, 1872-10-28
CorsuL, GENERAL BUTLER.

The historian Who 6noulu unuerLaAe ~ poA-
trny the condition Of American Civil Service IN
der the administration Of General Grant could
scarcely overlook the cage Of George H. Butler,
our Consul General to Egypt. To judge OF ltH
bearings upon the Civil Service system, it would
be necessary to go back Of his appointment,
when it would be discovered that his unftness
for an official position Of any kind WAS notorious.
As q resident Of New York City, he was known as
q common brawler and strcet-rowdy. fracas
Of g. disreputable character brought him into the
courts, and spread his namo abroad. It would
subsequently, be found that George n. But
ler was appointed to the chief diplomatic position
in the Orient, with 3 full and general knowledge
Of lis character, as one Of the means adopted to
crafty General BENZ. F. Butler, nenr relative
Of the Consul General. The next discovery
would be that Consul General Buffers off1cial
conduct fully justified his private character as
rough. He entered upon prolonged spree at
the same time TINT he assumed the duties OF his
Consular position. He began the disgrace which
he has brought upon the country BY
soliciting and accepting regular
SALARY from the Khedive, in addition to
that paid him by his own Government. He
bartered OF Consular agencies and took part in
money-mak ing schemes prohibited BY the Con-
sular regulations It is stated that he acquired
nearly 600 in gold by these meanH, though
deyoting himself almost exclusively to personal
dissipation. He opened nearly all letters. that
came directed to the care of the Consulate, and
concealed this meanness by either suppresslng
them altogether or explaining that they had
been opened by mistake. He attracted the i'll
will Of the people Of the country, and put to
blush the American travellers rho visited Egypt.
Finally, he brought his career to o sudden and
disgracefnl termination by shooting and wound
ing man in drunken brawl- Startled at this,
| ha had the quick ingenuity to telegraph to his
uncle and protector ut home to secure him m
Immediate leave Of absence, which was forward
ed to him by cable. This enabled him to leave
| the scone Of his fights and drunken rows still
clothed with official dignity.
The historian of American Civil Service would
find the evidence Of all this in the affidavit OF
one A. D. strologo, who oeiciatea as Private
| Secretary to Consul General Butler, and who
now roveals the 1atter's disGracefu1 proceedings
because he Ind been swindled out OF
| his proportion Of the profits which
| the Consul General had promised him
for his silence and cooperation. more trust
worthy witness may be found, however, in Gen
eral STIRRING, who, as Special Agent OF the
United States Treasury, made an investigation
of Buffers official conduct, and submitted q re-
port to the Government nearly year ago. It is
known that General Starring's report set forth
materially what has sinca become q matter Of
notoriety but the report WIS carefully stowed
away in tho Government archives, and withheld
from the public, in order that Consul General
Butler might continue lis disgraceful Ca
reer under tho protection Of the United
States Government. It is probable that
| the future historian Of the American Civil Ser
vice system will find this circumstance more
damaging to the Administration than anything
that can be said concerning Murphy, Casey,
Craraer, Hudson, Leet, or Stocking.