Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-11-13
PASSAGES In BUTLER'S LIFE.
How He Stirs up the South to War
in the Charleston Convention.

Alexander (. Pratt, editor ofthe Plain
dealer, published at Waukesha, Wiscon-
sin, Douglas delegate to the Charleston
Convention in 1860, and man who has
known Benjamin 4. Butler intimately
from his youth, publishes some extraor-
binary revelations concerning the part
that notorious incendiary took in the
Charleston Convention, the efforts he put
forth to bring about secession, and the
promises of help from the North, which
he made in the name of the Northern
Democrats, when secession should be an
accomplished fact
Mr.. Pratt says Butler had been sent
to that Convention, as we were, in
structed to vote for Stephen A. Douglas,
but during the whole of that struggle,
which lasted some two weeks, he voted
persistently for the nomination of JEFF.
Davis.
AT this time" continues Mr.. Pratt,
secession was openly advocated, and
was as plain to us in the distance, as it
is now to all, in the background. Six
or eight well-driled and well-armed
aud equipped companies were then daily
parading the streets Of that city. One
by one were our Northern delegates led
into the private rooms of st. Andrew s
hall, by Butler and others, where they
were met by such men as Slidell, Ma
son and others, who had their millions
Of gold to purchase the nomination of a
Southern man. How much Butler re-
ceived we neither know nor care but, as
we said before, the last speech we ever
heard from Butler, and it will probably
remain the last, unless we may have
the good fortune Of hearing him speak
from the gallows, was at secret meet
ing held one evening after he and his
Southern delegates had seeded from our
convention. We obtained admittance
that evening through friend from Ala
bama, and for nearly an hour listened to
a speech from Butler upon secession.
In this speech Butler assured them
that we, the Douglas Democrats, we're
free-soiIers, that he and others repre-
sented the Buchanan, the 'Simon-pure'
democracy Of the North; that in case OF
a collision Of arms between the North
and the South, that the genuine democ-
racy would be found defending the rights
Of the South And when they fired upon
Fort Sumter, they had as much faith in
the belief that Butler and the Northern
Democrats would sustain them, as they
had in their powder igniting when they
applied the fire to it.
There is no one more willing to par
don and forgive than we are, but when
we reflect upon the past and consider
the human suffering caused by the late
war, the mountain of human bones
bleaching on the Southern soil, the rivers
Of human blood that have drenched that
soil, together with the home scenes Of
destitute orphans and widows, and
the thousands Of cripples who are
hobbling limbless about our towns
and cities, knowing. as we do, OF
our own personal knowledge, that Ben.
Butler did more than all other Northern
men put together 10 bring on the war, we
cannot but hope that we may yet live TO
hear his last speech made from a more
elevated platform, and where he will be
listened TO BY better Union men, sur
rounded By the officers Of justice, sworn
10 do their duty When that time ar
rives, treason will be made odious.