The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-09-19
Soldiers and Sailors Convention
of Massachusetts.
Remarks of Gen. B0NLs.
RESOLUTIONS, sc.
REVOLUTIONS. sc.

BOSTON, Sept. 18.
A Convention of the soldiers and sailors of
Massachusetts serving in the late war, was
held in Faneuil Hall to-day, the object of
which according to the printed call was for the
purpose OF adopting measures to secure the
equalization of all bounties TO the soldiers of
Massachusetts,, and to the widows and orphans
of deceased soldiers, and to secure to loyal men
and their posterity the fruits of the Tate war
carried to triumphant conclusion by the
valor and endurance of the soldiers OF the
Union army. Gen. N. z. Banks was chosen
President and among the Vice Presidents were
Generals b. f. Butler Charles Devens, VIM.
T. Bartlett, Henry S. Briggs, w. Kinks, Ell. b.
Sargent and e. N Hallowell. Gen. Banks ad-
dressed the Convention and assumed that be-
yond doubt all claims the soldiers and sailors
of this country may present for faithful seIvi-
ces to the Government, will be ultimately re-
cognized and paid. In regard to security for
the future, Gen. Banks said: I'VE have right
in the restoration of Government in the seced-
ed insurrectionary and conquered States, to
demand guarantees fof peace in the tutqre.s-
Among these guarantees / DO not hesitate to
say that two are indispensable prosperity
and peace never can be acquired, never main
tanned, until these are conceded. In the pres
ence of this Convention of soldiers and sailors
of the United States, here and everywhere, l
will declare them !: The first is that the living
soldiers and sailors shall have the right OF
egress and ingress, with freedom to express
their opinion upon all subjects concerning the
Government wherever the American flag floats.
The second is that the bones of the heroes
and martyrs that lie buried in the soil of every
insurgent and rebel State shall sleep in peace
and honor where they fell. [Applause.] We
then say here in Faneuil Hall, in the midst Of
the soldiers and sailors of Massachusetts,, there
can be no peace in this country until the sol
der and sailor can pass and repass over every
foot of soil, with freedom to express their opin-
ion unmoleSted and undsturbed, and until this
is accorded by universal Judgment, and the de-
ceased martyrs of liberty, destroyed by the
rebels, have the right to sleep in peace and
honor in the soil where they fell Applause
1 commend the cause of liberty, of equality,
of justice, to your attention everywhere. The
platform which you give the people embraces
the rights of all classes and interests under the
general government as well as the local con-
stituents you represent Equality of compen-
sation in the army, equality of representation
in the councils of the nation. [Applause.]
Equality of rights for the defenders of the
country under the government now and forev-
er. Applause.
Gen. Hartman of New Hampshire, General
Sargent of Massachusetts,, and others address,
ed the Convention.
Letters were read from Gov. Bullock, Gen.
Burnside and Gen. Chamberlain, Governor
elect of Maine.
Resolutions were adopted urging practical
recognition of soldiers claims by State and Ma
tional authorities, q just equalization of their
bounties, adequate pensions to such of their
port of soldiers widows and the care and edu
cation of soldiers orphans.
The seventh and eleventh resolutions are as
follows: fEs .GE
7th. Resoloed, That Andrew johnson, Pres
ident of the United States, in removing loyal
soldiers from office because they remained firm
to their own political convictions, and refused
to endorse his policy, in disre9arding the appli-
cation of loyal soldiers for offices within his
gift, and in bestowing the same upon violent
copperheads and conservative politicians who
denounced the war, who maGgned the Union
soldiers and gave aid and comfort to the enc
N.Y. has not only acted in direct opposition to
the will of the loyal people, but has thereby
insulted the Union soldiery and broken his
own profuse and publicly repeated promises.
11th. ReSotyed That treason should be made
odious, and that its authors should be punish
ed; that in the name of our starved and muir
dered brothers at Andersonville, in the name
of our slaughtered brothers ON every battle-
| field, in the name of thousands of widows and
orphans, in the name of American liberty and
| OF American justice protest against the
| pardon or the release of Jefferson Davis we
protest against the insulting leniency that
feasts and pampers blood stained traitor who
should occupy a felon's cell and live or die on
| felon's fare and we demand that he be brought
| to trial for his crimes and treason without de-
| lay-that he be convicted, and that he be hung
The Convention chose delegates to the Pitts
| burg Convention, among whom are Major
| Generals Banks, Butler, Devins, Loring, Paine
| and Kinks; Brigader Generals Briggs, GUM
ey, Barnes, Sargent, Cogswell, Hallowell Cush-
man, Edmands Lincoln, Weld Sprague, Will
son. and Walcott. Faneuil Hall was crowded
and the proceedings were marked with dignity
and much enthusiasm. BAG