Litchfield enquirer., 1857-06-04
DsArH OF SENATOR BurLER.-Andrew Pick

DEATH OF OENATOR DuTLER---AHdfeW TICK |
ems Butler, United States Senator from South
Carolina, died on Monday evening, of dropsy in
the abdomen. He was appointed to the Senate in
ls47, by the Executive Of his State. to fiji the va
cancy caused by the death Of Senator McDufie.
and has continued in Office till his death. AL
though his term had not closed, we understand it
was his intention never to return TO Congress. in
consequence of the failing condition of hia health,
Judge Butler, previous to his appointment to
the Senate. had served acceptaby on the bench of
South Carolina, in recognition of which dstinc-
ton he was made chairman of the Senate Judicial
ry Committee.
In his political views he was a South Carroll
nian.-and perhaps that is near definition of
his position as can be obtained While he agreed
generally with the state-rights doctrines of his
former colleague, Mr.. Calhoun, he always insisted
that he was old federalist." At one time he
would loudly assert the doctrine of indie pendent
federate sovereignties, and at another, when the
interests of his section We're at stake, would advo-
cate an extension Of the federal preroga,ves to
extreme which would startle the most ultra sup
porters of Capitalization. These contradictions
must be ascribed 10 tina, warmth and impulsive-
| ness of nature which led him to speak on the
spur of the nome mt whatever came uppermost to
his mind, and hch, of late years, was somewhat
aggravated by unfortunate resort to stimulants.
So, too, those harsh, unguarGed personal remarks
which escaped from him in the ardor Of debate, do
not fairly indicate his character. He was entirely
| fies from malice or unkindness. and few mo-
hments' reflection never failed to insure return to
his usually mild and companionahle temper. In
deed, he had been so long INDUCED in his habit
of garrnous interruption, that he did not fully ap-
preclaie the annoyance which it sometimes occa-
sionrd, and would express surprise at the offence
which was taken by men against whom he had
said things that from others, would have been in
toIerabe. He was naturally one of the kindest
and most whimsical of men, and one whose char
acter had been more mlsrepresented by his own
conduct and words, than by any outside enmity.
Although he was man of excellent sense and
Judgment in matters not involving the peculiar in.
stlulion, he was not always happy in his speeches
His mind was so exceedingly fertile In suggestion
,h,.t his mouth was actually c!ogged in delivery
Hence he would pour forth a disconnected ola
podrida Of sound argument. brilliant tancies and
nonsensica coi!oquiaIisms, frequently bringing up
osi.y interfrred with his logic.
/ AT ii es, however, when he was strongly ex-
cited. and could hold his attention 10 one traiu of
thought. he was truly eloquent, and his address
wolld be 6 entire and perfect chrysolite,' -
without flaw. Few of the fIequenters of the
Senate have missed his appearance when
some remark dercea,ory to his State would cause
him to start from his seat. with his white, shaggy
! locks shaking over face red as the harvest
moon, and utter his prott st against the dtgeneracy
Of modern politics In strain of poetic eoqurnce.
which even heightened in its effect by his
hurried articulation and the faulty Latin quota
tions (" ith which it would be int-rspersed, The
old genteman's mind ran over with passages from
the classic lore of England and Rome, and one of
the severest consequences of his difference with
Senator Sumner was the subsequent absence of so
good scholar to jog and set right his memory.
In society, where he favorits, he always had
some happy recitation of verses for the entertain
ment Of the young ladies who gathered around
him. With his connection with the outrage Of
Preston S Brooks upon Mr. Sumner the public are
familiar. The unpleasant memory Of the occur
renee, without doubt, FASTENED the death OF him
self well Of bis knsman. Indeed, he ex-
hlblted an unaffected anxiety to its effects upon
his young friend. while they were hardly less ob
servable upon himself They both endeavored ,c
drown the disagreeable Renaissance of an out.
rage, in which, after all, they were not the mos
responsible participants. And yet the day Of Sen
ator Buffers death was almost the exact anniver
sary of the assault upon his senatorial associate