The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-09-14
The Butler FiaSco.

| DulieA AL -haSsdCuuSettS aS pollGiCal cou
test. There were no political principles
at issue. 1t was q square fight between
villainy and decency, between corruption
and honesty. In such a case there can bt
neither difficulty nor harm in taking sides
The Republican party has principles
whether good OF bad is not for us to say,
that being q matter of opinion. But, as 6
matter of fact, the Republican organization
as run at Washington, has been an i'm menst
tunor Of corruption and disgrace. 1t has
been characterized by population, extrava
gance, monopclies, rings, bribery, waste
of public domain and public credit, open
dishonesty Of leading officials, and tyran.
nical disregard Of popular suffrage to sub.
serve party ends in Congress. So far as
all that is a scandal and wrong, it is not
politics, but belongs to the province Of
! morals. AS such we deal with it.
In its greed to retain q power which it
put to such lucrative uses, the central
government, has been exceedingly active
III welding every influence that could
control local political organizations. 1t
has its well drilled, regularly paid army
of office holders throughout the length and
breadth of the land, many of whom are OK
cellent men, but all Of whom are expected
to work AS unit in any political move.
Fhen ii has its strikers -like Butler-men
Of great talent, great nerve, unbounded
freedom from scruples. Men who stop at
nothing, are the men for the great Ring
which has seated itself in tho high places
at Washington and actually dares to call
itself government.
Withal, this SO called government is cum
ming We of tho South, have not had
much experience of that one of its charac
teristics. Brute force, the cleaning bayo-
net, have done the business for US. The
idle form of elections is kept up, it is true,
but counting the votes is unnecessary, as
United States Judge, under instructions
from Washington, appoints the officers,
and they are marched into Office, surround
ed by soldiers. The grand end is thus &C
complishsd, little rudely, it is true, but
without those perplexiug subterfuges that
have to be adopted in more Northern
States. Without any great ado the South
ern States are wheeled into phalanx, solid
supporters of the central government, that
is, the Ring.
But the Southern States are not enough
by great deal. A profound disgust Is
growing up so rapidly at the North and
West that it becomes important to save ey-
cry State that can be controlled. If striker
Butler could be foisted into power in Mas
sachusetts, the old Bay State would be az
efectualiy tanned as New Orleans was.
The old jay-kawker made the latter point
himself with great force in the recent can
Vass. He treated his hearers to dish after
dish of triumph over the manner in which
he had ruined the Queen City of the hated
South. He fairly gloated ever his achieve |
ments, and kindea up every fibre in the
heart of sectional prejudice with his pictures
OF malice gratifed. But unfortunately for
him and the other ring masters at Wash
lngton, the shrewd denizens of Massachu-
sets made the former point for themselves.
and completed the idea if Butler could |
tame New Orleans, couldn't he tame Mas
sachusetts tool
so Butler was licked, and like an old
prize tighter, as he is, he didn't wait to
20 KNOCKED down, but just lodged the
blow and sat down himself.
Here's where the cunning comes in.
The administration had done it's best to
make conquest Of Massachusetts and
BRING it under the banner of the Ring.
5utler-the artful dodger-lts firm ally, had
'een put forward, the whole army of office
'oioerS had been marched to the field, the
interest feelings of sectional hate had been
ppealed to, the Confederate war trum-
ret which had never failed before had been
ounded' but when all was found unavail-
ng, presto, the scene changes. Butler and 6
rant slip into the ranks of their own op.
onents, they give a big laugh, treat the :
hole thing as joke, and everything is
creme again. 1t won't do to make people 8
lad' you see, unless you have them BY the 7
lroat.
In the meantime all this begins TO look c
etter for tue South. Not only in Massa- C
lusetts' but elsewhere, North and West. a