New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-07-31
1.-THE VILLAIN STILL PURSUED HER."

bad man in politics. The TRIBUNE does not
need to repeat what it has said so often ID
reprobation of his methods and his measures,
and i'm condemnation of his policy. 1t is saved
the trouble of denOuncing his principles by
their absence. Without being misled by what
are called his good points, we have never
failed to recognize the fact that he possesses
qualities of character in common with all
demagOgues which give him strong hold
upon the affections of his friends and
make him popular with a certain class
of working poiilcians and voters. There
is no doubt that he is very faithful
and devoted to those whom he calls his
friends, and that his friendship is Of the I'M
QUESTIONING and unyielding kind that is not
disturbed by considerations of public duty or
affected by questions OF casulstrY or conscien-
tious doubts When he says, This man s
"my friend,n he has covered the whole
ground OF his personal relation with HIM and
pledged him his personal service, and nothing
changes that relation except what is purely
personal to both. SO it is truly said of him
that he "slicks to his friends" and so the
strong personal following which he has always
had is accounted for. His devotion to his
ciprocal loyalty upon which he can
count on all ordinary occasions and
often IN extraordinary emergencies. To this
peculiar strength among his immediate
friends and those who may be called his per-
sonal adherents, may be added that which
comes from the impression which is made by
his energy and audacity, his brilliancy at
times, and the abundance and readiness of
his resources. These things go a great way,
not only with the masses, but with intelligent
and educated voters, who enjoy the variety
and zest which his singular performances give
to the dulness of ordinary politics. So Gene
raj Butler always has, and is always pretty
sure to have, his little party. 1t has been for
many years just large enough to keep the
good old Commonwealth of Massachusetts in
constant state of nervous trepidation, with
out being quite large enough to give him the
position of Governor, which seems to be the
goal OF his present ambition.
Readers of The TRIBUNE are familiar with
the history of the several raids which this
bold, bad man has made upon that prlm and
precise Commonwealth, and can easily recall
the shrill falsetto shrieks with which, as she
lifted up her petticOats and ran, she called the
startled worlds attention to the mortal peril
she was in from the villain who pursued her.
There has always been IA vague and shadOwy
suspicion in the public mind that Mas
sachusetts on the whole rather enjoyed
the sensation of being at once the OBJ
iect of villains pursuit and of the
public gaze and sympathy. Her politics
had always been so decorous and dull, and 1t
Ia,
break the monOtOny of them, that when she
first began to be aware that the sinister eye
of the bold, bad man was wlnking at her,
there was really a sensation OF pleasurable
novelty in the new experience, though she
saueaed with terror at the discovery. 1t was
painful, of course, to witness the peril she
was in, but the feeling was very much miti
gated by the amusement she afforded in her
frantic efforts to drive HIM of. OF course she
succeeded every time in doing it, and as often
~ she did, offered herself tor public admira-
ton as a paragon of virtue. while she counted
the votes and famed herself. We may
be wrong about it, but it has always seemed
TO us that ever since she had the first taste of
the excitement of being pursued by Butler and
of occupying public attention in tLat capacity,
she has had a kind of morbid desire for more
of that sort of thing. 1t has looked very
much as though Butler was kept on hand for
that purpose; to be talked about and Won
dered over and dreaded all through the year,
and finally fTted with just enough on the eve
of the State campaign to lure hun into an
other pursuit. And it isn't to be wondered at,
for really it must be very tiresome to go on
holding conventions aud elections year after
year without having any manifestation
of interest outside, and very little in the
State. General Butler has been a godsend
TO them in tbs regard in bringing them into
consequence and notOnety.
But we mas perhaps now be permitted to
say, Oh behalf OF a community that has seen