The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1878-09-19
Buffers Campaign,


The Republicans have long been anxious
to get rid of Ben Butler; and the Demo
Gratis didn't want him. When he joined
the Nationals Il contemporary exclaimed
"Thank God, Butler has lit at last But
that was before the Nationals had dis
played their strength at the polls. Since
then Buffers movement on the Guberna-
tQrial chair of Massachusetts, has assum-
ed formidable proportions, and seriously
alarmed the respectable citizens of that
State. When Butler nominated himself,
on the strength of petitions to which sig
natures had been appended by his agents,
there was but little apprehension felt
Then he was nominated by the Nation
ais. That was expected. But he did
not stop there. He went ahead, captur-
ing delegates to the Democratic and Re
publican conventions, until it began to
look as though nothing could prevent his
victorious march to the State House The
executive committe of the Massachusetts
Democratic State committee undertook
to head off Butler by voting "that under
the call for the State convention no per
son known to be Ill favor Of nominating
through the Democratic convention as a
candidate for governor or any other State
office a person who is not a recognized
member of the Democratic party should
he entitled to sit or vote in the Demo
cratic State convention"
Butler was not to be blutfed in that
way, and forwarded to Democrats In all
the towns where caucuses We're yet to he
held the following letter
Bo-io>, September l5 lS-s
80 caucus, no Legislature can bind 4 Succeed
ing one. They cannot delegate power they do
not hold Every caucus lS a power unto itself
the expression d the peoples VIII Hhc powers Of
the State. tltv and Town COMMITTEES arc Simply
ministerial extending only ID ttc calling fo order
Of new caucus. Power rises from III, people
and does not descend from committees or cpuycu
tons II delegates elected by Democratic
caucus. duly called they will ~ admitted ~ not
doubt it, viii see fhat Democrats NJ wen aS
''''' "
The daily press Of Boston, the Travel
ier excepted, without regard II politics,
opened fire On tie General He VA de
nounced by leading Democrats in open
letters and interviews. The Hon Charles
Theodore Russell, through a POST inter-
viewer. gives the most convincing reasons
why the Democrats Of Massachusetts
could not dccenty have Butler for their
candidate He shows that III the matter
of State administration the Democrats
of Massachusetts have always advanced
economy, while Batter has never come to
their help, even when there was the
greatest extravaganza; that on the cur
rency question the Democracy Of Massa-
chusctts has been and is directly opposed
to Butler; that his nomination on his own
platform would be an utter abandonment
of the principles Of the party, ana On a
Democratic platform simply an absUr}ity.
On the reconstruction questions Butler
mas been the most active enemy 81 Dem
ocratic principles Finally, he says that,
if the Democratic party has no distinctive
issues, II has no reason tor existence.
On Tuesday last tile Democratic State
Convention was to meet at Worcester. 1t
became known that the executive com
mlttees vote was ~ he carried gut Try
recognizing all OF the contestlng dele-d-
tons and excluding the Butler delegates.
Inc Butler men determined upon ''"p
"e''"' "lllch was promptly carried OUT
ana at > d. H. tEeE were III possession OF
A'c'''''ll4cS il"II' where llle coa' tIilioh =
" oc licii' Hd'' eIccte'' 9 'iIdiIili'' ''' ''e-
e'"Ic" ''icII 'nlc"IIoll Oh 'e'II"''lld7 'iI''e
"h'II l'le '"ilN en''oll ""9 IuIIS "I-'li'|''|
speeches were mace. many y IIl'll >tiI
''o'e"'' ne''i'l every "el'7"'e "'''"liil7
lnat nc NouIu Sl"E IheFe uhliI loFeIoIl
thrown "'I. 'He shouted lil'tt ne WouLd
vote Tor Butter IN spite OF the dcNli on
any other man. these remarks were
loudly cheered- by eight o'clock the
regulars had an walked up to inc situa-
ton and threats OF police was heard. At
$50 a. m. the Mayor OF Worcester arrived
with 4 possee Of nifty officers and was I'M
Ylttd upon the platform. The Mayor.
after some talk SAID he was accompanied
oy the owner Of ne haII ana no one was
entitled ." be there until II o'clock the
hour for which 1t had been hired by the
state Democratic Committee Inc hall
had been entered during the night unlaw
fully and must be cleared, The Butler
men, however, intimated very strongly
that they had come 70 stay and would
not be eJected, and ne modified ms orders
SO as to allow those IN the hall to remain,
but no one else would be admitted.
by halt-past nine o'clock great crowd