The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-08-22
A TALK WITH SENATOR BUTLER
The Late FEyht IN Congress and the Pres
ent Situation

EDGEFIELD, August 6.-According to
instructions have interviewed Senator Nj.
q. Butler, and have succeeded in obtaining
his views on some of the more important
subjects now before the country. l called
on him at his residence, and after the usual
exchange of courtesics stated the purport
of my visit, and with little preliminary
skirmishing, the interview proceeded as fol-
lows :
"Aftcr the smoke Of battle has cleared
away, what is your opinion of the result of
the political conflict at the extra session Of
Congress Z"
sit is about what | supposed it would be
when the controversy opened The Radi-
Gals sounded their gongs, raised great
hue and cry, and frightened the timid
throushou the country; but, as it pre-
gresscd, the Democrats gained on their
advcrsarics and ended in substantial vic.
tory. The Radicals have, for some years,
concealed their real principles under attacks
upon the South, and this great debate has
compelled them to throw off the mask and
show their disregard for tho Constitutional
limitations which attach to our Republic,
distinguishing it from any other that has
ever existed, and boldly avow their pu.po-
scs to make the Government what they
choose to Call a Strong government which
in reality means nothing less than Il consoli-
dated Empirc-buit upon the destruction
of the States. OF course the leaders deny
having any such purpose, but it is the incv-
liable logic Of their position. They can
not escape it, and the Democrats ought not
to allow them to escape it,"
"Do you think that that will be the
issue in the next Presidential campaign 2"
"Unquestionably it ought to be, for if
the Radical party succeed in establishing
the doctrines announced in debate, as the
settled policy Of the General Government,
an entire change of our system of govern
ment will follow. A constitutional govern
mcnt of limited powers, operating upon the
individual citizen through the States, cx-
ccpt as to those powers specifically granted
in the Constitution, or such as are necessary
to carry out specific grants, will be converted
into consolidated ccntralsm-if l may
use the term-responsible only to the lead
crs of the dominant faction, who wicld the
suprcmu pvwor -far- tho-aggr izoment of
their party and for the distribution of the
spoils of office and this change will follow
much more speedily than you suppose.
The exercise of national authority, in their
view, means the destruction Of State author
ity, except as far as the State governments
may be convenient instrumcntalitics for Gu
forcing the national will. The form OF
government is much more cffectually
changed by this means than by n dissolu-
ton of the Union, or separation Of the
States, for in the latter case Republican
institutions may be preserved, but in the
former they will be entirely and hopclcss!y
Destroyed
ado you think that MIR. Hayes sympa.
leaders, and is it your opinion that the rank
and file Of the Republican party CONCUR i'll
them 2"
81 will reverse tho order of your question
do not believe the rank and file Of the
Republican party in the North do concur
i'll such doctrines or princi Piles as general
thing The rank aud file. of the Rcpubli.
can party in the South have 70 opinin". 80
o""' """ -...iucntIy can scarcely
DC ..m responsible | believe that great
many of the more conservative Republicans
of the North arc really devoted to correct
principles of constitutional government, but
their leaders arc able, aggressive, and, in
many instances, unscrupuous men, who
love power for the sake Of power and the
cmolumcnts and importance that it gives
them, and not for the good that they may
do to their fellow man, and, under the cry
of party necessity and party supremacy,
many of these men will be borne along and
committed to a policy of government which
in their hearts they do not approve. The
battle. ground will be at the Nor.h, and
everything depends upon thu pluck am
energy of the Northern Democracy. If
they do not permit the Radicals to raise
false issues and irightcn the people by false
alarms, they can win. But they will have
to press home the real danger to liberty
with untirlnS pcrtinacity and tat. The
pendulum has been swung back in the
South as it was when MIR. Jefferson went
into power in 1901 and upon similar issues.
As to Mr.. Hayes, | have no doubt he is in
full accord and sympathy with the extreme
men Of his party on these questions. IT
YOU will read his veto messages to the late
appropriation bills Of Congress, you will
discover that he pushed the right of Fed
cral Interference with the affairs Of the
States further than any man has ever ven