The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-05-14
General Butler on Reconstruction

OcnoiaA ouhcr On hecOnStrucG1On.
General Butler delivered the closing lecture
ofthe Parker Fraternity course in the Boston
Music Hall, Friday evening, choosing for his
theme the engrossing subject of "Reconstruc-
tion." We condense from the Boston Adrer-
tsser the following abstract his remarks:
After brief Introduction Gen. Butler said
the principles that should govern our nation
are justice to all men, equality Of right, equal
lty OF protection, and equality of power under
the government. Those who would hinder
the operation OF these principles must be put
aside. Ii theories hinder they will fall if
laws oDstruct they must be altered; if the
provisions of the Constitution forbid tbey
shall be amended. [Applause.] Its ameni-
mentS have been few because it weighed so
lightly on the people; had it borne heavily it
would have been oftener amended. The State
constitutions were framed by the same wis
dom, but to them there have been repeated
amendments because these Constitutions bore
directly on the people and have grown with
the people, and yielded to their desires. n
then the eXlgencles OF the people are to be
considered who shall say that the events of
the last four years, so momentous, so enerav-
ed upon our memories with letters of blood
that 1t is needless to recall them here,-haye
not caused necessity for full revision of
the Constitution as it beans upon the people?
There are two plans Of reconstruction be-
fore the country. The Executive admits that
these States are disorganized and must come
TO the United States to be reorganized. He
places tnem under provisional governors, asks
them to amend their Consti utions, and then
says, ELECT your State officers Just as YOU
please, and it they are rebels the government
will give them pardons." This done. the
PRESIDENT proclains that the States are restor-
ed to the Union, and are as ready to enter the
halls OF Congress as are New Hampshire or
Massachusetts, although they fought for the
last four years to destroy the government,
while New Hampshire and Massachusetts. for
instance, have spent millions of money and
much precious blood to maintain the Union.
1t is little difficult to see the Justice of
this policy at first sight. This plan. which
would be good one if all the people in the
South were loyal, has this obiection-tbat
those who have been fighting us for four wears
don't love us and don't love the Union. and
the fact that they have abolished slavery be-
cause they were forced to doesn't make them
love us any better; and the fact that they have
been ordered to repudiate the debt which thew
. contracted during the rebellion doesn't create
that ardor and affection which they should
feel Tor the government; and the fact that
they have been ordered to repeal the ordinance
OF secession which they defended stoutly to
the last man and the last dollar-but not the
last ditch-doesn't make them enthusiastic
friends to and lovers OF the government. The
truth IS, they don't like us, and therefore we
find an almost insuperable objection in the
nature of things to the plan of the govern
ment.
Ihe national Congress has plan for recon-
struction which has passed one house with
great unanimity. [Applause.] Congress saws
that it does not know that these States are
loyal, and, therefore, they shall be kept out
until it is satisfied that they are ready to be
loyal Therefore committee has been chos-
en-, who, after taking careful testimony for five
months, have reported that these States are
not in condition to come in with u.s.
| The propositions of Congress seem on the
face well enough but one is forced to exclaim
| after reading them through: "Where,s the
rest OF them T' as one would say when his
servant brings him his coffee and bread for
| breakfast, "Where are the eggs and the meat P"
Let us turn to another plan of reconstruction
and reorganization. The first proposition in
| the plan is an amendment to the Constitution
which shall provide that no legislation shall
ever be had to repudiate or set aside the debt
ct the United States; and that any debt in
CURED in any war or rebellion against the I'm
tied States, shall never be paid BY the United
States, State, an association. of States, cor
/ poration, or individual (Applause.) This
plan differs from that of Congress as it calls
| upon Gue OOuLnefD states TO accept our debt
and to repudate their own before being ad-
mitted. Again, it is not pleasant to see the
softnesS with which the committee of Con
gress speak oil mo compensation for involun-
tary labor" Why not thunder it to high
heaven? why tone it down, that there shall be
no compensation paid for emancipated slares?
(Applause.) Then let us put the right words
into the Constitution when it is amended, SO
that hereafter it may be known that the dem
ocratic government of the United States rec
ognizes no property in man. (Applause.)
The second proposition OF this plan is, that
no State shall establish or maintain any quail
fication which does not bear upon every male
citizen of the State, and does not exclude
any citizen from voting. provided, however
that all persons who had the qualification to
vote on the first of December, 1850, shall not
lose that right except on account of his own
conduct. By this proposition the right of nc
man is taken away, the principles OF equality
of right, of law, OF protection. under the gov
ernment, are lived up to. These are all the
amendments that this new plan proposes-al
rendered necessary because our fathers wink
ed at the sin of slavery in our country. Thi
plan further proposes that an act of Congress
be passed declaring that as soon as one Stat
puts itself in proper shape, adopts the amend
ments, she shall be received back, and he
representatives have seats in Congress witt
us.
In conclusion the lecturer said that b
thought that this last plan, in addition to tha
proposed by the committee of Congress, woul
suit the loyal and true people of the NORTH
who have given so much blood to maintain tn
nation. E-,e--