New-York tribune., 1878-11-13


yersation. General Butler ascribes his de-
feat in Massachusetts to shameful " bull
doing" of workmen, and goried in the large
vote which he got. Among the more notice
able parts of his talk Is his denial that THE
TRIBUNE has the originals OF the cipher DIS
patches and his prediction that The TRIBUNE
would not print that statement or his.
THE CONVERSATION IN FULL.
Reporter-Were you disappointed, General, in the
results Of the Massachusetts, election
General Butler-I was not disappointed in one
view of the word disappointment. l supposed that
should be elected. In that l was mistaken, but
not disappointed. I should have been elected if it
had not been for the most outrageous and persistent
buudozing of the laboriDg men of Massachusetts,
bv their employers which changed thousands of
votes In one case q man had factory with very
considerable number of voters employed in it. He
took them down three at time in his own private
carriage. He voted the three, and then went back
for three more and voted them. and so on until he
had gone through with his men, In other cases, when
men asked leave OF their employers 10 go
and vote they were told they could CO. but they
need not come back any more If they did-that they
did not want their services any more In another
case in my own city, where a man found one OF his
workmen on the street, he literally took him
by the shoulder aud marched him up to
the polls, and made him vote the Republican
tieket-althoueh he was known to be exactly the
other way and had SO declared bimself-amld cries
of "sbamei shame! shamel don't vote against
yOur principles % from the people IN the wardroom
The Mississippi plan of bulldoZing is much
more honorable and far more brave. That
is done with shotgun. and two
men can play at that The Massachusetts, plan is
to work upon the abOring mans fears that his wife
IL haT1 WfnfnR
that is coming, which is simply knavisb,
eowardly and dishonorable; and yet 1t is
done by men who claim to be honorable men, openly
advocated in the newspapers and o circular was
prnted in this city which would have been dis
trihuted il had not found it out and exposed 1t
beforehand calling upon the employers to exercise
the "vast authority they had over their employs"
to make them vote against me.
Reporter-Do you think that was done at the in
stance of the Republican COmmitteef
General Butler-A Republican committee. There
we're various sorts. The chairman of the Republi-
san State COmmtte sent for leading manufac-
turers and had them at the Parker House at his
room. to advise with them for that purpose.
If he denies il, can prove it. hope shant hear
any more talk from the Republicans-in Congress
where am--about buldozing the negroes.
NO INTENTION OF RETIRING.
Reporter-You don't expect to retire from politics.
do you. Generals
General Butler-Retire with 10000 men at my
backi Pshaw!
Reporter-The reason ask is that have seen
statements Of that kind.
General Butler-Precisely. If you read the news
papers you have that with the many thousands
of other lies have got more votes against both
of the old party organizations, against the COM
bined capital of Massachusetts, aided by subscrip-
tons of money from New-YOrk, than any
other man was ever elected Governor by III
Massachusetts in a nOn-Presidental year. and
larger vote than any man ever had who was de-
feaed in any year, Presidential or rnon-Presldentai
RepOrter-Do you think there were many Demo-
Gratis who voted for Talbot
General Butler-About $1,000. All the Demo-
Gratis substantially who were bondhOlders and
bankers voted for Talbot, Of course with the excep
ton of some 5000 who voted for Abbott. l got
over 20 900 Democratic votes, Abbott got about
10000 and Talbot about 10000 and the rest OF
his majority was made up of the Prohibition vote
They voted about 10000 last year. They only
voted about 900 this year for their candidate.
Reporter-Do yon think the Greenback party as
party, will continue in politicsf
General Butler-With the exception of three
States. the Republican party is in the minority IN
every state in the Union.
RepOrter-How do you account Tor that changer
1t was not so In 1875.
General Butler--Tbe change is first due to
Hayes's Southern policy, which has leealized bull
doing negroes in the South and workingmen IN
the North, and to the fact that the Greenbackers
have cast almost seven times more votes than they
did for Peter Cooper And you ask me whether
PARTY which has increased 700 cent Is gong out
of politics. The question should be whether it is
not lust coming in. It was not factor in politics
in 1876. Now it holds the balance of power in all
but three Of the Northern States, as shown by the
last vote. The trouble s the Republican news
papers have not published the returns OF the Green
back vote They forget, when they tell us that the
Republican party had twenty odd thousand ma
jority in Pennsylvania, that there were over
10000 distinctive Greenback votes cast. Put
the Democratic vote on to the Greenback
ity OF about $4,000. Putthe Republican vote on to
the Greenback vote and il leaves the Democratic
party 900 minority in the state.
DOING BETTER THAN EXPECTED.
Reporter-Did the Greenback party do - well in
this election as you expectedI
General Butler-Mucb better.
RepOrter-After what they did in Maine it was
generally thought they would elect more Congress
men,
General Butier-They have elected Congressman
enough to hold the balance of power.
Reporter--Have not the Democrats majority
without themf
General Butler--No. sir The trouble is that Mr.
Kelly, for instance, is reckoned as Republican He
was nominated by the Greenbaok party and indorsed
BY the Republican party He Is Greepbacker, and
win prove very good candidate for Speaker. being
the Oldest member Of the House. Every man who
hss been Democrat or who has not been elected
against the votes Of both the old parties is reck-
ened into ana mr. thA other of thosa parfes nsfaaf