Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-09-16
L Returned Prodlgal.
New York Times.

%Eouth For nearly twenty years Butler
Shas been the pet aversion of the Demo
Gratis of the North. aud al object OF loa'h.
s4ing 10 the Democrats OF the South
There is 40 otfens We or ohsc ane epithet in
Il the English language that has not been
! launched, AZ one time or another, al the
head of this eminent soldier of fortune.
While be was in the military service,
Democratic newspapers lampooned him
without mercy, and Democratic Congress
men proposed resolutions of inquiry and
censure designed 10 make him infamous
and ridiculous According TO these au-
thorities he was thiet, a swasnbuCkier,
charlstan, 8 tyrant, beas., ana man
with neither principle nor decency. 1t
WAS Democratic member of Congress
from New York the late James Brooks
who denounced him on the floor of the
| House as "a bold robber," and who WAS
| waited upon, subsequently, by one of Gen.
Buffers aides with what wss construed
by that gentleman to be challenge to
mortal combat. 1t was a Democratic
member from New York S. s. Cox--who
was extinguished by Buffers contemptI-
Gus "Shoo fly, don't bother me-" which
gave the unhappy carpet-bsgger from
Ohio notorietY which he would willing.
4 ly give much to tOrego And ii is this
. man, the beast" the spoons" the "Old
3 Cockeye," so long the detestation and the
dersion of the Democratic party, who is
now welcomed with effusion TO the bosom
+ of the organization which has lavished on
him the viiest abuse ever bestowed on any
public man.
Without the least appearance OF real
izing sense OF the humor Of the situation,
Democratic newspapers plentifully
sprinkle their pages with compliments
for Buffers formal declaration of his adj
hesion to the cause OF "the superb sol.
der" forgetting that these same pages
bore, only few days since, no reference
to his name that was not coupled with
some Injurious appella.ion. What has
wrought this sudden changer Why is
the man who hung Numtord, stole spoons
in Louisiana, and was denounced as the
bottled up hero of Dutch Gap, now
praised with SO much sentimental gush
Is the cause Of Hancock and the solid
south in such perilous straits that even
accession of the worst criminal of all
OF Lincoln's hirelings is sweet BOOM
Certainly, no man who has ever acted
with the Republican party, no man who
wore the uniform OF a Union soldier,
has been 30 persstently pursued with
Democratic obloquy and rdicule as b f.
Butler. Yet, reading the complacent
comments OF Democratic newspapers on
his latest prank, one would suppose that
his accession TO the party WAS an event
for party coDgratulation. Butler signal
ICES his return with speech which is
as funny and absurd as his latest
adventure The hero of Fort Fisher and
New Orleans has said that he has been
often accused OF being a knave, but never
Of being a fool. AS he is not simpleton,
we can well imagine that he must have
laughed to himself when he composed
the speech in which he publicly an
nounced his return TO The Democratic
party. If he has any sense of humor in
his composition, he must grin with de-
light when he reads the friendly notices
which he receives from the newspapers in
whose columns the English language was
lately exhausted to do justice TO his
vices and his crimes. Butler knows his
present associates. He was Democrat
Of many years standing when he left
that party and took a commission in the
volunteer service. He knows their
stomach for tough storias; and when he
says that he marched TO the Gulf with
division OF 5000 New England men, not
500 of whom ever voted the Democratic
ticket, he knows that this bold invention
will be swallowed eagerly by those to
whom ne pays this fssehood as his en-.
trance fee. The statement that Butler
ever marched anywhere, except in the
direction OF spoons, would have been re
celyed, few weeks since, with ineXtin
guishable laughter by Democrats. Now it
will be in order for these consistent pat
riots to make frequent illusions to Gen.
Buffers valuable and patriotic services
In the cause Of the Republic. His in
tegrity, military skill, honesty of put
pose, and superb bearing as a soldier
should be often referred to in terms of
psaise. He and Cox should take the
stump together; and if Butler could only
be sent into Louisiana to speak for Han-
cock, the Superb, the picturesqueness of
the situation would be complete.
1t is most likely that much of the viru.
lence OF the abuse which has been lavish
ed on Butter by the Democrats WAS due
to their detestation of deserter. While
he temporarily acted with the Republi.
cans his former associates were continu.
ally reminded that he knew all their
tricks and manners. Butler delighted 10
talk about the corruption of "the grand
old Democratic party" which he had
wiped Il ON his shoes when he eft IT,.
He betrayed the secrets of the prison.
house. And when he left the Republican
party and set up for himself, the Demo.
Gratis derlded him as man who had
failed IN both parties, and who expected
to organize q following of his own on the
basis OF the cohesive power of public
plumber, Destitute of principle they
knew him to be, and they laughed with |
real glee TO see him lay his hand upon