New-York tribune., 1876-10-09

| lust as a plea of guilty cuts off all argument
to a jury. A plea of equity" is tantamount
| to a verdict of "guilty." But it is for the
voters of the With Massachusetts District to
see that the verdict is properly recorded, ana
that special pleading, falsehOod, sophistry,
! bribery. and cbcanery are not successfully
employed to set it aside. We repeat that
| Gen. Butler opposed and yet victorious
will be infinitely less capable of harm
in the House and everywhere else than
| Gen. Butler unopposed. and so all the
| fuller of arrogance and audacity SO long as
n hundred Republicans in his district disavow
his nominations work against him, and refuse
to vote for him, his capture of the Republican
party will be incomplete and unsatisfactory to
himself But in this case the opposition will
be counted not by hundreds but by thousands.
Judge Hoar is at home, surrounded by his
| friends and neighbOrs, by those who for years
have been accustomed to coniide in his honesty
and ability. The constituency of the dis
trlct is not only highly intelligent one,
but il contains an independent element, and
has been famous in bygone years for bold
and sometimes highly successful bolts. The
protestans against Gen. Buffers nomination
will give good report Of themselves; but 1t
must be remembered that they are entitled to
| the sympathy and assistance of all, in Massa-
chusetts or out of it, who consider Gen. But
Ter TO be n national trouble and misfortune, to
be abated if possible by the united cxertions
of the party. To-day, candidate OF a KepuD-
lican convention, he is not Republican, ana
does not pxpiend TO be one. Indeed lie Is SO
far from acknowledging any party tcalty
that he even threatens to defeat the Republicans
in the State election if his little game III the
With District is ntcrfered with. The whole
Republican party of Massachusetts, then Is at
his mcrcy-is itP He is to make its Governors
and its Lieutenant Governors, its Senators and
Rcprcscntatiyes. Indeed, h appears to be
hardly so modest as that even; for standing
up as beautifully bold as ever, in Lancaster,
Mass. on Friday evening last he did not con-
tent hims If with threatening disappointment
and defeat 10 nine-tcnths OF the RcpuD-
licans of Massachusetts, but subjected that
party in its national entirety to his pecu-
liar dissection He sneered at its Presl-
Dental candidate, declaring that he
would be poweress as "a wooden stick, with
- out "A party to back him in the Senate and
&" House Of Representatives," 1t was easy for
the General to drift from persons to platforms.
"anything.n He denied that there was any
more virtue in the Republican than in the
Democratic platform. He avowcd his cOntin-
ucd hostility to the resumption of specie pay
ments OF civil service reform he could say
no more than that it was well enough IN It's
" way." He said no more in fact of the Re
publican party. 1t was "well enough III It's
..way." 1t was useful, he doubtless thought,
if he di not say 80, when nomination VAS
wanted But this is not the end OF the Gen
erals political ethics. 4 complying party Is
"wcIl enough" party which he cannot use
as a servant is all that is despicablc and
dcmoraliznc.
The Republicans of Massachusetts have now
nm opportunity OF doing the party rs party
an excellent piece Of service. We will not say
that the Republicans Gf the With District
have no right to compel their brethren IN
other States 20 carry the heavy burden OF Gen.
Intlet's IOmnption We do say, however,
that a big bolt in the With District would he
of incs;imablc service everywhere. Rcpub-
licans generally outside of his district do not
want Gen. Butler in Congress. Few icpub-
leans upnhurncrd by views of party fidelity
want him, even in his district. IL fol-
lows that the friends of Hayes and
Wheeler by whatever name they may
call themselves, are directly Interested III
defeating him. In Massachusetts,, sure as Its
electoral vote is for Gov. Hayes. the party
can afford To treat itself to the luxury of doing
It's best to chcckmatc one of its own cand-
dates. We fancy that it will not he deferred
from this purpose by any considerations OF
propricty or any fear of being denounced Tor
mcldliEg with local affairs. The voters of the
With District elect its Representative; but
.hc whole State must bear the odium if Gen.
butler il sent back to Washington. He will
be, by parliamentary courtesy, " the gentle
man from Mussachusctts.' Let Massachu
sctts then do her best to keep him mt home.
not indeed by insOlcnt dictat!on, not by med
dlcSOmc management, but by fair AID square
persuasion. Gen. Butler himscf has done Il
great deal 10y his peculiarly nOmadic career to
break down the barriers of district boundaries.
He has been ike the Tartar tribes, who remain
in Il pasture only so long as there is grass left
to eat there. We do not see that man who
moves into district merely that he may he
elected its Representative is entitled to any
special neighborly love and affection. Nor Is
it often that the voters of a district have an
opportunity of doing the whole country such
large piece of service. The mischief which a
thoroughly INSCRIPTIONS member of Congress
may accomplish may be done, and often is
done, to the entire republic. This iustiiies the
interest felt by honest citizens everywhere in
Cen Buffers defeat. His election would be
national catastrophe. Naturally tho nation
is interested in his defeat.
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