The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-09-22


him the bloody SHIRT His strong
point was his imprisoned denunci-
alton OF the oppression OF the negro
and the whi,e Republicans in the
South. Butler had made a thorough
and careful study Of the kukluN
trials. and he had 50 fairly mastered
the details Of this infamous bust
ness that ne could give chapter,
verse, date and intimate particulars
in thousands of cases. At a certain
point in his speech he said that he
would now show them the dress Of
one of the Georgia Kuklux, where
upon a figure, mute horrible, dress
ed in one OF the uniforms of the ku-
klux, which had been exhibited in
q trial in Georgia, stole upon the
platform from a side door, and
stood. masked and motionless, be-
fore the audience In deep and
/ thrilling tones General Butler then
expanded upon his theme. He de
scribed the Democratic leaders,
masked and disguised, riding
through lonely Southern roads and
calling the haplcSs negroes TO their
doors to be shot. He thrilled his
audience while he pictured the
blood-stained Kukiux manning.
whipping and numbering the unfor-
/ Itunate negroes. who were guilty of
Ino offcnse but that of voting q bal
/ lot which was not approved by the
Icruel tvrants who ruled the South
Then. rising higher in his elocution-
larry fight. he waved his kuklux su-
pcrnumerary to the rear, and told
how. when the fight was over. on q
certain battlefield. he went forth, (in
comparative safetyl 20 gaze upon
| the asheu faces of the dead colOrcd
soldiers as they lay prone upon the
ground. And how, lifting his tear
stained countenance to the hcayens.
lhe sworc. in the pale light of the af-
frighted moon, that he would avenge
those brave heroes, and would de
vote the remainder of his days to
giving them their rights as Amcri-
| can citizens. And General Butler
has been az it ever since.
This year General Butler is revis-
lifting Maine. He has left his Ku-
klux dummy behind him and the
battlefield scene. 20 use the Ian
Iguage of the theatrical polesSion, is
"cut out of his part Nevertheless,
| General Butler Is consistent. He Is
/ still devoted to the cause of the col
ored man. But he seeks the enfran-
chisement and safety of the South
Iern negro in an entirely new quar-
tier. He has gone into the Demo
icratic Party, and he has taken the
NEGRO with him. The Republican
Party" he SAYS, has proved it, ma
bi!ity to protect the negro. To be
/ lsurc. General Butler omits to say
Whom the negro must be protected
/ Iagajnst. But, as the Republicans
|are ccnsured for their inability to
protect him, it must be that it Is the
| Democrats from whom it must be
protected. But does General But
Ter. being thus convinced of the
| powcrlessncss of the Republican
Party to protect the negro, abandon
| the race to whose complete enamel
patton and enfranchisement he
dedicated his life on the moonlight
ed battlefield, rs aforesaid? ? Not
bit oft. General Butler informs
the people of Maine, this year, that
everybody knows that the Demo
cratic Party can protect the negro.
And he adds: Il think it viii be
disposed 10; if it gets into power
Again. it viii be noticed, General
Butler fails 20 say whom the negro
IS To bc protected against. But, as
he is TO be. OF ~can be, protected by
the Democratic Party, that humane
organization becomes from hence
forth the hope of Buffers soul
Gen. B. F. Butler has made a sol
cmn vow that he viii never. never
forsakc the cOlored man. Parties
may crumble in TO small pieces. and
political organizations 90 to everIast-
ing smash, but clasping the negro to
his manly breast, Butler VOWS that
he and the Democratic Party can
and viii protect him from the raw
ening Republicans who seek To de
prive him of life and liberty. But
Ter Is not particular as to the party
which he belongs to, even if he has
to DO it in the Democratic Party.
It is a gratifying thought TO us
that the Democratic Party will pro-
tect the colored man. General But
/ Ter saws that 1t can. and we must
assume that he thinks it viii ; other
wise. he would not Join that organI-
zatiou. after waiting fourteen years
for the Republican Party to do this
good work. 1t IS q pity that any
/ friend Of the colored man should be
compelled To 90 into the Democratic
Party to find safety for the ex-slaves.
/ 1t IS q greater pity that the colored
Imam should need protection from
Iany body. He needed protection
most. it Is certain. in 1872, and
about that time, when General
Butler was exhibiting his Kuklux
figure to the voters of Maine. He
needed protection then from the
gentlemen who were determined
/ that he should vote the Democratic
/ ticket. or none. He needs it now
/ If we may believe the Southern
newspapers. And he VIII find It in
the Democratic Party, if we may be-
/ lieve General Butler. The General
Is an old Democrat, although he
has changed his politics oitener than
any other living American; and he
ought TO known whether the Demo
cratic Party viii protect the negro.
lie ought To know whom the negro
Is to be protected against And we
hope to see the Democratic newspa-
pers that have lately shown so atiec-
tiouate an interest in Buffers latest
flop sternly demanded that the
negro must and shall be protected.
~. T. Time.
Terrible Explosion
SorrI A9lEoY. y. J.. Sept. s.