The Van Buren press., 1869-03-23
The Grape which Grew on q Thorn.

The Little Rock Gazette, says the "Di-
vine Master once asked if men gather
grapes OF thorns or figs Of thistles q? The
/ question, according to our usual expe-
rience was an intimstion that they do not
1t remains for latter day developments
TO demonstrate that they sometimes do.
The radical party has gathered many
sweet grapes of very ugly thoms and
very dainty figs of some most noisome
thistlcs. The Reverend Butler is most
delicious Malaga gathered by the
party Of progress" from the bramble Of
religious hypocricy, the most pestiferous
Of all the horns offallen humanity. Read
the description of this sweet" grape,
and see how our correspondent squeezes
the pulp out Of it for the OBLIGATION Of
those who like a good thing:
CAMDEN, Arks., Feb. 22nd, 1869.
EDITORS GAZETTE:
There is an old man in the lower House
Of the General Assembly named Butler
James A. Butler He must he on the dark
side of three score years and ten. Ac-
cording to the accepted theories of wis
dom he should be devoting the remnant
of his days To meditation, to rejecting
upon the evils of misspent life I'm
fortunately for the country. if not for
himself, this is not the case. With a heart
as full of venom as it is possible for the
heart of an old sinner to be towards those
whom passing sefinterest has induced
him to betray. No lengths of meanness
are too great for him to travel no spe-
cles of petty malice too low for him to
descend to. If there is any depth of de
prayity that has not at some time in his
long life been reached by James A. Butler,
it is unknown as yet Thirty-fve years
ago he preached the gospel, loud and
long on Sundays, and turned an honest
penny through the week, by specializing
in mules and negroes. In plain English,
James a. Butler at that time was negro
trader. Do you recollect, reverend sir,
upon a certain occasion, that a traveller
passing your residence, was struck by the
appearance of likely little negro girl,
playing in your yard, and offered to buy
her, and that you then and there sold her
and when her mother, old Nelly, came
home from her work, and wept over the
loss of her old child, you consoled her by
the assurance that you had sold her child
to a good man, and that she would be
well provided for? | could instance
other negro trades Of yours while in the
business; but the detail is disgusting. As
the inventor, and oH-hand vendor of lies,
in the sale of mules, you stood without
an equal Your lying upon one occasion
was of such an extraordinary character,
that your wife who was a good lady, was
thrown into fit of Mysteries by it. Your
brother Bill, who ovcrseed your negroes
for you, and threshed them by your di-
rection, used to say that you could look
at a "nigger, and come within ten stripes
of predicting the number he could bear,
and live under. Your Gospel discourses
in point of interest were only equalled by
the ailectionate and thorough manner in
which you immersed converted sisters
This is but the outline of your former
life. Let it be suggestive to you, of the
details, and | doubt not you could furnish
entertaining personal matter, in your lcis
ure moments, to your colleagues, Gray
and Brooks. The mental shock to them,
because of the rehearsal of vnnr former
deprayity. would be thoroughly counter
acted, by your wonderful conversion, to
the doctrines Of radicalism. Bad. j.