The New York herald., 1879-09-06
MASSACHUSETTS,.
General Buffers Raid for the Governor
ship Of the Commonwealth.
Ills ARMY OF ADULLAMITEs.
The Difficulties and Motives OF
His Canvass Explained.

returned. tongh and ruddy from summer cruise
IN his yacht America along the coast OF Labrador,
never saw him looking in better condition for the
exertions and fatgues and delights of free fight.
He has taken the field openly again as q candidate
for Governor and yet, strange to say the Massachu
setts canvass lags. Not that one does not hear
political discussion on every side. but because it
lacks the lveliness Of fresh personalities which the
General refrains from injecting into it till after he
sscertains the republican candidate with whom he
must compete and the Republican State Convention
will not meet till the 10th.
THOROUGHLY ABUSED MAN.
There is no freshness at all to the personalities
which meanwhile are aimed at himself. Most of
them have been reiterated in so many forms SO
many years that the public is weary of their repei-
tion. Probably nothing that republican speakers
journals can about him individually will affect his
strength thousand votes. The people of Massachu-
sets understand his character already as fully
they ever will One hundred and ten thousand of
them voted for him last year with this full under
standing. and nothing has intervened since to vary
it, He is precisely the Same vigorous, ingenious
and ambitious nondescript in politics that he
in September 1873, and the only question Of the
at its present stage, as them is whether
the republicans can harmonize upon, . candidate
personally strong enough to beat him. They
ceeded in doing with great pains and agony last
year. Will they againP .,s
THE ISSUES OF THE CANVASS.
The position of their candidate will not be m en-
viable one for any man with questionable record.
Whomever they select he 10 bound to be merciessly
assailed the moment he is put in nomination and it
is only this certainty of the taking the form
of gadiatoria combat which gives special interest
beyond the boundaries of the State The legitimate
issues in it all local They relate only ques
80
management of tho States finances and railroad in
vestments. to the maintenance abolition of local
boards of civil officers. and to the regulation of the
sale and of Intoxicating liquors. it were con-
fined to them it would excite no more gen.
eral attention than the recent election in
Kentucky e1,y But. But IL is faculty, faculty, Of General
which he is party with the same kind Of personal
attraction which attaches to an international walk
ing. swimming or sparring match For evidence Of
November election OF 1874 On that day the republ
can party had been driven out of power in dozen
in the Forty third Congress had been almost pre-
cisely reversed for the Fortyfourth the House OF
IN Ns Sss had been
become the next democratic candidate for President
and yet the defeat Of General Butler in the Essex
Congressional district fairly divide public attention
all over the country with these astounding results
WHY THE GENERAL CAN'T KEEP STILL.
find persons who believe that the Generals pres
ent stiffness will be maintained throughout the
and that whatever aggressive work he has to
Ds y Ss su @
men of Irish birth descent in the large Cities
many Of whom have attached themselves to his for
tunes, he has few deputies above the grade Of eau
packers. Nine-tenths OF the talent Of the State
in speaking and writing was enlisted against him
immense political army abundantiy provided with
subalterns. but with very few competent superior
therefore devoIve I've upon himself. and % he viii not be-
able to refrain from exercising them personally this
year minutely as he did last. Necessity will
compel him. Doubtless he will not make SO many
stump speeches and will guard himself physically
with much more care. but as he leads an array
which depends tor its cohesion entirely upon his
own individuality he must make himself felt in
every detail or 1t will fall to pieces. There is
followers whose movements he must not personally
direct and whose money chest he must not person
ally fll 1t is entirely an army. of Adullamtes.
comprising "every one that Is in Distress every
that is in debt aud every that is discontinued"
its genersl-in-chief needs possess the wisdom
and the activity Of David to keep them In disci-
pline. They have no common principle save an in
definite desire for change OF rulers. and no COM
Tney are made up Of sna repubcsas n
the proportion Of about eight to three, and they
would vote. as . matter of course. with the demo-
cratic and republican parties respectively in all mat
ters with which General Butler IL not personally
concerned.
WAITING FOR ORDERS.
The requirements of strategy well as tactics also
will bring the General out His followers will need
his immediate direction not only as to how they
shall move. but at what objective points their
ments shall be aimed. II the republican candidate
is "stalwart' they must await orders before they
take up the defence OF the Presidents Southern
policy, and IT, on the contrary he is partisan OF
Mr.. Hayes they wall not know whether it is expedi-
ent to assa him for that until the General gives the
word In like manner. IL he is prohibitionist or
the contrary, it will remain for the General to say
whether and how far he shall be condemned for
either cause An amusing instance of this uncer-
tainty occurred few days before General Buffers
return from his August cruise. in the instance
of one Of his most trusty leutenants, Mr..
McDavit. This young gentleman, the Generals
very Cassie, being asked to take drink
at public bar, declined the ground that he must
first ascertain whether hts chief Intended to this
year for the support of the temperance men tho
LIQUOR sellers Justice to him. however. requires
me to add that upon repetition of the invitation,
in private room. the objection was not renewed.
The. Willingness to adopt almost any side OF any
is illustrated by this anecdote. visible IN 1878.
and viii be still more conspicuous in 1872 and, in
spite OF its manifest demagogism II bodies danger to
the republicans, to which the divisions OF opinion
in their own ranks descrvedy expose them.
THE CIVIL DAMAGES ACT.
No doubt the Generals ingenuity will adapt his
orders as nicely ~ possible to the requirements of
the occasion upon all these points they arise but
there is one which will tax it to the utmost. Sooner
or later both he aud the republican candidate must
take some definite position with regard to the
called "civl damages act which was passed by the
Legislature last April. and the disposition OF several
thousand votes depends on what these positions
shall be. This statute is very radical measure of
temperance legislation 1t gives right OF action to
everybody who shall be injured in person prop
erty, or means of support by any intoxicated
persoh VI Az consequence VI tAe lutOxlcatlOL.
against whosoever either sold or gave the
liquors that caused the drunkenness and against
the owners Of any real estate who knowingly
permitted the sale of such intoxicating liquors
thereon and II requires the ling, in records open
to the public OF the written Of every real
estate owner to the sale OF liquor upon his premises
before license can be granted to the tenant 1t is
doubly aggravatng TO the owners OF every build
ing In the State which Ii leased for hotel restau-
rant grocery. less than to the proprietors OF
dram shops. Tho certificate which they are required
to file mortihes them, and the liability TO which
they may be subjected by their tenants IL very
severe and indiscrminate Any candidate who
frankly supports 1t will forfeit strength in all the
cities; but the other hand IL he frankly expresses
disapprova OF IT, he will ALLEVIATE great part of the
prohibitionists both la city and In country.
WHY BUTLER SEEKS PLACE
sometimes hear the question asked, What fasci-
nation the place Of Governor OF Massac chusetts an
office OF little Importance In ordinary times pos
fur. l..... u..AI-