Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-01-22
BUTLER, THE BRUTE AND THIEF.
From he Co Tinaa

From the Chicago Times.
The brutal tyrannies of Gen. Butler at New Orleans
reced in the late proclamation of Ji Davis will, if
they be truly rected, amply justify the retaliation he
threatens 1t remains for our government either to
disprove the charges punish Butler If it fails 10 do
this and fails 10 make restitution, and, far in IL
lies, reparetion TO the victims of Buffers robberes, it
is the abettor Of bis crimes. We are having numerous
courts martial in different parts Of the country and
brave tried and loyal men called upon to meet the
false and slanderOus tons of personal enemies
Fiz John Porter at Washington aud Gen. Buell. at
Nashville, are kept from the field to answer charges
that every act of theirs as officers dsapproves, and
which noue bnt an administration swayed by partisan
hatred would have heard ordered trial upon These
men, if they have erred at ALL have erred in Judgment
Th, ir hearts above reachery and their faith has
been proved in the presence of death-whe Butler i'm
peached by the united testimony of the citizens of New
Orleans by the inhabitants of all that portion of Lou.
sana west of the Mississippi which he has plundered
by all the foreign consuls within bis lines by the
port OF Reverdy johnson, an able and upright CON-
missioner of the government and by his own illegal and
nhuman ORDERS is ordered from New Orleans, with the
fruit of his praces to take las organs of the admins
tration announce) more important command.
The administration knew months ago that Butler
was plundering They knew ii by the representations
of foreign consuls and the report of Reveredy johnson
and still they have retained him in command, and by
that retention justified his The proclamation
of jeff Davis Is document that the world will take
cognzance OF and, if government shall attempt to
pass it BY in silence, treat it with Indifference
meet it by of similar character threatening like
retaatlor shall lose, ought the respect and
sympathy of all civilized people.
The honor of the government demands that the
charges Of murder, arson, robbery OPPRESSION and at
tempts to excite serve Instruction made by jeff Da-
Wis against commanding general in armies, should
be met they stated, fairly and fully If they are
false let it be shown and, if they true, let at
tempt be made by the government to shield this wretch
ed criminal from punishment. The responsibility o
Buffers administration rests now upon the adminstra
ton at Washington.
There is not living to day charged with great
crimes than Butler and his conduct reflects directly
not only upon the government but the American PEG
pe whose name he has dsgraced. Aside from all ques
tons of policy the trial Of Butler is required by The
people of the loyal States, that they may be freed from
the suspicion of being his accessories.
There will be little difficulty in procuring witnesses
A quarter Of million of inhabitants stands ready Il
testify They ask for justice and such measure OF ven
geance fair trial and impartial law will grant
Shall they have it Dare the administration condemn
policy that has been in consonance with the policy
must itself pursue if the emancipation proclamation il
issued? Dare the administration condemn Butler fo
enforcing policy demanded by the Abolition pres
and pulpit, to whom it has made formal surrender O
itself? We are now engaged in a war of extermina
ton, if Butler be not punished. The proclamation O
jeff Davis relates to him and his officers only but it
the torerunner OF that will apply to every officer
our armies, if the proclamation threatened on the frs
January is issued. The magnanimity of which Mi
Seward assured the French government would be oh
served by toward the seeded States has grown small
by large Degrees under the fanaticsm that demanded
that the contest should not be war, but.a raid.