The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-04-24
Predicting War.

On the eve of his leaving congress, General Butler
has been interviewed" by a correspondent of the
New York Graphic and has given his views with
entire freedom and something of precision. AS he
closes his political career-temporarily, at least
he closes none of his truculency. His radicalism
is shorn of none of its proportions. He is partic-
ularly enamored of the provisions of the force bill
for the passage of which, in the house, he not un-
justly takes to himself a great deal OF credit. He
makes, however, this significant admission None
of those who claim to be the leaders or organs Of
the house are found voting Con the force bill) with
the Republican majority" He further says that
the bill was passed against the opinion Of the
Republican newspapers. These facts would cause
an ordinary man to stop, for a moment and
reflect, whether Che men of the greatest ability and
worth upon the floor of the house and the journals
of the largest influence and thoughtfulness might
not be right after all, and himself in the wrong
but General Butler does not allow himself to ex-
press such a query, even though he may, in his soul,
acknowledge its propriety. He goes straight on to
defend the bill, as the only guarantee against an
other civil war into which he thinks we are rapidly
drifting. He has the same terrible vision as that
which the straining eyes of the Kentucky editor
behold.
The General hopes, indeed, that he is needlessly
dldEmtu u W blH neIe Dtcu no uaTkeI Jay,
since he left Washington in 1860 to go home to Mass
achusetts and advise Governor Andrew to put the
militia of Massachusetts upon a war footing. He
saw the danger then from seeing the temper Of the
southern men-1nOt the southern statesmen. He
sees it now through the same medium. Then fol-
lows a dissertation, true enough, upon civil con-
vulsions. He says: q Domestic wars are never
planned. All history shows that nations drift into
them, against the better Judgment of the sober and
right-thinking men of both contending factions.
And it is only my trust in an overruling Providence,
in favor of the destiny of this country, that gives
me substantial hope now. And 1 yet hope, above
all things, that my forebodings are unfounded and
unsubstantial." The eminent piety Of the general
is so well known, that we should be terribly a.
Harmed, did not his confidence in Providence re-as-
sure that we may also hope. with him, that the des-
tiny of the country whatever that is, ia his voca-
bulary) may preserve US from the ills he fears.
1t does not seem once to occur to the general
that this very force bill, Of which he is so vehement
a champion, may in itself be made the pretext
of the val be apprehends. He is one of that class of
statesmen who would do everything to ~irritate, and
thea wonder that the irritation, himself provokes
causes inflammation. The general sees war ahead
in Arkansas, in Louisiana, in Mississippi and in
Washington itself, when the electoral votes come
to be counted. There is no need to combat the
generals gloomy prophecies. They may become
fact, or they may not. Certainly, they will not be
falsiied, through any efforts Of his. Notwithstand-
ing his disclaimer, he is doing what he can to make
them facts. 1t is not through prudent statesmau-
ship that we are called upon to fear q renewed con-
aict Of the north and south. The white-leaguers Of
the one section and the extremists Of the other may
precipitate it and we know of no one who, in such
a case, would have a greater measure Of RESPONSE
bility for its occurrence than this same demagogue,
who so sssiduoasly fans the fire of hate.
The general devotes the conclusion Of his CONVEX
satiOn with the correspondent to a defence of the
telegraph bill, to a wish that there may be an extra
session of congress, that the Democrats may commit
political suicide, and to vain regrets over the repeal
Of the moiety law. And with this last good word
for his friend Jayne, the Essex statesman closes bis
lips, having stated in a comparatively short inter
view, about as many anti-Republican ideas, as
would be possible 10 the time at his disposal. To-
day he retires from public life. Can the republic
survive?-Roehester Dem. and Chronicle.
DIR. Joseph PARKER (author Of (" Ecce Dens" y Ii Is
now announced is the author of " The Paraclete," a
theological work that has attracted much attention.
Eugene is said to be wasting away with con-
sumption. and her friends ere anxious that she
should travel. She is said to have aged very
much the last few months.