The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1866-12-07
BUTLER.
Ben ButIer the Author Of the Rebellion
---ExtraOrdinary Revelation


AleXanderF. Pratt, editor ofthc Ploa
Dea{er, published at Waukesha, Wis
consin, Douglas delegate to the
Charleston Convention, in 1860, and a
man who has known Benjamin F. But
Ter intimately from his youth, publish
cs some extraordinary revelations con-
corning the part that notorious incen-
diary took in the Charleston Conven-
ton, the efforts he put forth to bring
about secession, and the promises of
help from the North, which he made
in the name of Northern Democrats
when secession should be accomplished
in fact.
Mr.. Pratt says: :"Butler had been sent
to that convention as we were, instruc-
ted to vote for Stephen A. Douglas; but
during that struggle, which lasted some
two weeks, he voted persistently for
the nomination Of Jefferson Davis.
''At that time, " continues Mr.. Pratt.
secession was openly advocated, and
was as plain to Us in the distance, as it
Is now to ali, in the background. Six
OTeightwelI drilled and well armedand
equipped companies were then daily
parading the streets Of that city. One
by one We're our National delegates led
into the private room ofSt. Andrews
Hall by Butler and Others where they
were met by such men as Slidell, Ma
son and others who had their millions
in gold to purchase the nomination ofa
Southern man. How much Butler re-
ceived we neither know nor care, but
as we said before, the last speech we cv-
er heard from Butler, and it will prob
ably remain the last, unless we may
have the good fortune to hear him speak
upon the gallows, was a secret meeting
held one evening after he and the South
erndelegates had seeded from our Con-
vention. We obtained admittancc that
evening through friend from AIaba-
ma, and for nearly an hour listened to
a speech from Butler to Admiral Pal
mer.
''In this speech Butler assured them
that we, the Douglas Democrats, were
'free soilers," that he and others rep
resented the Buchanan, the Simon
Pure Democracy of the N0rth-that in
case of collision ofarms between the
North and South that the genuine De
m0cracy would be found defending the
rights of the South. And when firing
upon Fort Sumter, they had as much
faith in the belief that Butler and the
Northern Democrats would sustain
them rs 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 mountains of human bones
bleaching on the Southern soil, the riv-
ers of human blood that have drenched
that soil, together with the home scenes
ofde5titute orphans and widows, and
the thousands of cripples who are hob
bling limbless about our towns and cit
les; knowing as we do, Of our personal
knowledge, that Ben. Butler done more
than all other Northern men put to-
gcther to bring on the war, we cannot
but hope that wemay yet live to hear
his last speech made from a more eleva-
ted platform, and where he will be lis
tened to by better Union men surround
ed by the officers Ofjustice, sworn to do
their duty. When that time arrives,
.treason will be made odious.,n