Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-04-06
SPEECH oE GEN. BUTLER.

HMY FRIENDS AND FELLOW CITIZEH
Nothing could give me greater pleasure
than TO meet you on this glorious occasion,
when our armies are triumphant and our
flag is waving over the towers of the rebel
capital. Forever honored are the brave
men who have fought and conquered the
legions of the enemy in this hour of our
triumph, when it is true, beyond all doubt,
that the old flag is TO be the flag of cur MS
ton, and that the masses are to come back
with US into the old Union [Cheers I
"But those who brought tlis great ruin
upon our country-this great expenditure
of blood and tressure-no political power
can ever be accorded TO them. Under no
circumstances shall it be in their power
again to tear down the flag that waves over
us. God rules by means and a moIe stri-
king rule Of justice We have not than that
WeitzePs corps Of negro soldiers was the
first to enter Richmond. Loud cheers.
Without OBTAINING you longer in this hour
of your cODgratulHtion, let every man swear
TO renew his devotion to the country and
liberty of speech, now and forever, one
and insepsrsble." Prolonged cheering.
SPEECH OF VICE PRESIDENT JOHNSON.
II will here repeat remark, for which 1
have been in no small degree censured.-
What is it. allow me to ask, that has sus-
tanned the nation in this great struggle?-
The cry has been, you know, that our
Government was not strong enough for a
a time of rebellion; that in such time she
would have to contend against Internal
weakness IS well as internal foes. We
have now given the world evidence that
such is OF the fact and when the rebel
lion shRll have been crushed out,
and the nation shall again have settled
down iu peace our Government will rest
on more enduring basis than ever before.
[ Cheers -A
aBut, my friends, in what has the great
strength of this Government consisted
Has 1t been in one'man power Has it
been IN come sutocrsg, or in some one man
who held absolute government? No!
thank God have il in my power TO pro-
claim the great truth, that this Cover
ment has derived all its strength from the
American people They have issued the
ed.ct; they have exercised the power that
has resulted in the overthrow of the rebel
lior, and there is not another government
upon the face Of the earth that could have
Withstood theshock. [Cheers.
"One word more, and I have done. Its
this: I am in favor of leniency; but, in
my opinion, evil doers should be punished
Cries of That's So Treason is the
highest crime known in the catalogue OF
cIimes, and for him that is guilty Of it
for him that is willing to lift his impious
hand against the authority of the nation
would say death is too easy punish.
ment. Loud cheers Ny notion is that
treason must be made odious, that traitors
must be punished and Impoverished, their
social power broken, though they must be
made to feel the penalty of their crime
You, my friends, have traitors in your very
midst and treason needs rebuke and nun
ishment here IS well as elsewhere.
HItis not the men in the field who src
the greatest traitors. 1t is the men whC
have encouraged them to imperil theil
lives, while they themselves have remained
at home expending their means and exert.
ing sll their power to overthrow lhe Gov.
ernment. Hence I say this: the halter
to intelligent influential traitors Loud
cheers. But to the honest boy, to the de-
luded man, who has been deceived intc
the rebel ranks, would extend lenieney
would say, return to your allegiance, Re.
new your support TO the Government, and
become good citizen but the leaders
would hang. [Great chesring.l