, 1866-05-16
. RECONSTRUCTION.
Speech of General Butler.

11CD0len1 OF kEpreSe0tnt1oR ACE0f0s
Ing TO The Number t,r Nluiu Gitizens-.
Complete Amnesty and Restoration
to Civil flights on the Adoption OF
the Plum by the Southern States.
BosroN, May II, 1866.
The spacious Music Hall in this city was
filed with m audience Of three thousand per-
sous this evening, to listen to Major General
BENJAMIN Butler give lis views on RECONSTRUCT
tion. The audience comprised all the leading
politicians Of Massachusetts,. and not lew
from neighboriDg States. When he appeared
most enthusiastic applause, aud after 1t had
sub.idcd he commenced the exnonnd-
ing OF Ills viewa upon the ab-
sorbirg topic which ho had chosen.
After a few preliminary remarks ho came
directly to his subject. He said that the pr1n-
ciples which should govern onr nation were
justice to all men, equality oi rights, protec-
any one who would oppose Or hinder the ope-
ration of these principles should be at once
put aside. Ii theories hlndercd they would
fall; II laws obstructea they would have to
be altered; lfthe provisions OF the Constitu-
tion forbid they would have to be amended.
lApp1ause.] The Constitution was then dis
cussed, aud 1t was shown that In Its framing
many Of its parts and provisions were left BY
OFF, forefathers in a condition inadequate for
renerntion. It's amendncnts had becn fsY
bccnusc It Ind borne 20 lightly on the pcoplc,
| Had It carried With II more weight II would
oftcucr have been amended. The State Con-
stitutions were framed l'y the same wisdom,
but they had been ofisn amended for the
rensnu t1,at they l,orc DIRECTLY nr, In naonle
poyerned hr their nroyisIons-wcrc rroirn
Viii, them and Welded ia their desires The
national Constitution did not provide for any
means Of acquiring new territories or fnr the
exnansfon or the country and the war with
Mexico had as co1npletcIr altcred Il as II
an amendment had been nassed by
Compress and It's passane rpttfIed Nv
two.1birds of The Stalcs, II then.
tLc exigencies Of the situation of tie
peou,c could amend The Constitution vho
Should sur there WAS not in tue events q, lie
upSn our memodes with lettcrs Of blood that
ii was needless to RECALL thcn Al the present
-snfiicicnf cnusa for fi,li rcv;sinn ~ f1e
Constitution in jts bearinfrs on In neonie.
Tithont ilIscussInr The onesi1on as to whether
the rebellions STATES were in or ont Of the
how State could be In the Union while Ill
It's peorle we're Arhtfnr AGAINST II. and the
facf mfpht he aj}I9ittel that they hai with
drawn nni wcrn nnw ready Ia rctnrD.
The question then occurred. IiInder
what Iroyjsiou should thcso States fe ~.
admitted into tho Union, to aSain share IN the
Government and make LAWS Tor. themselves
and usf" We had acquired BY conquest the
tanJ tSs..as a.s est;t,,tf e,
vice and 1n,ni,, w. ~ rn,r tras, = thar, T.,
snci, a msnnr, that II sIonlJ I've soia va asked M
its,1, -, cana and 1,,.a w;ti, ~ ~ ,,raor n:aio
laE There are two plans OF reconstruction
tbat tt,rse States srp t}iso,@entzcd md ,,nst
come to the United States to be Tcorsanlzea.
He places them under Provisional Cover
tions, aud then says. "Elect your State OIL
GERS just rs you p1ense, and II they arc rebels
the Government will give them pardons."
This done, the President proclRims that
the States are restored to the Union aud are
as ready to enter the balls of Congress rs are
they fought for the last four years to destroy
the Government, while New Hampshire md
MASSACHUSETTS, have spent millions OF money
and much precious blood to maintain tho
Union. 1t Is little difficult to sec the Justice
Of the policy at first sight. This plan which
South were loyal, has this objection, that
those WHO have been fighting us for fout
years don't love us and don't lore the Uuiout
mud the tact that they have abolished slavery
because they were forced to don't make
them love US any better, and tho TACT that
they hare been ordered to repudiate the
debt which thcY contracted du,1ug the re-
bellion don't create that ardnr aud affection
among them which they should feel for the
Government; aud the TACT that they have
been ordered to repeal the ordinance of &C.
cession, which they defended stoutly to the
last man and the last dollar, but not tho last
fricuds 10 and lovers Of thc Goresumeat. The
truth Is, they don't like us, and therefore We
find in almost lnsupersbie objection IL tue
nature OF things to the plan Of the Govern.
rnent. The national Congress tas plan for
reconstruction which has passed QUE
house With great unanimlty. tApplau:e.]
these States ere loyal, and therefore they
shall be kept ont until II il satisfied that theT
arc ready to be loyal. Therefore committee
has been chosen vic, after a session Of five
months, have reported that these States nre
not in condition to come til with Us. The
pose is, that it shall hereafter bc made a part
Of the Constitution that every citizen Of the
United States shall have equal power and
rights in the scveral States. Second-That
representation ehal1 be apportioned among
thc several States accordlng to their
1870 no rebel ehall hsre right
TO vote for members Of Congress aud
for electors for President and Vice President.
Fourth-That neither the United States nor
any Slate shall assume or pay any debt or OBJ
legation already incurred, or which NAV here
after be incurred, iu MD Of fingurrecllon or war
AGAINST The United States. or any claim FOR
cSmpcnsptfon for loss or Involuntary seryi.
tude or labor. Fifth-That Congress snail
have power to enforce these provisions by ap-
propriate legislation. The committee also
reported two acts. The f,rst proyidcs that
Whenever thrce-fourths Of the States shall
have adnptcd these. and the rebellions States
shall have modified their Constitutions and
laws in conform1tv thercwith. tboy nav send
IN an thelY senafogs and REPRESENTATIVES.
10 be received and ouaiilcd. and
then. II the rebei States will acree Ia these
terms, Congress will give them Ten years
of dnllcr1 nndee The at of hmensi = 1ssi
Thc seeond act nrnE7iies Tint tRe President
and Vice President Of tic so-called Confeeicr-