Year: 1864




Major General Butler received an en-
thusiastic ovation at the Fifth Avenue
Hotel in New York on the I4th inst.
During the evening, Hon. James Wads
worth addressed the General, who re-
piled as follows: e-s.


SPEECH OF GEN. BUTLER


Ma. WADswORTH, LADIES AND GENTLE
MEN The citizens of New York have
done me honor over much Their
kindness, extended in every form
known to Christian courtesy over
Whelms me. That | should be able to
add anything to the sum of intelligence
is a great honor That entertain very
distinct views upon the subjects to which
you have adVerted is most true Peace
hath her victories no less renowned than
war; and of all the peaceful victories
ever yet achieved in the interests of
human freedom, that achieved in the
peaceful quiet which almost brGoded
over this land on the Sth of November.
was the greatest Before we proceed
for moment to look at the material
results, let US look at the moral 1t has
taught the world who shall look on,
and it can now be said that it is no vain
boast in America that the eyes of the
world are upon her; It has told all the
world that we are able in the stress and
strain Of civil war like that never seen
before, to carry our institutions in peace
ful quiet, change or re-elect our rulers
as we weigh them in the balance TO find
them meritOrious or wanting, without
so much OF trouble, or disorder or riot
or Of commotiOn as attends a constable 3
election in parish in England The
moral, then, is, that the Government,
embalmed in the hearts of the people,
dependent on the intelligence of the
people, is the strongest government on
earth-strong in the affection, stronger
still in the right arm of the people
And when we have been told hereto
fore that it was necessary that there
should be neither monarchy nor despot-
ism to WELD bayOnets, We see bayOnets
welded by hundred Of thousands where
other countries have been able 10 WELD
them by tens, and then entirely sub
serVient to the peoples viii (Applause.)



ing; first in the fact that all disputed
ques sion5 which have divided the coun-
try are now settled by the almost unan-
imOus verdict of the country. Does any
one complain that in the conduct OF
military operations there should be an
arrest of a traitor That question has
been argued and settled, and the verdict
is guilty-arTest him when he is guilty
(Bravo) Does any one complain that
the true theory of our Constitution has
not been carried out which enrolls all
able-bodied men and holds them to mil
itary duty in defense of their cOuntry's
life and liberty2 That question has
been settled, and thereafter it will be
more honorable to be drafted than to
volunteer (Laughter) Does any one
complain that the Government, in its
wisdom, has organized troops Irrespec>
tive of color, and believes that black
man would FL as large a grave as tho
his color was whittier, when he falls in /
battle in defense Of his country's Gber /
ty That question has been settled, /
and has passed away forever to be 1
amongst the things of the past Does I
any one now claim, as was chImed in /
1860, that.Abraham Lincoln is the Pre- I
sident of minority? That question is
settled by an overwhelming majority. /
(Applause) Let US look for a moment /
at the fact that if we count every rebel /
against him, as he was; il we found 4
every sympathiZer with rebels against \
him as he was, if we count sYery un- 4
true and disloysl man, against him, as
they all were, yet he is reelected BY q
ma jority only second to that with
which jackson swept the country in
the hour of financial peril These ma
teFial results have been achieved Now,
then, what is the duty Of the Governs
ment in the present future2 War can
not always last The history OF nations,
the experience of the world, has shown
this. War, therefore, must come TO an
eEd, but how ? In what wsy2 war
Of this kind is TO be prosecuted for the
purpose of breaking down the yower of
those opposed to the Government and
bringing them into the fold of the Gov
ernment, under the supremacy of It's
laws. In view, therefore, of the una
nimity Of the American people, in view
Of the might of the nation, might 1t
not be suggested that now is a good
Iime for US once again 70 hSld out to
the deluded men of the South the olive
branch of peace, and say to them