The Portland daily press., 1878-08-10
The Doughty General in yBidde-
ford.
His Views Oh All Sorts of Topics
Expressed In Private and Ia Public.
special to the P,ess.1

ton accompanied the General, aud ex-Mayor
Buffum of Lynn was at the hotel to welcome
him.
Almost Immediately after the arrival of the
General E. 81. Cove entered and was most
warmly greeted. General Butler seated him
self on a camp chair, and the assembled Green
hackers surrounded him a.d waited for the
outflow of wisdom which they were expecting.
General Butler evidently enjoyed the situation.
He leaned back with an expression of content
ment on his face that was cheering to see, and
as he sat chewing his cigar he looked as near
handsome as he ever will look, although he GER
tainly did not look quite "lovely" as Mrs.
jerks would say. He commenced by referring
to the history of the greenback and to the
change that was made in it at the suggestion
of the bankers. He had nothing new to offer
on that head. E. II. Cove told that story very
much better at the Greeuback District Conven-
ton, while j. M. Todd had repeated it often
enough to have every citizen of Portland know
it by this time. He then slid off aud gave
short history of the political parties
of the past. There was no differ
ence he said, now between the Democratic and
Republican parties. They stand on the same
platform and he acted with neither He had
been Greenbacker ten years. The Wing and
Democratic parties stood together once on the
slavery question; both fell. The same thing
would be seen now. The old parties would break
up, at any rate the Republican party would.
"rhe head will 60" he said to the Democracy
We shall get the TAIL" Here he arose and fac
ing Mr.. Cove said, "YOu must carry the legisla-
ture and the state. and you must combine with
the Democrats. You m 1st bring the Demo-
Gratis 10; why not? The Republican party is in
the field against you; it has the administration
behind it. To be sure it is not much of an ad-
ministratiop, but such as it is, it is behind it,
They will make every possible combination
against you. Do the same with them. Make
all the possible combina tons you can to help
you carry the legislature. When in few
weeks from now will be RAINING for Governor
of Massachusetts, the Democratic leaders
would vote for Talbot if they dared, but they
don't dare to do it. 1 hope they will
be as frightened when it comes election time as
they are now. Yes sir, have told my friends
that am willing to do anything under heaven
to bring in set of Damocr attic Congressman
from Massachusetts. want an entire delega-
ton. My friends say, "But General, how is
this; isn't this strange course?" Not at all.
The Democratic delegation, six in all, would be
no more than six huckleberries in a pudding.
They wouldn't eaven the lot, but Republican
delegation would bs power, a strong party
would be be behind them, a public would be
behind them. The administration, such as it
il, would be behind them, and am resolved to i
bring in Democrats.
No 10,
dorse this, and Mr.. Qlimby, the chairman of
the Cumberland county Greenback committee,
came in and was introduced to the General,
whom he invited to visit Portland. The Gen
eral declined for the present, but would hold
the offer under consideration. SIN about two
weeks" he said, 1--WE have campaign of our
own to open. go by that passage in the Bible
neighbor or little BETTER must look after
my own interests. have let them go in the
the past, while have looked after the Interests
Of others 1 can't do that any more. L must
not come down here to help you weed ont your
vineyard while my own vineyard is running to
rnst" Mr.. Holden came in and invited the
General to speak at Sebago Lake, but he made
the same reply that he did to Mr. Qaimby,t that
while he could not at present, he would hold it
under consideration.
Mr.. Holden said that he had received from
the General some of bis speeches. "rhen said
General Butler "have your people read them.
Read my 1869 speech, 1 worked three months
on that, the hardest that ever worked in my
life looking up the authorities. Mr.. Quimby
said that the more he became acquainted with
Butler the better he liked him, and the General
modestly replied that is always the case, and
Ian proud OF It," Mr.; Buff9m here said
"The exriPresident.of the United States will
be a Democrat and Greenbacker. hope it
will be General Butler'' Boffum was seated
at the Generals side, when he made the
remark, and Butler taking his unlit cigar from
T. ,,y k1,,I A.
to the ex.Mayor, and resting his other hand on
his shoulder said Don't my friend don't
Gentleman must beg of you to stop, it is not
right, am too modest" Then rising he said,
'Gentlemen no great man Can be elected
President of the United States. Our Presidents
are made by chapter OF accidents. village
politician like Hayes may go in. The nearer
a man gets to that office the further off he is"
He then commenced with Polk, ard sketched
the connection of accidents that resulted in
the nomination of Polk, Pierce, Lin ,olp,
Grant, "and it was by accident that the pre-
sent small potatoes in the White House got
it" was his concluding remark
Referring to Kearney he said that to get at
his work, one must go outside of the papers.
They lied about him, for instance the Boston
Herald said that Kearnev had but thousand
to hear him recently. The Globe said he had
10000. but lied, "Here is the Doctor said
Butler, ''let him tell about that crowd DR..
Cilley said it was great gathering of working
men, who could stand water. sThat is about all
they get' said Butler, strokug his chin, and
added land they are my friends"
In the evening City Hall was filled with a
large but very prosey audience to hear Gen.
Butler speak upon the currency question.
There were probably about 200 Greenbackers in
the hall and the rest were men belonging to
the old parties who gathered to hear what the
hero of New Orleans had to say. The loudest
applause of the evening was when Butler
came upon the platform. While he spoke |
there was scarcely any signs of approval which |
is something unusual for meeting 10 which |
Butler is the chief speaker.
Gen. Butler was escorted to the hall by the |
Biddeford band. He was followed on the
stage by few friends of the new party. After
muse by the band Mr.. James A. Strout called
the meeting order and nominated e. H. Cove
as chairman. Mr.. Cove jumped to his feet at |
the announcement of his name and began a
dry, embarrassing speech the main cry of
which was the abuse of the poor by the rich.
At the close of his remarks he introduced |
Gen. Butler as the first citizen of the Common
wealth of Massachusetts,
Gen. Butler said that he had come to meet
the people face to face, not to make speech.
He spoke of the depression of the times and
said the question is, SIS there any remedy?"
We have country vast enough to support
hundred million of people and still with less
than half of that population there are many
starving. There are those who believe that we
can do nothing unless on hard money basis.
There are others coming up who see chance
for an improvement. At least we can be no
worse than now. was once a straight
Democrat but when the Democratic party
threatened the life of the country left. When
the war was over 1 stried to reap the result of
the war. But large class did not want to do
this for fear business would stop. The same
men said that mir. Hayes must be counted in
becsu business would stop if he were not.
Wall street made the Electoral Commisso on.
They meant to cheat some one and Tllden got
cheated ana he cheated US.
When on the first of November it was
thought that Hayes was not elected he made a
speech in which he said he didn't care any,
thing about himself but the poor black man of
the South. Then he made trade giving
away the black mems rights that he might be
counted in.
Tho e