Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-10-01
The pathological Butler.

We clip the following rare bit of face
tiae anent that rage of the hour, "Rare"
Ben. Butler, from the New York Times,
which in times past was wontto find the
"beast" q marvellous proper "bird:"
The proceedings at Worcester on Tues
day threw two Of our contemporaries
the Tribune and Her0ld-into an orni-
biological revery. Each introduces its
yesterdays leading article with figure
of speech in which Gen. Butler is COM
pared to one of the fowls of the air. The
Tribune constructs a labored smile
wherein the General figures as the thiev-
ing cuckoo. which steals the nest of the
harmless and tuneful lark to lay its eggs
in. The Herald, after summonlng up
and rejecting as in1practicable each of
fine i've varieties of birds that enliven
| the cricket grounds of Trinity College,
Dublin. finally chose the stormy petral
and drew q striking and more or less
noetical parallel between Gen. Butler
and that uncomfortable and ominous
bird. The Tribune garnished its troupe
with the usual Tribune blunder, max
ing the cuckoo hatch the eggs it has de-
posted in the lark's nest, which it does
not do, leaving that duty to the undis-
eliminating owner of the nest. Eschew-
ing hard facts and confirming itself to
the misty realms of fancy, the Herat4
escaped that danger. But why limit
this comparison to one poor bird? The
woods are full of them, and the General
is like unto most of them. Now he IS
the harsh and wrangling daw, and anon
the spoon-bill duck. He is obviously
the secretary bird, for he keeps one
His conduct on Tuesday proves that he
\ is the early bird, for he had the hall be-
fore daylight, and as he gobbled up two
thirds off convention that the Demo-
Gratis were to have all to themselves, he
appears to be the cormorant, which is
VIGOROUSLY voracious fowl. Likewise
he ia the harpy, which sometimes feeds
on the slotb, sluggish, inactive, and un.
ready, like q "stalwart" but sleepy
Democrat, snoozing away in the Bay
State House till 10 o'clock ia the morn
ing. Then, he is unquestionably of the
!; family of qu0llatoses or waders, for he
may be said, as it were, to have waded
into the Democratic party of Massachu
sets to certain extent. He is sea.
, eagle, too, which scruples not to filch
the toothsome fish from the industrious
and pains-taking hawk, thus avoiding
wet feet and the attendant cold in the
i, head. Who will dispute that he was
: the cock of-the-walk at Worcester p
But the subject grows and, presenting
these few suggestions to our neighbors
: we leave it.
If the scepter Of authority has de
: parted from the Republican politicians
it is because they welded it unjustly
and oppressively, and undertook to i'm
:, pose political vassalage on the enfran
9 chised freedmen, in order to keep til,
wages of corruption still longer within
their grasp. But they calculated with
= out their host. The American peopl'
could not be forever blinded by partyisn
or plundered with impunity. They hav'
, looked into the matter for themselves
= and sworn in their anger that tn,
!. wrongs under which they have suffere;
, shall be righted as speedily as possible
But while they were preparing for tn
!, great constitutional struggle in favor o
self government, a calamity has fallel
= upon the South which, in the provi
y dences of God, has exhibited to tn
!. world "a solid North" in far noble
T sense than that suggested by our Lake
= side contemporary. In this outpourin
of generosity the solid North has illus
trated a new evangel of peace on cart
:, and goodwill towards their fellow me-
infinitely more potent and harmonic
ing than could possibly spring from an,
selfish and sectional political compact
= N. O. City Item.