Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-08-11
Ahnur General RntIcr.


The newspapers outside OF Massachusetts
seem more disposed 10 discuss our guberna-
torial question than those published here. Some
curious talk may be found in the New York pa
pers from time to time, An ardent supporter
of General Butler, writing for the New York
Standard, describes the process by which the re-
pubcans will be constrained to nominate him,
Notwithstanding their extreme dislike of his po-
htical methods. The nomination is to be reached
in this way, he says 1.-THE labor reform party
mast 20 for the General. The fighters for suE
frage must because there is nothing else left for
them to do. The majority of the republicans
will, because they fully understand that an ig-
nominious defeat would be the result of an OPP
posing move" 1t is manifest that this writer
has great faith in the arts for which demagogues
are distinguished, and that he has very little use
for principle in politics. The republican party
will become very different from what it is now or
ever has been, before it will be capable of yield
ing to the influence by which he and those like
him think to control it. Another writer, in the
New York Times. takes the tone of an indiffer-
ent Iooker-on, who has discovered few secrets
and knows something of the Generals pro-
gramme. He says
"For the past few weeks, Gen. Butler and his
adherents have been working very industriousy
at LAYING the wires, and in less than fortnight
the advance movement will be made in most
brilliant and original manner. 1t is now pretty
well unders TODD that he has secured the Office
holders throughout the state, the leaders of the
labor and temperance parties, and the woman
sutfragsts who, though insignificant have some
weight and that he has gained the aid OF Col
lector Russell, whom he saw" Immediately on
his arrival home from Europe a few days ago,
and through him the jealous services of all the
biz and little custom house officials. 1t is also
asserted that he counts on bringing President
Grant to his side, Notwithstanding the past, and
through him the influence and Endorsement of
the government. The first attack will be on the
temperance people and the "Christian voters"
Arrangements are making for a series of tenn
perance mass meetings on large
scale at Martha's Vineyard, where the
great Methodist camp village, now so
well known, is located, and where the tenn
perauce and Methodist voters are now gathered
in thousands to listen to Wendell Phillips, DIR.
Miner, DR.. Marvin, and the leading temperance
radicals on the general total abstinence question
These speakers are to introduce the subject of the
fall campaign, and the propriety of nominating
Butler as the temperance candidate for gov
ernor. To these meetings President Grant Will
be invited, and several religious celebrities, and
it is proposed that Collector Russell shall 90
down to Long Branch in the revenue cutter and
bring up the president and such other politi-
clans as may be induced to come. As connected
with this scheme, Gen. Butler is not to be
known. He is to keep quietly ont of the way,
and the unsuspectmg public are expected TO ac-
cept the meetings as purely temperance gather
ings, and the expression of the orators for But
Ter as every way spontaneous. But, unfortu-
natey for the schemers, somebody in their con-
fidence has prattled iujudiciously to outsiders
about their plans, and thus interfered with their
easy fulfllment."
Somebody has "prattled," as this writer
states, for others have made mention of this
scheme of operation. 1t is not adapted to do
much for the General, so far as concerns the re-
publican nomination. 1t is surprising TO us
that General Butler does not see that he loses
constantly much more than he gains by cult
waiting what somebody has described as the
colds and ends" of political and social move
ment Prompted by what he may regard as po-
litical sagacity, he seeks the Favorable regard"
of particular combinations or companies of men
(Feniaus, Ribbonmen, Communists and political
bushwhackers of all sorts), who have votes, but
who stand outside the party to which he be-
longs, and who, in some cases, have notions and
aims he is not likely to adopt, now or hereafter.
Meanwhile, by doing so, he disgusts political
1TleUuS, anu lOSSb NllUlu IUS
but, of this he has seemed strangely uncon-
scous. Wendell Phillips tells the labor reform
ers that the republicans "dOn't like General But
ler." As far as this is true, General Butler has
none but himself to blame for it. The sugges-
ton that the christian voters" are to be
charmed by his political methods, is rich; and
so is the representation that such men as Wen
dell Phillips and DR.. Miner will go to Martha's
Vineyard as missionaries, and convert the Meth
odists.
Those who regard politics as nothing but a
game, to be played by means of audacious at
titudes and sharp maneuvers, are not so numer-
Gus, especially in Massachusetts, as appears to
be assumed in the letters from which we quote.
So far as concerns General Butler, if he would
do more to understand and win his republican
associates and less to cajole outsiders, more
to compel confidence in his motives as
politician and less to make his republican
friends uncertain in regard to them-in word,
if he could be in politics a very different sort of
mamie would cease to allow himself to dream
of seeking republican nomination by means
of game Of any sort. In the present case, an
additional objection has been placed in his way
towards republican nomination, by those of
his supporters who talk like that letter writer in
the New York Standard. According to this
talk, the outsiders of all sorts will nominate
him, and so Brighten the republicans that they
will not dare to do otherwise. Nothing can be
more absurd than this Those who cherish this
fancy are demented. Their folly is ridiculous
beyond any possibility of description. For the
rest, General Butler knows very well, if his out
side supporters do not, that he dare not accept
an independent nomination against a regular
nomination of the republican party. We say
he dare not do so, because we assume that he
has not yet made up his mind to commit polit-
cal suicide, and 20 headloug to the ''demniton
bow-wows."