The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-07-13
GEN. BUFFERS 4TH OF JULY SPEECH

Among the notable celebrations of the 4th
of July was that of 1000 independent voters
who met at Newburyport Mass, to hear Gen.
Butler spout greenbacksm. Though thor.
oughly demagogical, the speech contains some
trenchant thoughts and will bear reading as a
curiosity especially considered in the light of
Il Massachusetts production. We copy from
the report OF the n. y. Sun;
He said: More than one hundred years
ago our fathers found it necessary to unite to
protect against wrong and OPPRESSION to dis
enthrall themselves from the measures of one
King and his Ministers Their children meet
on the same anniversary to see whether they
may not disenthrall themselves from the OPP.
pressions of thousand kings and their minis
ters-thc money kings-the most powerful
monarchs in the world to-day. Their hands
are heavier upon us than those of King George
were upon our torefathers. Why is 1t that in
a land where, in the East, the store-hOuses are
bursting with the products of manufacturing
industry and in the West the granaries are
overlooking with the necessaries of life there
being perfect communication between those
sections, there are men hungry III the East for
the food that is in the West, and men naked in
the West for want of the clothes and shoes of
the East? The evil that causes this cannot be
reached by sporadic riots and violence. The
starving men who made the riots of last sum-
mcr effected no alienation of the public mis-
cry. Strikes are below the dignity of Ameri-
can workingmcn. They belong to another
country and to other institutions than ours
Our remedy is the ballot Communist is the
word Of reproach applied to workingmen who
see wrong in existing affairs and believe IN
la,
of reproach hurled at the men who struck for
freedom in the earlier days of this generation.
The same men who called the retormers of
other days Abolitionists are calling the reform
crs of to-day Communists. Communism in
Europe is the desperate protest Of the down
trodden and oppressed, and finds its vent in
violent demonstrations and vain endeavors.
Here such Il course is unnatural Our people
have in their own hands the power to mould
their condition. All they need is unity and
organization and they will control The leg
islation of our land has for many years been
exclusively in the interest of the rich and the
few. Because those few were rich, consequent
ly powerful and united IN purpose, they send
their representatives to make the laws by the
aid of the votes of the betrayed people. Seven
years ago introduced bill to have the money
of the country in the hands of the Government
and not III the hands of corporations, and was
beaten by eight votes, if remember Alright, in
the House But in the majority that beat me
there were more than siXty-tivc bank directors
and presidents each of them voting in his own
interest, all sent there by workingmens votes.
You wOrkingmen do not send men to repre-
sent you"
Mr.. Butler then reviewed at length the cir
.cumStances under which, in the hour of ma
tional necessity, the grcenbact came into be
ing, and the means by which capitalists, when
il was at its lowest value, were enabled to con-
vert it into interest bearing and nontaXable
bonds. together with other special legislation
for the benefit Of the capitalist since that time,
the formation of national banks, &c, all tend
ing to undue initiation of the wealth of the rich,
and the shifting of all the burdens of taxation
upon the poor. He protested against being
called repudiatOr, saving that although the
bargain with the capitalists was an infamous
one. we were fools enough To send men To Con
gress who would make it, and we should pay
the penalty by making good their agreement
The General also reviewed at length the his
tory of the continental money of this country
tracing the causes of its decline in value. He
repudiated the term of intlationist and said of
the opp0nents of the GrceuhaCk party: They
are willing TO sell all the bonds and Subsidize
all the railroads, and do everything else that
can be done with money obtained on interest
hearing bonds of the United States. MvpropO
sition is that we should issue $iO0,00O,000 in
non.intcrest bearing bonds of the United States
10 settle the unemployed laboring men OF the
United States upon the public lands of the
United States" Great applause.
No more notes Of the United States could be
issued. hc went on to say, than the people chose
to take and if they bear no interest those
which are issued involve the country in no
debt. Defining a greenbacker, he said: Il" If
YOU find man in the community that goes for
the good of all the nation as against few,
that man is a greenbacker; if YOU find man
that wants just legislation and goes for the IN
terests of the workingmen and of labor, that
man is a greenbackcr Itis term which COW
crs everything just and true, a. the word abo-
litionist once covered every man in favor OF
human freedom. II YOU find sman that wants
snocial nriyllegns that wants 70 live on the