Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1878-09-12
GIFTED. BUr Nor GLORIOUS.

GIFTED. hut MOE GLORIOUS.
Gen. Benjamin +. Butler Of Massa-
cAusstts Is the most striking example
which this country has ever produced Of
that species Of politician which the in
~stitutions Of this Republic are 80 emf
nsntly calculated to bring forth. He is
gifted with that peculiar faculty Of per-
ceiving as by instinct the drift Of popu-
lar feeling. which. il not quite so enno-
bling. Is at least As profitable. As the
gsnins which enables . statesman to
guide the sentiment Of the masses.
When once he has graspsd the situation.
he is master Of all the tricks and devices
which are requisite to enable him to
take adv antags Of his knowledge. and
ride into power upon the crest Of the
popular wave. He has been identified
with every party which has been pre-
dominant in the United States since he
became old enough to make . stump
speech or handle q ward meeting. Be-
fore the war he was a Democrat. but he
was quick to see the coming tide OF po-
litical revolution. and to seize II at the
flood. For nearly twenty years now he
has fattsnsd on the spoils OF the Re
publican camp. and to-day he deserts
his old ally because he sees an opportu-
nifty to make a greater stake BY identity
ing himself with the absurd srsenbaek
movement which is making such rapid
strides in the East.
We say absurd gresnback move
msnt." because 1t is absurd. As every
thinker with . clear head knows. and nc
man better than Ben. Butler. But it
would be folly in US to seek TO under
estimate the strength Of the agitation OF
which this politician Of Massachusetts,
is so quick to take advantage. 1t is an
fAhLoAltal HOpAAdl AuONtAlthts ~ HOHaAaA
that IL has beaten a Republican candi-
date for Congress IN Maine. the chosen
citadel Of Rspublicanism. The elements
Of its popularity are found in the fact
that it promises. in a season Of unusually
hard times, an unusual supply Of ready
money. IL promises to the working
man n season Of apparent prosperity
such as we enjoyed Just after the war.
II holds up to his gaze . period Of do
licious intoIication, and he refuses TO
look ahead and realize the headache
which must inevitably follow the rsae-
ton when the imitation has reached its
climax and the collapse comes. We are
suffering from lust such a headache
now. but instead Of waitin. for IL TO
pass away naturally. the g~resnbackers
offer us III. tempting cocktail which was
the original aus Of our tranbls, and
invite US to plunge anew into the atful
pleasures OF a long spree.
That General Butler il willing To take
advantage OF a moyemen, such AZ this
10 further his political purposes. shows
copclusiyely tina, he IA a politician with.
out that devotion TO pripciple which
mskss the profession Of poli,ic. honor.
able. He knows. no man better. tha,
thu pr,ssnt hard tim.s ar. dp. 10 ths
extraordinary imitation which N. p,mo.
cratic war rendered nse...ar, n saw.
An. m. NJ thu rs,;o, Thu, ;,a.,,o,
WA in affect. , hu,. d.b,. and =, ar.
now called unon % nav 4, aoco,aip, %
r,ou;.. II, 4, ,h,. .usun, ~ nav
xh,,h u.ls. nm, ,.,,on., h..a..,.
altar our national .pre,. General Bat.
lar. instsad Of standing ont honestly for
,,;r.;ni. 4. s.,,.,;,, thu masses In
Thai, o,..nbaek folly. and ad,is;n, than
an s., a,,,t .,.;, I'm, n,...n, hal.
-, -, g.,
-. >. 49,, :, =, ;,h-
.o,.,,., ~, ~, ~, in h. ~
~or.. and m. o,s.ph.c. hs,..v n, 4,
sv.r prsy.il. in this coun,r,-uh;cb
God forbid will eventually plunge us
into d,lirium tr.m.ns, .hat,erine n, as
nation and DESTROYING us forever A. nm
Influential, power among the peoples Of
the earth.
As a politician Butler is a man to be
wondered at, but he is too dangerous to
awaken admiration in . patriotic mind.
Hs ha. ..izsd upou this popular frenzy.