"
The morning after his defeat in the State Convention each
of the principal morning papers in Boston headed its account
of the Convention with the words, "Swagger, Quarrel, Failure."
General Butler made no further reply by letter. But he came
to Worcester, where I dwelt, and addressed an enormous meeting
in Mechanics Hall. I suppose many more people than those
that got in were obliged to go away because the Hall would
not hold them. The General devoted his speech largely to
a powerful and bitter attack upon me. I replied at a meeting
at the same place a few days after. My speech ended with
the following sentences. After describing the heroism of
the youth of Worcester in the battle with slavery and the
battle with Rebellion, I added:
"And now, after the war, another enemy, unarmed, but bringing
even greater danger, menaces the Republic. The battle with
corruption is the duty of the hour. The blow which rebellion
aimed at the Nation's life you could ward off. The wounds
it inflicted are already in the process of cure. But this
poison, this rotting from the core, is far more dangerous
to the Republic.
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