The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-04-11
BEN BUTLER.
His Views of the Situation.
The Bible and New England MethO-
disfs.


New York Herald teIegraphs that paper the
substance OF an interview with Ben Butler,
follows:
General B. f. Butler has been in this city
for the last two weeks, attending to business
in the local courts and before the depart
ments. For some time past there has been
rumor that he and Senator Blaine have
agreed to forgive and forget their old time
battles, political animosity and bitterness,
and the one in the senate and the other in
the house lead the radical republican revolt
against the policy of the administration in
regard to the southern states. A representa-
tive of the Herald called upon General
Butler last evening, when the Massachusetts,
statesman gave some of his ideas on the
political situation. In reply to the inquiry
what he thought of the policy of concilia
ton and pacifcation he said, with the most
transparent irony, IL am as happy as | can
be. We are all happy. The whole country
is happy. We have all been waiting long
time for the blessed consummation that has
come to us under this new political dispen-
sation-the political millennium. God
moves in a mysterious way his wonders to
perform. Ali our quarreling and
pickering, the strife between the sec
tions are at an end; in truth
the lion and the lamb are lying down to-
gether, and (glancing in what TO the Herald
representative seemed the direction of the
executive UldISlODl Tile llNtic Cnllu Is icdu-
ing them. All our political disputes, con-
tests and rivalries are over now and there
never was such a blessed condition of
affairs"
After a few minutes pause and some
vigorous puffs of lis after dinner cigar Gen.
eral Butler said: Would you like TO hear
from the Bible a definition of this Louisiana
commission business?' Laying down his
cigar the general took from a small bookcase
near his desk an edition of the Bible, and,
after fumbling over it for some time. read,
with an indescribably humorous facial ex-
preston, the following:
And unto the angel of the church of the
Laodiceans write; These things saith the
Amen, the faithful and true witness, the
beginning of the creation of God.
/ know thy works, that thou art neither
cold nor hot. / would thou vert cold or
hot So then because thou art lukewarm
and neither cold nor hot, | will spue thee
out of my mouth.
How l should like said he, "to preach a
sermon on that text as applied to the adj
ministration in Parson Newman's church."
He continued, "You read the resolutions of
the New England Methodist conference a
few days ago? Those ministers represent the
sentiments of the New England Methodists
Every one of them is a republican. The
old fashioned republicans of New England
believe in precisely that doctrine, no matter
what you newspapers may say"
At this point the Herald representative
made inquiry, General, shall we consider
all this as for the public?"
He replied, II do not care whether you
print ii or not. am not talking Treason,
and l do not intend to talk treason. The
Herald is welcome to make any use it pleases
of my ideas"
"What do you think Will be the end of
the policy of the administrations
etNall - caiA he call r,nlifiool hiofarx-
teaches one lesson, which is this-Compro-
misses have never won; on the contrary. they
have always failed and destroyed the men
who made them. Compromises ruined Clay
and Tyler. They have ruined parties
Will the present compromise he an excep
tion? That is the question. What.
is the situation? Mr.. Hayes is the
first president who has not brought in the
beginning of his administration house of
representatives with him. Grant did The
folly of the southern leaders gave Lincoln
majority in 1861, and so all the way back
without, believe, an exception. But the
next house is against the president"
How about the senate-what is the ma
jority there?" | asked.
Louisiana and South Carolina will in
short time make the division in parties there
so close that no. one can tell what will
happen. Sharon will be absent three fourths
of the time looking after his silver mines,
and while he, and others, possibly, are abb
sent what becomes of the administration,
unless We are to have. as We have now, the
lion and the lamb business?'
But" said !, show about organizing the
next house on the administration plan?'
General Butler laughed a long, loud,
hearty laugh.
Then you have little faith in the move
ment tn make General Garfield or some
OIL er administration leader speaker"
SAID Butler: We shall see. General
Garfield is worthy gentleman. He would
grace any position, and especially the speak
er's chair-that is, If he could be elected.
Being AZ Ohio man. do not know but that
he ought to he elected. They had such
'hell-tired' majority out there in the last
election that they ought TO get whatever
they want. / do not know but that il would
be gp)d idea to give every man of the ma
jority an Office"
Going hack To the Louisiana contest. Gen.
eral Butler said: president Hayes evident
ly does not know What manner If man Pack
ard is He had better send for him and zee
how he compares with Hampton. His letter