Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-08-21

by a majority of the Committee of the
Whole, when moved as AN amendment to
an appropriation bill. The same thing and
largely by the same votes was voted to be
in order with the addition of the clause in
creasiug the salaries of members of Con-
gress. Under these circumstances |
thought | ought to refuse To derive any
personal advantage from the retroactive
provision of the statute. There was 10
doubt of the entire legal and Constitutional
power OF Congress TO fix its own compen-
sation and to do it at any time, in the SEES
sion, when it should reach that subject in
the course of business. The confidence
placed in Congress by the Constitutions is
complete and absolute. But the present
was an exercise OF the power, SO gross, so
uncalled for, so extreme, as TO constitute
an abuse of the confidence.
Instantly on the passage OF the bill | de-
termined not to receive the money. 1t
was legally mine. 1t was placed by law to
my credit, there to remain until disposed
of it in some way. acted at once, within
ten minutes afler my return home, and not
then having reason to believe that n single
other Representative proposed to decline
this money.
Under these circumstances, 1t seemed
my right ami my duty 10 determine what
disposition should be made of this sum. |
thought that in justice 1t should be applied
10 the benefit of this district. The Nor-
cester Institute is a school for prepariH
youths by scientific training for the leading
industries of the district. Ii is free to all res
idents OF Worcester County, which iuclud-
ed the whole district but five towns. BY
requiring that so far a. this money goes. it
should be free to those towns also, the
money was applied as nearly a. | could
contrive il TO the benefit of this district. |
accordingly wrote a letter. dated March
sth, reaching home on the afternoon OF
that day, informing the trustees OF the in
stitute Of the determination had reached,
in which said that did not conceive my
self entitled to either credit or gratitude
from them or any body else. This i, the
transaction which General Butler thinks
resembles the purchase OF the potter's field
by the chief priests with Juda>'s thirty
pieces OF silver. Like another parsonage
much prosecuted by the clergy and the re-
lisious press, General Butler is notorious
" unfortunate in his allu>ion 10 Scripture.
! suppose General Butler to be Incapable
of either believing or understanding that
anybody can do anything in this world
merely because he thinks II is right and
without any selfish personal end. lie
charges me with desire to buy "glory,"
10 devote the money 10 "cleCtioneering ex-
pcnscS.' etc. How could gain or ever
expect to gain glory or credit by turning
over thI. sum 10 one place rather than an
other. or what elcCtluuecriHg end could Dec
attained by adding this small sum to the
fund of a school for mechanics. | cannot
comprehend. His afcctation OF belief
that nv determination where my back pas
rightly belonged in the least concerned him,
or afforded any warrant for the coarse
personalities Of his letter, will 20 more
impose upon the intelligence OF the people
Of Massachusetts than his prctence that
the case OF a Judge whose salary i, fixed
by the Legislature, not by himself. Ia take
effect from the beginning oil the current
quarter. or the case of the armorcrs who
were paid by act OF Congress sum, Illegal
ly deducted from their wages, resembles
his own.
General Buffers real grief arise, from
the opposition he j. cucpuntcring iH his
plan 10 get possession of the government
Of Massachusctt. by a fraud on the Re
publican voters. A few otiice-holdrrs OF
feeble virtue. whom he has succeeded ia
persuadng that they are in danger from
his revenge il they do not lend thcmsclvc,
IA his schemes, q lavish expenditure Of the
competent private fortune; these are
the instrumentalities by which he hopes 10
cheat the Republican voters Of MasSachu-
sets out OF the honest expression of their
will | think Governor ashburn an
honester, ADLER and filter man.
General Buffers rage al the plcss. the
clergy, and most OF the prominent men OF
his own party j. not strange. II is the
common outcry of great mAlefac;or, that
mankind are in league against them. Po-
htical newspapers do not often like 10
break down the reputation of men Of their
own party. II i, rare that the religious
press OF the country attacks honorable
public men. Il would be hard 10 name
another man besides General Butler So
generally condemned by the clergy. There
Is no other man whose life i one prolong-
ed quarrel with his associates IN public
station. ! commend 10 General Buffers
reflections, whether the fault IS not in him
rather than in them.
No. The reason that the press. both re-
ligious and political, especially that OF his
own party, the clergy, the leaders OF the
Republican party in other States. are
agreed in their opinion OF General iButler
is because that opinion is true. General
Grant ordered him TO Lowell because lie
was not fit TO De in the field. Governor
Andrew wrote Of him 10 our Senator's in
1861: Il am compelled To declare with
great reluctance and regret, the cause OF
proceeding under MajoT-General Butler
in this Commonwealth seems to have
been designed and adapted simply to al
ford means to persons of bad character 10
make money unscrupulouslv. and to en-
men whose unfitneSs had excluded
them from any appointment by me to the
1-plunf.ar 70 hon, .Hsh
appointment over Massachusetts troops
from other authority than that OF the ex-
ecutive of Mas achusetts. because Gov
ernor Andrew, serving the State with
singleness and devotion, deemed the eX-
posture needful to the public safety.
When General Butler proposed TO pay off
our national debt III irredeemable paper.
General Grant silenced him with the ring
ing sentence in his inaugural Let it be
understood that no repudiator of one
farthing of our public debt will be trusted
In public place" because he knew that he
was trying TO tempt this people to escape
from burden by mean and base act.
He has quarrelled with Grant and Wilson
and Colfax and Blaine and Andrew and
Sumner and the Washburns and Bingham
and Schenck and Dawes because he is
luarrelsome. They have been compelled.
zach III MS own WAY 10 Cndsllet anu pun
sh him because he deserved to be whip
ped.
General Butler has done. unless he has
egregiously imposed upon us, two things
we'll. He out-black- guarded New York !
mob in 1864. and with United States |
army at his back he kept down rebel city |
n 1862. Massachusetts is not likely soon |
o stand in need Of either of these pro-
'esses. But he never has accomplished !
anything else OF much importance when |
lis point could not be carried by sheer |
clustering. The history of all his other
.ttempts may be comprised in three words |
-swagger, quarrel, failure.
)ther men have aspired before now to the
flee Of Governor of Massachusetts, Ii |
l.