The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-10-07
General Butler and Richard ii. Dana.

General Butler and Richard ii. Dana.
gfom the N. r. EUenin0 Post ...r -t. rr
Two questions are at the present moment
presented to the voters of the Fifth Massaohu-
sets district for decision. The first is whether
they approve of the Chicago platform, which
promises the faithful payment of the national
debt, and denounces all forms OF reputation
as national crimes, and the Massachusetts,
platform, which still more explicitly calls for
payment of that debt in gold or silver or
whether they approve the policy which was
announced by Pendleton, and caught up and
perfected by Butler. The second is whether, on
the whole, they think Butler or Dana the inter
man to represent them during the next two
years in Congress; for they are to decide
which Of the two men, judging from their past
history and present regulations Is the proper
representative of the honest patriotism of the
Essex district.
The history of General Butler, so far as it
concerns Republicans, began with his aban-
donment of the Democratic party in 1861,
and his bold march through Baltimore, after
the April massacre, to the defense of Wash
ington. For leaving the Democrats he de-
serves credit as sagacious man; for his
march, as brave one. His subsequent ad-
ministration at New Orleans was energetic
and productive of good public results,
though it may fairly be questioned whether
the odium he incurred though the charges Of
peculation against his brother, charges
which have never been acknowledgement
a man whose property General Butler
has inherited-did not Offset any advantage
to the United States gained by reign of
order in a rebellious city. at any rate here
his success ended; his whole later
career has been one of failure. His fasoo
at Fort Fisher rendered him the laughing
stock of all military men, and his
surprise and rout before the gates of Rich
mond drew down upon him the calm but
eti of md ino o1
The termination of the war found him one
of many political generals who had proved to
the country by their total want of success the
absolute necessity of knowing something
about war before wagipg it. Since the war,
he has attempted three important things: to
remove the President by impeachment; to have
the debt repudiated and to have the bonds
taxed. OF the first we will now say only this,
that impeachment failed, and with impeach-
ment failed General Butler. In the second he
had the audacity to adopt the nefarious scheme
of Democratic politician to adopt it in the
teeth of the promises OF an administration of
which he had been a supporter and, further,
he had the misfortune to have his plan de-
nounced by his own party as crime. His
latest, and we hope his final, public political
act was to endeavor to persuade Congress to
deprive the bondholders of part of the lawful
pledged interest of their securities; and in
this, too, he failed. On the strength of these
IallureS ne now requests the electors OF Essex
to send him back to Congress.
Mr.. Dana is a gentleman of the highest
standing in his State, Of great influence IN the
Republican party. More than this, he was a
Free-Soiler in the days when to be Free
Soiler was to run danger of personal violence
from pro-slavery mobs. He has twice served
in the Massachusetts, House with great distinc-
tion, and recently at Worcester has done the
Republican party greater service than often
falls to the lot of one man to accomplish. To
the Worcester Convention two prominent men
were sent-as it turned out to do the same
work they are soon to repeat in the Fifth Dis
trict-to struggle for the leadership of the Re-
publican party, to struggle for the possession
of its conscience; on the one side in the inte-
rest of dishonesty, on the other OF good
faith.
General Butler went to Worcester to obtain
for his friend, DIR. Loring, recently converted
Democrat, the Governorship of Massachusetts,
and to procure silence on all questions con-
nected with the debt. Mr.. Dana went there to
oppose him. The result was two new failures
on the part of General Butler: he was obliged
with his own voice to withdraw DR.. Loring,
and to bear the disappointment of hearing
William Clafin nominated in his stead by ac-
clamation. He was obliged to listen to the
reading and to acquiesce in the passage of a
resolution introduced by Mr.. Dana, as chair
man of the committee, promising the payment
left Worcester beaten man. He has occu-
pied his time since that in attempting to de-
fame men of established reputation, and in
manufacturing an extract from the Chicago
platform, which he had the recklessness to
Introduce into written speech delivered be-
fore the Essex Nominating Convention, and
which was shown to be of his own composition
by the papers of the next day.
But, personal considerations Of past success
and probable future service apart, there re.
mains the general question of the national
credit. We conceive that Mr.. Dana, in accept.
ing the nomination offered him by some of the
best men in the Fifth district, will perform al
act which will please all honest Republicans
throughout the country; for though Mr.. But
Ter has repeatedly failed his attacks damage
the cause almost as much as victories. This
is no narrow question of district politics; the
interests involved are not confined within
the bounds even of a State. 1t is a matter Of
national importance that General Butler should
again be defeated, as he was at Worcester, by
the honest ability of Mr.. Dana
Suppose q Democratic Success What
Then2
From The ~. y Times
The desire of the more cautious Democrats
to be absolved from the responsibility fastened
upon the party by the Blair letter, indOrsed BY
the New York Convention, has led to variou
suggestions as to the method by which recon
struction may be peaceably overcome.
The World is the type OF very small clas
who accept the dogma that the acts of Con
gress are null aud void, butwho nevertheless
protest that their abrogatiOn may be effecte,
quietly, without the employment of force
They insist on separating the document whicl
explains the platform from the platform itself
and on holding up an imaginary Blair insteaC