The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-01-30
GENERAL BUTLER At HOME.
HIS Reception by His Fellow Citizens Of
Lowcll-Specch OF the General, &c.

Lowcll-Speech OF the General, &c.
LOWELL, Mass, Jan. %, 1855
Major General Butler arrived here yesterday,
and in the evening addressed his fellow citizens Al
Huntington Hall. There was a great and enthusiastic
gathering OF the people presenprobably not less than
four thousand. Mayor Peabody briefly welcomed tho
General home, and then introduced him 70 the au-
dieucc whose demonstrations were OF tho most atterng
character.
General Butler said he should speak TO them Of
what had happened to the country and what had oc-
Cured the department to take command Of which he
had left them year ago last November On assuming
the position which had devoved upon him by the par
TALLY Of the President he had looked about him to see
what he was to do He found eighteen thousand
Freshmen needing his attention II seemed that his first
dity was to them He established an organization
OF labor, and meanwhile provided them with food raj
m mt and protection from tha nclem ncy Of tn, wca
Their The results Of mis- port on Of his work had been 70
bring Eve thousand coiored troops into the army It
been demonstrated that the former slave population
Of education he raid that his step 70 attend
20 nj but onevz In regard the coorcd troops The
rebels hr atcned to ensave them and set them to work
He then proposed 10 himself To carry system OF
spcca exchanges until nc had reduced the proportion Of
prisoners, that while they might have some Ave hun
dr. in their hands he would have fifteen thousand and
then he could ray "makc slaves Of those i've hundred
and viii these fifteen thousand at work, and We
will see Tie General then referred 70 the orders he
had we'd to stop all exchanges, and said that II he
askcdwy he left ifte n thousand men starving In
rbc prisons he could declare that the stain OF Their blood
not upon his garments He next alluded to the fall
Plymouth and the alton Of Washington N O.
lie spoke somewhat IN detail OF the movements Of tho
Army OF the Jam upon bermuda Hundred, and Of the
Army OF the -omac from the Rapdan upon eahancs-
villc the Of those movements and the Causes Of
their failure and md, then proceeded 70 speak o.
said that early August last Admiral portcrs ncet
had assembled Al Fort Monroe in preparation for the
movement but through great flourish Of rumpets It's
dol became known and the sailing postponed Ho
referred TO the preparations finally made Tor tho under
taking and tho delays which had occurred when the
ped reached destnat on and then spoke Of the
powder boat whch stated 70 have been prepared by
yaas and with their consent expected 70 I've among
thcm thirty years longer and they knew no would not
nislepres mt the fact He had never seen the powd
bout and had only ordered his ordnance 0ocrs TO I'm
quantity Of powder 10 the naval officer In charsc
The thing planned by the navy and they had all
tHer way The despatch which stated that he was
tie author ~ the scheme lie and the truth not
In It. He had be assured that he should be informed
when lie boat was To be cxploded but be was sixty Ave
m lcs away Beaufort VIII the explosion took place
and Adm raj Porter knew he was there In regard 10 tho
as s, ON For Fisher General Butler said Le had been
dchailcly told by the skilfui eng officers
thai he ordered II Il would be murder II charged
TIM he not IN command OF the expedition but could
ot Gen Wcitzef He did his duty accord ng TO his bcst
jud ncnt As he lived and God lived II the occasion
tai was 10 ring Upon him. no wold do SO again, pray
ms however, lead us rot into temptation" for the
temptation was strong t. take II. But he did not
rappce. lie had s'ood much worse storms, and II he
l. we'd could stand thousand more. He hero O
ter from the Lieutenant General to the President bat
word Of Fort Fisher word n WILMINGTON was
sgard the Tor hts presence. What the
vas he had not received permission " divulgo
n hao been called by the hero Of Dig Bethel and
Fora Fisher He accepted the honor Tie General |
then spoke Of the explosion oil the Dutch Gap canal
II did not make, perhaps, 60 large a hole a.
dead until II blood. he de ired TO have Il
Inscribed on his tombstone In that little Enclosure whcrs
e who saved the lives u his soldiers At Fort Fisher and
Zig Bethel" He had criticised no man. no army man,
but he bad criticised somewhat sharply the froh which
is always the accompaniment OF lively porter. General
Batter hen proc cicd 70 dscuss the prospects Of the
tioua He said that he prepared more en-
daanoe more strife 10 The serviee Of The country If a.
tlme 10 The future tho country peccd hts service u
woud he freely rendered as II had been Ia the past
Whalevcr stakes may have been committed by mon AZ
he said b. carried away by any deusivc ideas OF peacs
The me FOR peace has not come and TO talk ~ pcae
until The army Of Lee Is either captured whipped s
van SO that the Urion armies kept filled up,
that recruiting gocs or our ultimate success \
there could be no doubt lasting pcsce would DO 1
established provided we dealt fairly and Justly
vi all men, black and white but other terms
Do everything you can 10 sustain the government and
the prefdcrt at the heat OF the government He Ia
honest patriotic and capable and he will do all that no
General Butler sad he would have them, however
far as possible by voice and vote oppose tho method
OF hing up our aynfes BY means OF large bcuntes Large
bounes dd lot gc the best mon, and they putting
great s'fdcn Of taxation pom the nboring men, be-
s'es being 10 other respects measure Of quest onablc
uuliy Tho General next referred 70 the proposition
winch he made just after tho soldiers OF tho
Army Of the Jamcs had said TO tho mob
Of New rorx ,, De- sui" That propSsi,ion
would submit TO the laws II objected TO that this
provision for the freedom Of the negro. Why
mott lie regarded the emancipation proclamation OF
President Lincoln M the law Of the land 1.-THE rebels
would not opt that proposition he proposed, In lling
up lhe Cnon armies 100 continued contest 70 snpsu
u,e for the large boanics now Iaii possession OF South
s0l, taking from those who made II curse 10 the
country instead OF the blessing was intended 10 be In
conclusion Genera Butler apoogzcd for y eakng at such
length lie was ordered 10 report at Lowell and he had
reported In full They had right " know VI thor
welcome wns worby bestowed He referred 10 the APP
parcn, prosperity 81 the people, and said that General
Terry would send them that from Wilmington which
would make all their spndles turn with the hum
OF industry. Never had tho the welfare o.
Lowell been other than the object OF his thought With
thanks for their hearty welcome no then babe the audi
snce GOOD n ght
General Butler spoke over an hour and repeatedly
Interrupted with loud and long continued applause.