Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-10-06
Major General Rank., Sreech.

At Lawrence, Mass on Monday, Maj. Gen.
y. 7 Banks addressed, by request, a large As-
scmblagv IN a very noticeable speech. We
give extracts from it. as reported in the BOs-
I ton JoU-Hs.
The General said that for four year, he bad
been G silent observer and scior ~ the amin OF
the country, returning nov to ts- position Of .
private ctiIen from vhicb he ssd no vsh toiepari
/ lie felt he mad righ, nov 10 express his opinion
I upon public sfsrs The great struggle through
WITCH the country had passed ended, g. far
as the ooDfri Of arms concerned; but the
contest between principle and parties vas very
/ Tar from being settled War was 4 sImple mai
/ Ter Of conflict, IN which parties verv easily
rayed. II no; strange that such 3 people
AZ this should have entered the war with q
strength and power that had never before oeen
witnessed IN the history OF the world. nor that
its decision had been decisive but vhsr We
came 70 the great questions Of civilized life We
found much more difficulty IN settling principles
and IN inducing men TO enter into thsi contest
with the same enthusiasm aud spirit with which
they entered into the conflict Of arms IL was
for this reason that the crest difficulty Of our
time now came upon US. after IN, great ,,rug-
gle IN which We had been engage was ever
The question nov REQUIRED with more fearful
impori-and greater uncertainty even than BE-
fore-wno Is % govern our country and on
Whist principles II its policy 70 be funded IL
was very tar from true this; the contest between
the different principles Of government Was end
e., or that there no longer any clashiug Of
interests between North aud South
IL hell he 49, - 81. A..
would not De disPc-ei to treat the southern
people vino a body had teen engaged in the
rebellion with bArshness hut the proposition 10
give the men who have really sought 10 destroy
the Fo'e'I MI ibe VGstr 10 etbtr,l IL was 80
absurd. - insane, tina; ne could not comprehend
how any man could for = momen; entertain It.
They were the lnst msu Who should be trusted
with pcN'r (AppiHuse.) The condition of society
~ the Suuth vas different from that Of the
North Ii-re there were no ruling classes. Our
IeoIls has ie,er b-cn taught TO suppress their
opinion, even N Difference to the government
under hich they lived. At the South il j. en-
TREY different. the masses having been tsught
To Yield Their opinions and preferences to those
WHO ~efe recognized the ruling cssses
Taking AWAY two or three hundred men IN
every State. you found people utterly incsps-
bic Of enjoying government, because they hsd
never had any experience IN the Crgauif stion Of
government. Slavery hsd dominated NJ the
South, and nothing had been allowed 10 inter
fere with thst interest Inc whole strength OF
society mad been turned 10 the subject Of that
institution. To the leaders Of the South pclit.-
cal power should not be given, but to those
who are loyalty disposed should be given such
assistance and protection ss would enable them
hnAliy TO carry on the government All the
orgsrs Of public opinion hsd expressed this sen
trmen; until very recent period-thst the
agents Who had brought on this war should not
Be entrusted with political power. This doctrine
vas enuncisfed IN the amnesty proclamation Of
President johnson, who had AZ vet given no IN
DIGESTION that he intended not to be bound by |
this doctrine
He fGs. Bsnks) had more conhie. ce in the
President, perhsps- shan many others-; but he !
would abandon airy man Who mar ikssed will |
ineness to give polificsl power into the h.nds of
the lsadeI Of the reb lion. He believed President
Lincoln wiser in his purposes civil and military,
than any man IN his time. The change Of meas |
ures resulting from his death Affected thi,
country % fearfully that he believed il never
could fully recover from il. The policy be had |
conceived would have created at the South q
power that the rebels, when defeated, would
have found absolutely irresistible.
Gen. B. proceeded to show that the popu-
iation on the line Of the great rivers must
inevitably control the Affairs of the govern,
ment. The policy Of President Lincoln, to
have the power Of those regions in the hands
Of the loyal citi1rns-those Who had no,
willingly gone into the rebellion, would have
IN h,sView incurred that result; the laboring
loyal population both white and black,
you'd a''creiy have had the power So far
q there hal been change from Mr.. Lin
'dlhs policy, be regarded it as dangerous.
We ere, thesslass. to ct inasdiaasly ~
In Q1sssia-eoesssexussin: - n. -;