give political rights to those who
have defended them and not to those who have
undertaken to overthrow them. Let us have
the whole army, regulars and voiunt ers citi-
zen soldiers, black, white and gray, who Tough
forus, and give each and all their due porpor-
ton OF the praise [cheers and / will give In
conclusion-The q hen soldier OF the country
lever faithful, lever ready, ever true the
surest defence of law and liberty Great ap
plause.l aay nosi $50