The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-02-02
SDeech of General Butler.

In his address to the Soldiers and Sail
ors' National Convention at Washington
on Tuesday evening, Gen. Butler paid
his respects to Gen. Lee and jeff. DAVIS
in his usual pungent and effective style
In discussing the case Of Gen. Lee he re-
ferred to his education at the expenS4 ot
the country-his former position as pet
of the government, the contidant OF Gen
Scott and depository of his secrets-his
desertion of his country's cause and ac-
ceptance of higher command in The
ranks of the enemy-and his failure TO re-
lieye his former fellow-officerS and soldiers.
starving in prison under his very eye-and
then continued:
"What is the plea to be interposed in
favor of this man? The rights of seces
sion THAT he went with his State !:
But suppose that that plea is a false one:
what shall we say then. Robert t. Lcr
resigned his commission on the 10Th OF
April, 1861, at the same time that our
neighbors were murdered in Baltimore.
On the 18th day of the same April Eir
ginia had passed an ordinance of secession.
which was not TO take effect until voted
on by the people on the third TUESDAY O;
May, five weeks afterward. On the l9;h
of April, say, General Lee resigned his
commission, or rather il was accepted on
that day, after ii had been through the
various offices of the department in Wash
ington. and on the 22d OF April ne WAS
appointed Commander i'll Chief of the rcb-
ell forces in Virginia His State had not
then seeded, but. on the contrary, he, III
the point of the bayonet, carried hcr ont
of the Union and forced the vote on the
third Tuesday of May following. And
yet there has not been strength enough iii
this government. so tar-a government
that could put Il million men in the field
at once. and that did in the last campaign
put into the field one million six hundred
thousand men-to bring that man 10 trial
and ascertain whether or not treason Is Il
crime and ought 10 be punished. Cap
lplause.)
l put it to YOU. teIlow-soldierS. as mill
tary men, whether deserving The iiag OF
our nation and taking service within two
DAYS atterward in the ranks of the enemy
Is not military crime, for (which a man i
amenable to a military tribunal think
there can he no doubt upon that question
| would like TO see him tried for that nil
ilary oifensc do not think that any
subsequent parole, got out oi too much
crcdullty that the time had not GENE 10
surrender the northern army of Virginia.
would he good plea. desire 10 see that
man tried so that ii NAV he understood
hereafter that ii * death upon the .ailowS
for any man TO desert his tn" and take
service with the enemies OF his country.
Great applau>c.j'
i OF Jefferson Davis the General SAID:
Turn we TO another man. for when
there are other consideration, of cXcu-,-
to jefferson DAVIS, educated in the Ike
school, unfortunate. perhaps, ior The
school that ii should have Two such pa
Ipil>.) who Went into thu military service
OF his country, where he l'cli:,ye! ionor;;-
bly, and we'll, 10 nat knew b:! th,;. l
might have TO apply TO him the saving If 4
rough Wing Ia Arnold. IN the d;,yS %. the
Revolution. Arnold a-kcd linn what
would be done 10 him if hr w;l~ c;,u.IIt i,y
the Americans. .Why.' said tn VIII.
i think We should bury the lc. wa~
wounded at Quebec with all the homor- q!
war. and han" the rest OF Won on Il nh
Set 50 with Davis We minh. iayc Ia
bury, with the honur- of war. onc arm
that was wounded in Mexico. AMI ham.
the rest OF him. Laughter and ;!pplau>-
He had the plea. however. which the -
dier had not-that hi~ State had seeded.
Waiting until Mississippi went out. .Iyt-
ter>on Davis quits tn halls OF Congress ia
take the office oi Provisional President IN
the Confederate Staie>-am office created
and made ready Tor him a. soon IL he
should be ready 10 take ii. lie. all-pnw-
eriul in the Cunielcr:lcv. viii. will ot
IRON. with PRAYERS ami prociamaiionS Ia
the Divine mercy on his lipS. stands hy
and secs our comrades starved and muir
dercd day 10y day think il i oi TO
great consequence whether ii can tie proved
or not that he directly ordered IL Ger
: talnly ii Is that ii could not have been
done if he did not wish il lie >ec> the
/ horrors of Andcr>nn,iIic and does noiilin.