Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-09-05
BEAST BUTLER.

BEAST BUTLER.
It would seem that B. r. Butler is
about to secure the nomination for
Governor of Massachusetts over Wash
burn, his opponent. The contest has
been very animated one, but the
result has surprised but very few. As
Southerners, and having but little in
common with the people of Massa-
chrlsetts, we care very little whether
Washburn, or Butler, or his elder
brother himself, shall secure the nom
nation. Only, we are delighted 20
see the discord which the prospect of
his nomination is producing III the
brotherly camp of Republicanism and
the warmth with which some defend,
and others assail, the Beast. An in
stance of this is found in late issues OF
the New York Times and the Ere,aia9
Post, of the same city, both Republi-
car papers, and from this latter We
propose to quote to show the estimate
in which Butler is held by some of his
loving friends and allies. The New
York Times of Thursday feels moved
by the spirit to eulogze the Beast and
! the Erclting Post, of the next day,
thus announces its opinion of him and
his qualifications
Up to the year 1860 his life was
lawyer, in the defence of vagabonds.
thieves and murderers He was the
chosen counsellor and friend of all
disreputable and vile persons, who felt
that nowhere else could they find SC
able a Observation-Disclosures else one sc
ready to set at defiance all the decen-
cies of society and to defeat the law.
Here he won his reputation and his
fortune, and in such a school was his
mental and moral nature developed.
Somebody, doubtless, must defend the
wretches whose lives or liberties are
forfeit to the law, but the training is
not one which re suits in the creation
of the best type of man. A constant
practice of making the worse appear
the better reason is not conducive to
scrupulous morality in deed and word
i'll the practitioner. Familiarity with
vice and the uniform habit of defend
ing it against an outraged public are
not the best education for a civil ruler
who is to execute the laws and study
the interests of apeaceful and virtuous
people. The popular estimate of legal
gentlemen of this class is not an unjust
one, and though they may not always
be bad men, there is always we'll
founded indisposition to entrust them
with duties to the discharge of which
it is always felt that their training and
the side of life with which they have
been familiar must have almost COM
pletely incapaciated them.
That this Judgment is sound the
career of General Butler as a politician,
both before the war and since, gives
ample evidence. AS pro-slave1y
Democrat and as a Republican whose
political rule has been to serve the
party without regard to right, to put
himself forward as the most conspicu-
olls leader when measures were to be
carried in the face of public morality,
he has always shown that the man
whom bench and bar dreaded and des-
pissed as IA criminal lawyer was I'M
changed. Always audacious. except
when cunning better serves his pur-
pose, he seeks, from natural proclivity,
the criminal side of politics, and is the
more dangerous because his audacity is
always secondedby great ability. Over
bearing III temper, INSCRIPTIONS as to
means and measures, low in manners
and in his tone of thought, he is pre-
eminently fitted for leader in turbu-
lent times, when the worst elements of
human character come to the surface
and for precisely that reason he is I'M
fit to be entrusted with place and pow
er i'll time of peace, when other and
higher qualities are needed. His cleo
ton to the chief magistracy of Massa-
chusetts will be an evidence that her
people have parted with much of their
ancient virtue, and will be a national
insomuch as it will be de-
probation of that moral standard to
which, whether consciously or not, the
nation has been accustomed to look
the measure of New England charac-
ter.