The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-03-18
BUTLER IN HOT WATER.
From the N. Y. World.

rTOHt uB W. Il hOTW
An eel in the well-sanded fist of kitchen
maid, who holds the snake-like squirmer
tight and applies the knife to take off its
skin, is not quite an image of felicity; and
yet the eel might be congratulated by its.
brother the lobster, dropped alive into scald-
ing water and remorselessly boiled from black
to red. If Butler had succeeded in intro
ducing his Ku-klux bill his torments would
have been like those of the unskinned eel in
the well-sanded hand of relentless Biddy; but
he has escaped that form of agony by being
dropped at once into the boiling kettle. Read
the proceedings in the House of Representa-
tives on Thursday. Butler could not have
been more unhappy if he had been tossed
by his fellow members into a caldron of
burning pitch.
Before the New Hampshire election it
seemed settled thing that Congress would
not adjourn without passinga strong Ku-klHx
bill. This was understood to be the main
reason for extending the session. 1t was at
send in special message urging such legis-
lation. The Republican newspaper organs
sounded forth their preludes, the heaving,
deep-lunged bellows of the Tribune rever-
berating its hoarsest bass. 1t
was said, and sung, and shouted, and
beloved, as if all the bulls of Bashan
and the cattle on a thousand hills
udQ JOlu6Q III tu6 CuOTub3 tuht LILO Ou0 iuulS-
pensable duty of Congress, before it ad-
journed, was to pass good, tough, retribu-
tive act, which could not be "chawed up" by
the terrible Ku-klux. What an opportunity
for the irrepressible Butler A food-tide of
Republican sentiment seemed moving and
swelling in one direction, and he had only to
be the first in launching his bark to float it,
covered all over with pennants and streamers,
into the harbor of secure popularity. Happy,
happy Butler!
"As wild his thoughts and gay OF wing
As Eden's garden bird"
To be sure, he had competitors in this race
for popularity. Half score of treason
scenting popularity hunting Radicals busted
themselves in drafting Ku-klux bills; but
Buffers superior alertness, dexterity, sinewy
English, and hatred of the South, eclipsed
his competitors. His bill was preferred and
Endorsed by caucus of the Republican men,
bers of the House, and was under discus
sion in a caucus of the Republican Senators.
Butler seemed the rising demagogue, the man
skilled to float on "a tide in the affairs
of men which taken at the flood leads on
to fortune" when, all of sudden, the New
Hampshire election falls upon Congress like
a thunder-clap. The tide had swiftly
receded, and poor Butler was left a stranded
hulk upon the beach. A New England man,
aspiring to be the New England leader, he
was flung overheard by New England inhu-
ence. Speaker Blaine drew, and Mr.. Peters,
| of Maine, offered, the resolution which ripped
| open the balloon In which Butler was mount
ing to the clouds, and dropped him, without
parachute to break his fall, upon the stony
ground. The New Hampshire election had
taught the Representatives from the adjacent
| State OF Maine little wisdom, and New Eng
land deserted and humiliated Butler at the
very moment when he supposed that all the
| New England members would be tail to his
mounting kite. There will be no Ku-klux
bill passed this session, and Grant, Butler,
| Greeley, and company "hide their diminished
heads" There is now some hope that the
disguised Republicans will consent to an
early adjournment, which is the best thing
they can do to spare the pride of General
Grant. His Santo Domingo scheme is O
wreck now, and his friends, if he has any,
should take pity on him and save him from
the modification of an adverse vote by Con
gress. By December other subjects will
occupy public attention, and during the sum
mer the Santo Domingo job will die quiet
natural death, whereas if it were brought to
vote at this session, on the heels of the
New Hampshire election, the President would
be again put to open shame.
Buffers ill-temper and rabid abuse of his
fellow-Republicans show from what a height
he has fallen. But he retains something ol
his wonted cunning. Seeing that Grant il
deserted and repudiated by New England
! Butler turns against him too, and fouts the