The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-09-19
cite Murfalk gost.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1865.
SOUTHERN RECONSTRUCTION
SPEECH OF MAJOR GENERAL
BENJAMIN f. BUTLER.

Gen. Butler was a delegate to the Mas
sachusetts Republican State Convention,
which assembled in Worcester, in that
State, on Thursday last. In the course
of the afternoon, he made an elaborate
speech, which we transfer to the col
mnns of the Post this morning. 1t will
be read with singular interest by the
people of Virginia:
SPEECH OF MAJOR GENERAL BUTLER. |
With an unanimity without parallel, |
by eXertions most herculean, by sacrifi-
ces uncounted, by expenditure of trea-
without precedent, by the heroism of
our soldiers, u%nequalled by the patriot
ism of our people, interchangeable in its
loyalty and devotion to country, a more
formidable rebellion than history has |
ever recorded has been OverthrOwn and
fully crushed out, and q wafmOre bloody
in its battles, more gigantic in its opera
tons, more decisive in its results than
the world ever saw, has been fully fought
out and g.oiiously ended. Loud ap-
plause.l We, the delegates of the Union
party in Massachusetts,, that glorious
Commonwealth whose blood was first
shed in the conflict, and whose ideas OF
governmental policy have led the van OF
the contest to this hour, meet together
with greater cause of congratulation and
triumph than ever before was the good
fortune OF her people. AS sons of the
old commonwealth we have an honest
pride in her foremost glory In activity
and conduct in arms, in her expenditure
in money, and, above all, in the adop-
ton of her principles. AS citizens OF
the United States we glory in the exhi-
bition of national strength and national
resources, which puts us foremost among
the nations of the earth, so that hereafter
not only our rights but our sentiments
feelings and traditions as a people
must and will be respected. Here
after we are to be one of the ar
biters of the laws of nations to the world
q But especially and above all do we
triumph in the fact that with us, as a
. nation, truth, justice and Righteousness
have prevailed that morality and piety
may now 20 hand and hand in the gov
; eminent the great blot in our escut-
Z chion is erased ; the great national sin
is wiped away that slavery is no more
forever, prolonged applause and we
rejoice in the authoritative hope thai
Il the great Massachusetts idea that I" every
man has the right to be the equal o
I, every other man" shall become a livin'
vital essence of government on thi
continent forever. [Renewed applause.
rs. To this end must we address ourselves
to US there can be no pause in political
more than in mental, moral or physics
Try improvement. While we ver.erate tn
fathers of the Republic with exceedin
ms, reverence, yet we believe with earnes
I, faith that the good gifts of God in pc
litical and governmental science wer
not all poured out to them, to the exc'u
= sion of their posterity, more than wer
- His good gifts in mechanics or physics
We have the steam engine, the railwa
!, and telegraph, which our fathers ha
~ not, to civilize the human race to brin
men together and tighten their labors
to communicate and exchange with tn
speed of tightening the thoughts an
wishes of mankind. Can it be that a
possible improvement either in the jul
tice, the protection, the a~daptability
the frame of human government cease
with the Virginia Resolutions of '9S
Has the whole science of governmer
.. stood still, and all political progrei
stopped, for more than two generation
of men? The trainers of the Constitl
ton never contemplated the emergenc
ms of States shooting madly from the
in | SphefeS;" tnelr cilZeIS Will ing
md unanimity throwing of their allegianc
for to the Government and abJturlng ever
nts constitutional obligation banding t.
oether in q new and different cOnfec
pc eracy for the purpose of destroying tn
ted Union, and with arms driving out ever
the officer of the Government, and ever
,hs vestipe of its authority. E~ndeavOrin
g Of TO form alliances with the monarchic'
Governments of Europe, and holdin
: fhe rest of the United States
enemies whether in peace or war. N
did thew foresee that, after a terrible W
of more than four years duration, Il
IArritory comprising these insurgeI
Rs = les should be conquered by the Unit
Sta.> md be Inhabited by two races
arms, q of which, as the rule, shou
men, N ION, Constitution and 90
hate h I'M a deep, bitter hate tn
e. eminent wltn while the other IA
should cling to the al love, as to Il
or than the fondness of fill. ,plause. Al
Mt Mecca of their hopes. LAP. our fathe
. above and beyond all, did not " poll
IN provide for the exigency that al. hou
cal power under the Constitution 81 =
be given to these disloyal repudiators
the Constitution, although white men
while the loyal and true black men
to whose eyes had ever followed the Ma
lth with hope and love as did the Israelite
the pillar of fire by night and the clou'
IRE by day in their escape from Egyptian bon
bs dage, with answering loyalty, layini
down their lives in its defence, should b
held as political pariahs, outcasts, on TIL
he very soil which their blood had hel
ped to save to the Union? [Great ap
plause.1 The fathers of the republic N
q more foresaw and provided for this stat
of public affairs than they foresaw tina
a telegraphic account of 1t could b
transmitted hence to Washington, Will
L am yet speaking, or that two hundre
thousand black menin arms should igh
18th to save the Constitution they had frame
from the parricidal hands of some {
N, their degenerate sons who would figt
to destroy it. Applause. Yet we al
rv. called upon to meet n our political a
ton these very problems, and work the
out for the future well being oftle coul
80. try and safety of the Government. Ho
is this task to be done? How shall Il
authority, laws and what is the essen
Jay of all, love and fealty to Union, be re
tored to these insurgent States? U
der what restrictions If any, shall the
subdued rebels, or repugnant traitors,
disarmed enemies, or lukewarm frien
of the United States, or even the SIN
"~ minority of those faithful among t