New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-09-19

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that he was, and of right ought to be, the
natural leader of the party; that no one so
we'll as he represented the party's principles
and tendencies, its purposes and methods ana
that it was sheer affectation on the part OF
Massachusetts, to pretend to be afraid OF him.
And the more he cavOrted about, and kept re-
spectacle Massachusetts, sitting up nights in
state of mind, the more these Democrats were
amused, and the more they insisted that 1t
was the inexorable logic of events. And 1t
,cas funny. We were amused at it ourselves.
| But there was never anything half so funny
In the performances of those days as the way
in which on Tuesday the small minority OF
Massachusetts, Democracy at Worcester, that
wanted to keep up an appearance OF respecti-
| bility lifted up its skirts with a little shrlll
shrek of horror and a small call for the
"Pofce " and " lit out toward Boston. But
| Ter had scared the Republicans several times; ;
had once or twice almost bullied and Dragged
himself into a nomination for Governors but
there is this to be said of them: they
didn't give up the fight and run away
their State Committee did not coDsti-
tute themselves a Committee on Credentials
with power to revise the proceedings OF
regular caucuses and pronounce judgment on
the orthodoxy OF regularly elected delegates
they stood squarely up to the issue, fought IL
out and fairly beat him. IL isn't strange
that, when a few months ago Mr.. Butler, de-
sparing after so many unsuccessful attempts OF
capturing the Republican nomination, turned
benignant eye toward the party that had
meantime been cOquetting with him,
the Republicans should have watched
the new wooing with interest, and been
greatly entertained with the tutter he made
i'm the Democratic family. 1t was not In hui
man nature that they should not enjoy 1t as
one of the ncatest revenges the whnliglg OF
Time ever brought in. They knew the Demo
cratic party to be disreputable old jade, ana
when they saw such an OstentatiOus closing
of doors and windows, and heard Judge ABB
bolt and General Whitney say, ." Oh, this VIII
"neyer do; after receiving attentions from
"Charles Francis Adams, we can never per-
emit the approaches of this bold, bad man."
they couldn't help being amused. And yet
they do not withhold their sympathy
from a few misguided men who have only
lately gone over to the Democracy. There,
for instance, is Mr.. Frank Bird, apparently a
sincere man, who lifted up his hands few
years ago and went out of the Republican
party on q dog-trot, crying " Unclean J"
"Unclean !" because the party tolerated But
Ter and his kind, and was corrupted by them.
Remembering how he and Sam Bowles and
VIM. S. Robinson and others were sitting up
nights, IN the Bay State House, few years
ago. devising measures TO defeat Buffers
nomination in Republican convention, 1t
seems sad to think of him fleeing away from
Butler and taking refuge in the Democracy,
only 90 find almost the first time he looks
over his shoulder after getting inside, that
Butler, more bloodthirsty aud dangerous than
ever. is close on his heels. Gloomy reflections
must have filled his mind Monday night,
as he sat in the Bay State House.
where he had twice aided in repulsing
Buffers attack and weighed the solemn
circumstance that on the morrow he must
either light out from this bad mans front
or be "scooped up by bis skirmishers. I'm
the van Of tho State Committee no Gilt out
next day toward Faneuil Hall, and melancholy
rs was the spectacle, il Is not for US to deny
that it contained features which might well
excite the mirth of the ungodly.
For Mr. Bird and the few who went over
to the Democrats TO escape Butler, and find
themselves not only still pursued but over
taken, there is felt a very general SYM
pathy. They made a mistake. They would
have been safer where they were. But for
the rest, for the respectable old Demo
Gratis who pretended to themselves and
the public that their party was honest,
because il had no opportunity to be other
wise. and who made a handle of Benz
Butler in their opposition to Republicanism,
charging that the party was inslncere, hyDO-
critical, corrupt and dishonest because he was
q member of il, and never taking into account
the fact that the party had attested its
worthiness by defeating him in his aspira-
tions-for these there is only the feeling that
tbey have richly deserved the discontinue
they have suffered. They reviled the Repub
lican party because Butler, whom it suited
them to call a representative Republican, was
opposed to Civil Service Reform, in favor of
Federal interference at the South, an infa-
ZIONIST and demagOgue. He has now left the
Republican party because it is trying TO reform
the Civil Service. has Withdrawn the troops from
the Southern States, is bringing about re-
sumption and hard money, and snubs dema-
gogues. Aud now what happens Demo
cratic State Convention in Massachusetts,
finds three-hfths of its regularly elected dele
gates m favor of his nomination for Gov
ernor, aud the State Committee have to assume
doubtful powers and break up the cOnven-
ton to defeat him. And the Republicans,
looking across the way, say: You've
" been abusing us for years because we kept
" such men az Butler in the party, although we
kept him down, and now just so soon as we
" get rid Of him you snap him up and run him
for Governor. What is Democracy anywayr
Next week tho respectable Rump meets in
BOSTON. We have no disposition TO increase