Daily Kennebec journal., 1873-09-10
TRE BUTLER CAMPAIGN.

TIRE BUTLER CAMPAIGN
The Boston Journal of Monday speaks Of
the Butler campaign and probable result in
| an editorial as follows:
We are now able to foresee, with a reason.
able degree of certainty, the result Of the
Convention on Wednesday. Leaving to oul
readers the task of scrutinizing the returns
and analyzing the gains and losses, we NAV
affirm this with entire confidence, that out.
side of Boston, where in 1871 we had the ad.
vantage Of presenting as antagonist to Butler
candidate who had represented our citv in
Congress and in the Mayors chair; and out.
side OF two or three other large places, where
Buffers luck and aucacityfailed him two year
ago, he has not only made no gains over that
year, but has sustained large and positive
losses. There have been accidents and close
votes on one side and the other; the raids by
Democrats into the Republican caucuses have
been more frequent and more outrageous
than in 1871, although it may perhaps be true
that we have no single instance to record
worse than that Of Ward Six in that year. 1t
must also be said that while Gen. Buffers
forces have been much better drilled than
they were two years ago, and that his expen-
ditures have been much larger for lobbyists,
corruptionists and caucus-packers, and that
his speeches, though by no means so inter-
estiDg, has been pervaded by a cumulative e
spirit of falsehood and libel, commepeu-
rate, day by day, with his diminishing pros
pects-the opposition to him has been in some
respects working under more serious disad-
vantages than ever before. We mean by this
that some men who might have been expect
ed to stand by the integrity of the Republican
organization against the most dangerous dis
organizer who ever belonged to any party
hnV Nh fpr Hla~ 1n%
him 60 on disorganizng and disintegrating.
We observe that the Butler organ is trying to
sound the alarm in relation to certain protests
which have been made against the interfer-
ence of the office holders in this canvass. In
relation to this matter we have this to say
and it is no more than we have said before
that the only dangerous man in the party,
and the only dangerous man to Gen. Grants
Administration, is the man who now makes
the loudest professions of his leadership in
the party and of his influence at Washington.
Massachusetts, never gives me any anxiety,
said Mr.. Lincoln, time and again, to Massa.
chusetts men during the darkest periods Of
the war. He did not have to "hedge" o,
"dckee," shift his ground, to maintain
Republican ascendency here. Butler was ir
the field, and if he obtained no great victorie.
there, he was at least kept from doing mis-
| at home. 1t was only when recruiting fol
the New England Department that thing.
were at all embarrassed here; and only wher
| waiting for orders at Lowell that he had timt
to show his powers for fomenting dsconten
| by speech attacking Grant on the subject o
the exchange of prisoners. No, gentlemen
the only danger here to Grants Administra
ton and the party is from Buffers presumed
and assumed leadership. And the sooner ar
end to this is put, the better for all concern
ed.
But, leaving this ard coming back to our
immediate subject, let US say that it is obvi-
Gus that in spite of all drawbacks and disad-
vantages, the republican masses, which won
the victories of the party from 1860 onward
to 1872, are substantially unshaken and un-
touched by this Butler raid. The republicans
stand firmly against disorganizaton and main
tain their deeply-rooted aversion to all per-
sonal and selfish chieftainship. They do not
believe it is any part Of their duty, as party
men or patriots, to become stepping stones to
any bad mans Gubernatorial or Presidential
greeds. They spurn the idea that the Office
of Governor is to be sought, or held, solely
that Gen. Butler may organize from the
chambers of the Executive Department a raid
upon the White House ten times more extern
sive than that of which they now see the
working. Accordingly, with the exception
of the few large places where Buffers money
has enabled him to carry the caucusses by the
presence of men who never dreamed of cast.
ing republican ballot, he has sustained Sc
rious losses. Look at the counties, and at
tiers of towns, and the array is as firm as ev-
er. The boasts that "Lee and New Haven
would give him Berkshire have all been with
drawn; the losses are confined to a few small
places; Norfolk and Plymouth and Barnstable
counties nave done better for Washburn than
was expected; Worcester county is as clean
as ever; here and there loss which is more
than made up elsewhere. In fact, the major
ity against Butler in 1871, nearly POO strong,
is mistaken and will remain so. 1t is only a
question of accumulation. The raiders are
broken and are saving themselves by flight.
GENER1I NEWC