, 1864-03-12

IOr DOuglaS ne goes IOr popular fOSer-
eighty, if the Supreme Court will let him.
" IIurrah for Douglas" he is for the Union,
Mr. Parton tells us that Mr.. Breckin-
ridge was at that time Union man, aud
believed to be honestly such by Mr.. Butler.
In December, 1860, after the election Of
Mr.. Lincoln, Butler went to Washington,
where he had many and serious conversa.
tions with his . Southern brethren" They
were determined on secession, and asked
him to go with them. There was room in
the South, they said, for such as he. lie
told them the North would fight against
secession, and they laughed at him; they
told him the North would starvc if it re-
sisted, and he laughed at them. He told
them, if the South fights there Is an end
Of slavery" and they laughed again. They
asked him, "if he would fight in such a
cause and he replied, Most certainly"
When the South Carolina ambassadors"
came to Washington, Butler proposed to
the Attorney General to try them for trea-
son.
Gen. Butler said to the Attorney Gen.
eral: "You say that the Government
cannot use its army and navy to cocrce
South Carolina. Very well. lido not agree
with you; but let the proposition be granted.
Now, secession is either n right or it is n
treason. If it is right, the sooner we
know it the better. If it is treason, then
the presenting Of the ordinance Of secession
is an overt act Of treason. These men are
coming to the White House to present the
ordinance to the President. Admit them.
let them present the ordinance. Let the
President say to them: Gentlemen, you
go hence in the custody Of Marshal of
the United States, as prisoners of state.
charged with treason against your country"
Summon a grand jury here in Washington.
lndict the commissioners. If any Of your
officers are backward in acting, you have
the appointing power; replace them with
men who feel as men should at time like
this. Try the commissioners before the
Supreme Court with all the imposing forms
and stately ceremonials which marked the
trial Of Aaron Burr l have some reputa.
ton at home as criminal lawyer, and l
will stay here to help the district attorney
through the trial without fee or reward.
If they are acquitted, you will have done
something toward leaving n clear path for
the incoming administration. Time will
have been gained; but the great advantage
will be, that both sides will pause to watch
this high and digniicd proceeding; the pas
sions Of men will cool the great points at
issue will become clear to all parties; the
mind Of the country will be active, while
passion aud prejudice are allaycd. Mean
while, If you cannot use your army and navy
in Charleston harbor, you can certainly enl-
ploy them in keeping order here"
This was advice sound to the core and
worthy Of great lawyer, and Of on Ameri-
meaning Of lawful liberty. Of course it
was not needed. The " commissioners"
or ambassadors heard Of it.
"Why, you would not hang us?' said
Mr.. Orr, one Of them, to Butler.
"Oh, no." was the reply, "not unless
you We're found guilty"
He had one last, long interview with the
Southern leaders, at which the whole sub
ject was gone over. For three hours he
reasoned with them, demonstrating the
folly of their course, and warning them of
final and disastrous failure. The conversa-
tion was friendly, though warm and earnest
on both sides. Again he was invited to
join them, aud was offered u share in their
enterprise, and place in that "sound and
homogeneous government which they
meant to establish. lie left them no room
to doubt that he took sides with his country,
and that all he had and all he was should be
freely riskcd in that country's cause. Late
ut night they separated to know one another
no more except Us mortal foes.
The next morning Gen. Butler went to
Senator Wilson, Of Massachusetts,, an old
acquaintance, though long political oppo-
ncnt, and told him that the Southern leaders
meant war, aud urged him to join in advis-
ing the Governor Of their State to prepare |
the militia Of Massachusetts for taking the |
field.
He went himself to Gov. Andrew, and
advised him to put the militia Of his State
on war footing, sending away all who
were unwilling to leave the State and sup
plying their places. Also, he urged him
to have twenty thousand Overcoats made;
to this there was opposition, but Governor
Andrew was equal to the emergency; he
ordered the coats, and " the last stitches in
the last hundred Of them were performed
while the men stood drawn up on the Com.
mon waiting to strap them to their KNAPP
sacks before getting into the cars for WASH
ingtoh."
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