Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-10-24

BE RESPONDS TO A ToAsT TO THE PRESS.
At the banquet given on wednesday night, in
New York, 10 the Society OF the Army OF the
j. mes. General Butler responded to the toast,
"The Pres" as follows:
Cormaadsr ond Comrades Of ue Army Of the
james That must have besn a very nne sense
of humor which detsiled me TO represent the
presE-me, no am to the press what that little
lamb that Mary loved was 20 the wolf. (Laugb-
teri You need not have any fear that shall
join issue with the press, for have long since
Learned 10 shun the example Of Don Quixotte,
who fought with the windmill. 1 shall only
speak Of their services in the wsr. We all know
how much they did for the armies of the United
States; what strategy they planned; what move
Dents they directed; what they accomplished &C
Bull Run, with the cry of son 10 Richmond"
how much they did TO direct the movements Of
our generals in the field. And L shall not even
pause to remember or remark upon the fact
that he whose honored portrait you see there
at the head OF the tablet, dear General
Meade, dear to the heart Of every soldier,
the Commander CT the Army Of the Potomac,
found il necessary for the safety of the army 20
drum one of the press out of his camp. It Is
true, Sir. that come times they impeded the
movements of the army by lingering around
corrs headquarters and hearing what Was TO be
done and then guessing what would be done,
and then giving Information to the enemy. But
the press of the wbsle country made up for that
because those who were near TO the headquar-
tiers or the rebel army were so careful that the
Richmond papers were the best spies we had in
the rebel camp. They gave Us at all times in
FORMATION, to anybody who read it, which we
know was substantially what the movements
would be. Taking all the papers, they were
found at Washington TO be the best means OF
Information We had. They cid Us great service
~ reporting so accurately and faithfully all
thar We did. They never allowed themselves,
because of any supposed slight, to misrepresent
anything. They always took great care to say
exactly what was done, and no temptation of
bottle OF whisky or so would make them color
their reports. \ voice" was never tried y
don't believe the SANDER upon the press which
IL about, that General Sherman, whenever
an "tnteryiewer" was about, put a bottle OF
brandy before him, and at once left. deny it.
know the headquarters OF the army of the
James were unpopular with the press, because,
you will remember, that that was temperance.
tLaughterl Listening to the words of the elo-
quent gentle msn, the chaplain of the army,
who answered to the toast of the citizen sol
der, and recognizing in him the true type of
the chaplalns Of the army, those gallant men,
soldiers of tie cross, no stood in the ranks the
beet of al our icers. for thev, when thew were
good men, as in most every case they were, hal
The confidence of the soldier and received his
dying breath and the message which he sent 10
his wife and family, home; when listening TO one
who served so well in the field and who shows
himself now 50 well able to serve his country at
home, remember had occasion to deal harsh
~ with single chaplain, and he wrote for the
press. tDsnghter.l l trust, sir, | have full.
nlled the expectation of the committee which
invited me to respond TO the toast. / assure Won
have done the best could in answering.
have no bitterness for them, poor fellows, 1
know the demand of the public for news aud
i know the difficulty of answering it. Again,
sir, L understand that the press will
thoroughly and exactly represent the people
Ii the people do not demand, they will not give,
and therefore If there is anything TO .day to be
expected from this press and its conductors,
the fault must lie with their readers, for they
enGesyor to ind and put before their readers
what they desire. / look forward to that time
when the public conscience shall be informed
and the public taste purified; when no details
of personal scandal, no prurient picture of vio-
lent life, no history Of that which shdAld be
banisbed, will be found in the publications OF
the press. When that day comes, sir, then the
pIess will be, indeed, what it ought to be, and
L trust in the future will be the palladium OF
our liberty and the Instructor of our people.
Let me say to you that the press, strong in its
power and deep in It's influence, welding all of
power in this country, will be held by the Al
mighty God of this people responsible for the
purity and perpetuity OF our republican insti-
tuticns. When they fail it will be because the
pubic press is false to its duty and to It's mis-
sion; and, sir, in closing, will give you a sem
timent: 1.-THE Millennium-Whcn the public
press shall discuss great principles and instruct
the people only in virtue, in sobriety, tempe
rance, and patriotism, then will be the day
| VIXEN the republic Will take no detriment !"
| [ApplaUse.l