The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1880-09-04
B. +. BUTLER.
THE GENERALS REASONS FOR SUP
PORTING W. S. HANCOCK.

n Faheuil Hall, Boston, was packed on last
Saturday night with an audience drawn
together by the announcement that General
B. F. Butler would make a speech in support
'-of the Democratic nominee for President.
There were many Republicans in the throng
anxious to hear what the General would say
upon such an occasion. Another peculiar
feature of the meeting was that it was pre-
sided over by Mr.. Albert Palmer, who has
been known in the past as a prominent Re
publican, and who has frequently presided
at similar Repcblicsn gatherings. General
Butler opened by saying:
All history teaches that long continuance
in power breeds corruption in the admins
tration of governmental affairs. That cor
ruption always seeks perpetuatiou and fears
change Of administration lest its wicked
ness may be detecdte, even if not pohished.
This, indeed, has become automatic, and has
SO Impressed itseltupon our people that a ira
dition, claimed TO be almost a law finds it.
selfin American politics-that no President
however wise, great or good, can be safely
trsuted with more than a second term to
Office.
When any one of my Republican friends
desires to put to me a political question
which he deems unanswerable he asks
"How can you act with the Democratic
party, which undertook to break up the
Union which you fought to sustain?" The
trouble with your question, Ihy friends, i;
that you have forgotten the history Of youl
country.
A portion Of the Democratic party under
took 10 secede from the Onion and thereby
broke up the Democratic party. Hthe Dem.
ocratic party had undertaken to break W
the Union the Union would surely have been
broken up. Does any sane man, not blinded
by partisan prejudice, doubt that without
the prompt, vigorous, loyal, courageous and
patriotic action Of the masses of the Demo,
cratic party it would have been possible fol
the Republican party TO have preserved the
Union7 If Dix, if Mcclellan, if Farragut
II Smith, If Thomas, if Grant, if Meade, i
Meagher, if Corcoran, il Burnside, if sheri-
dan, If Hancock, and a long roll of Other
heroic names which will come 10 every
mans thought that l might reeite, had 10
stood by the Union, drawn their swords and
marched 10 the rescue Of the Government
do you believe it would have been saved by
. the present stay-at-home Senators and Rep
resentatives Of Massachusetts, not one o
whom did 60 10 the war, even after Mas
sachusetts' Democrats showed them the way
remaining at home in safety, so that the
ranks, iindiminIshed by disease or the bul
let, are able TO fill all the prominent civi
offices both in the State and Federal Govern
ments, with not soldier, either Republican
or Democratic, among them. But / nee,
not cite as examples of the fealty and devo
1on Of the Democracy Of the North to tn
fhg and Constitution these great and illust
rious names. Look at the rank and file G
our armies They were as largely recruite,
from the Democratic as from the Republican
party. For the correctness Of this assertion
let me speak Of my own knowledge.
marched TO the Cuff with New Eaglan
division, containing 6,00O men, and tLer
could not have been found 500 men in tha
division who had ever voted any other tha
the Democratic ticket. They came bac
voting for the Union for which they Ia
fought, and they have been voting in th
same direction since, aud will continue so
vote when they vote with the Democrac
for Hancock, by whose side they fought.
Go 10 your soldiers homes, where th
shattered and warworn veterans are collect
ed 10 the number ofsome six thousand, an
YOU will find their votes have Of lats bee
largely for the Democracy, where they hay
been permitted to vote by the laws Of III
State.
In saying this by no means detract !rol
the patriotism aud zeal Of the rank aud III
Of the Republican voters who stood shoul.
sr 10 shoulder with their Democratic brett