Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-09-19
BUTLEa AND MASSACHUSETTS,.

IN the means OF moving and transfer
ring merchandise.
BUTLER AND MASSACHUSETTS
Beast Buffers defeat at Worcester,
must have reminded
him very much of the discontinue he
met with at Bethel, in Virginia, some
dozen years ago, in its inglorious COM
pleteness. Hill and Magruder with
their North Carolina infantry and Vir-
ginia artillery served him roughly
enough in 1861, but we doubt whether
it proved more damaging to his pros
poets than the overthrow of his hopes
last week by Washburne and the Mas
sachusetts men.
But it is not our purpose to discuss
SO much the effect of his late defeat as
the cause of it. What brought it about,
then? At first it was supposed that
the people of Massachusetts, had be-
come suddenly awakened to a sense of
the virtuous and respectable, and that
while under its influence they had re-
pudiated Butler because lie was known
to be the sum of all villainies.
Later developments, however, seem
rather to negative this assumption, and
to favor the theory that Massachusetts,
has once more made common cause
with the South, and, like ourselves
during the late unpleasantness and
since, now desires nothing SO much as
to be let alone by the Federal Gov
eminent, and that it was because Pres
ident Grant, having unbottled Butler,
brought the whole patronage of the
Federal Government to bear in his IA
vor that the people of Massachusetts,
rose up in their wrath and rejected the
hero of Bethel.
Nor is there any lack of strong evil
dence to support this view of the case,
as will appear by the following resolu-
ton adopted by the Convention at
Worcester, and which Butler himself
was obliged to support.
"RcsOlrcd, That while we recognize
the full right of every citizen to ex-
press and act upon his convictions
upon all questions of public interest,
no person holding public office has the
right to seek to influence the action OF
his subordinates by exciting their fear
of loss of place if their opinions
actions and actions shall differ from
his own, and we call upon the Presl-
dent further to remove all public Off
GERS who have improperly interfered
with the independence of the Repub-
licans of Massachusetts in the man
agement of their local concerns, when
ever the fact is proved to his satisfac-
tion."
That would seem to be bad dose
for the man to swallow, in whose favor
til, President had sought "to influence
the action of his subordinates by excl
ting their fear of loss of place. Yet
Butler was obliged to swallow it.
But our Massachusetts friends are
still not Herewith content and leading
Radical papers are following up the
trail with editorials upon ''The True
For the first time in the history OF
the State the government at Washing
ton has seen fit to interfere in local
politics by countenancing combina-
ton of federal office-holders, organ
lied for the purpose of controlling
local nominations. Such a proceeding
is inadmissible and altogether intOler-
able. This is the issue which has been
raised by this campaign, with which
the leaders of the republican party in
this State are now called on to deal,
for hitherto no step has been taken to-
ward meeting it. Resolutions at
Worcester and leaders in newspapers
are very well, as far rs they go, but
after all they are only empty words
something more is needed If any re-
suits are to flow from the recent vic
tory, something stronger than mere
words--acts. This is a serious matter
and one which requires calm, but fear
less handling. else we may look for
ward to indefinite repetitions of the
scandal which has just taken place
to the utter ruin of the republican
party, to begin with, and, what is of
vastly more consequence, to the per
mantnt degradation of our system of
government in the future.
There is but one course to pursue.
Republican leaders must represent to
the administration the unjustifiable
conduct OF national office-holders
within the Safe of Massachusetts
during the recent canvass, and firmly
insist on their removal; not one Of the
offenders should be allowed to remain.
Personal disputes must be steadily
thrust aside, for this is not personal
question. A right has been violated
and great wrong has been done. The
people have expressed their indigna-
ton, and have checked the attempt to
ensnare them, for the moment, but it
Is not III their power collectively to
take measures for their future protec-
ton. The representatives of the people
principle of federal Northumberland
with local affairs boldly and markedly.
and rigidly insist on it's recognition.
must follow, as matter of course,
spirit of revenge, or from feeling of
ill-will to them. They have misbehaved
themselves, and it has simply become
necessary 10 make all example OF Ulicn
for the benefit of their SUCCESSORS.
But it is nothing new in the history
of Massachusetts for the Federal yoke
to gall the neck of her people. From
the time when Mr.. Madison, in his an
nual message to Congress, informed
that body of the refusal of the "Gov-
ernor of Massachusetts to furnish the
required detachments of militia toward
the defence of the maritime frontier
until the present day, the people of
that State have been quick to resent
Federal interference in their local af-
fairs, Notwithstanding their itching to
interfere with other people.
But, let the motive be what it may
the stand now taken by certain Rad
icals in Massachusetts must bear good
fruit in restoring the old lines of de-
marcation between the State and Fed
eral Governments. But who would
have thought that any good corld have