The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-10-03
Buffers Tricks.


Cincinnati Enquirer.
Speaking of Butler reminds me Of a
couple of incidents connected with the
General which came under my own obser-
walton. In 1867, during the investigations
of the Andrew johnson Impeachment
Committee, had occasion to visit Wash
ington, and while there met General Butler
During our talk we drifted back TO the |
war, his experience at New Orleans, and /
finally, to the Fort Fisher affair. NJ the !
mention Of the latter matter, he got up
and took from desk or safe two autograph
letters written him by General Grant The
first Mas written previous to the movement
against Fort Fisher, and was orders for it,
written with that careful detail which only
a great soldier like General Grant could
write. The second letter was written after
his return, and was as laudatory as it conld
be, and closed with the statement that
compliment to him (Butler) for that SOL
dierly manner in which he had executed
the orders given in the first letter, be had
that day assigned an additional corps to the
Army of the James.
General, let me publish those letters,
won you ?" I said.
"No, SIR" was his answer "for the
reason that in 1868 Grant will be the nomi-
nee of one or the other of the political
parties of the country, and will be elected
and I want to keep powder boat under
him." and he did for the country knows
how the rumor went abroad after Grants
election that Butler was writing book,
and how it never appeared, though the
General almost depopulated the Lowell
District by appointing its Republican ci,i.
zens to Federal offices in the Southern
States.
In the fall of 1869, I went to Washing
ton in reportorial capacity, and was a
once Kindly taken care of by General But
Ter, who was fountain of news, for he
8 always knew all that was going on. On
$ morning l met him at the Ebbitt House
e when he asked me if I would see thu
2 President that morning. l replied that
would, whereupon he drew from his poke
n a two-column circular, which he said h
IS wished would hand to General Grant an
: hear what he said about it. AS wake
5 along l inspected the docum ent, and foun,
l. that it contained in one column what puI
} ported to be speech delivered at Cumbel
1t land, Maryland, in 1862, and in the othe
a charge to the grand jury directing tha
K body to find true bills against .Unionist t
{. Both had been delivered by the Judge wh
II few days before had been nominated b
y. President Grant for the Judgeship of tt
District which included Maryland Whe
had finished my interview (which too
place in the Cabinet room) l rose as if
leave, and taking the circular from N
pocket handed it to the President, askir
is him if he had seen it?
tn "No," said he, 81 am astonished at i
rs, contents. Where did you get it?"
ITS "From General Butler" I replied
IN, When I went out met General Butl
b. at the Treasury, and he at once asked VIII
". Grant had said. 1 informed him, when !
ng said, with one of his peculiar smiles:
is gave copy of that to Mr.. Fish, ye
ge terday, and he promised to give it to Il
nd President at once and l knew then
lis didn't intend to keep his promise. Ho
ng ever, will take dinner with them IL
lis evening, and will have the thing fixed
ers or know the reason why"
ut "Why are you so interested in this
We pointment?" | asked.
lite "In 1864 was in command at Fortrt
M Monroe. | found there two suffers W
we we were doing business under the Board
it Survey, which had been held before t
Ter war. These men were paying trifi
ro' tax, and were making immense sums
IA money ont of the soldiers. I ordered
ent new Board convened, and assessed the
gh 100000, which was paid over to the h
are pital fund, where it was much need
ass ass Las. year these fellows brought suit agai,
er- me in the United States Circuit Court
ro- Baltimore, and one night as ] was passi
'ed from here to my home, they had me tax
nh iid out of IL sleeping car to get service on
~ So you see it is matter of great con-
md quence TO me who is Judge over there"
'm- who do you want appointed ?"
ye- "My first choice is Judge Bond, my
the ,ox,o,, :, .h;, o. h,,. ~ l:
bnt l will object to any man who would hav
his verdict against me because ] happened
life be in the Union army, without regard
Dis the merits of the case"
The next day at noon message fir
NAL President Grant to the Senate announ,
to that the name of the Cumberland JUG
attic was Withdrawn and tina, OF Judge b
lsu- substituted. and he was confirmed
lsly when the case against General Butler
ugh called it was stricken from the docket u,
in his pleading his official position in
the army.