Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-11-14
Ibid BEN. BUTLER STEAL THEM
SPDONS?o

A chorus of voices from our Repub-
lican State exchanges inquire of Us
whether We believe BEN BUTLER
stole them spOOns%
We have no hesitation in expressing
the belief that the weight of evidence
supports the charge that BEN did stesl
the spoons. And the chief fact upon
which this opinion is based is that at the
time the spoons were alleged to have
been stolen, BEN had deserted the DEM
ocratic party, gone over to the Repub-
Leans and thus surrounded himself with
influences that give color to the charge.
This view is further supported by the
fact that as long as he remained in the
Republican party the Republicans Of
his own State refused to trust him with
the Governorship to which he repeated
" aspired. But when BEN had deserted
his old associations and had served q
sufficient period of probation ia the
Democratic party to restore his char
acter, the people of his State united in
awarding him the first office in their
gift, and that, too, in preference to the
Republican candidate whose party was
largely in the majority.
We feel under no obligations, there
fore, to apologize for BEN's connection
with "them spoons" AS long as Ben
has been true to his Democratic antece-
dents and maintained his Democratic
associations, there has not been breath
of suspicion against his public or private
character.
Neither are we under any obligations
to accept him as a representative Demo-
crat, inasmuch as he has been selected
Governor ola Republican State, where
the Republicans had the power to choose
one Of their own party if they so desired,
but preferred rather to have BEN, with
his unsavory reputation, running as
Democrat, than Republican in
good standing. Surely the Republican
majority in the great State of MaSsa-
chusetts must be in very bad odor.
Nevertheless, we predict that BEN
even bad Ben BUTLER-will prove one
of the most efficient Governors Massa.
chusetts ever had. He proposes to
run the Republican State of Massa-
chusetts on Democratic principles. That
was the promise upon which he secured
his remarkable personal victory. And,
by the way, the Republicans of this and
other States might learn something of
the lessons of the late elections-even
from BEN-ifthey will peruse the follow
ing remarks which he made upon the
reception of the news of his election:
General Butler said: Fellow citizens-To
quote few words from the Scriptures, the
stone that the builders rejected, the same
has become the head of the corner. (Great
laughter and applsuse.) With reyerent sub
mission bow in grateful thanks TO the
Almighty Father for His blessing in this
victory and triumph of the people of the
Common wealth of Massa .husettS. Gap
nlauseO ANY personsl feeling that may
have is wholly swallowed up in their victo-
nv, and any yindicstion which might have
sought have Of my friends and neighbors
in their action to-day at home. (Applause.)
And in this hour OF our triumph, of our
victory and our success, let US look for
moment at what il teaches US. Aodera-
ton first of all. Again, it teaches US that
the Commonwealth has given to Us sacred
trust TO guard for others, our successors aud
our poStsrity; and this success OF ours also
teaches the lesson that hereafter cslumuy
must never be n weapon Of political war
fare. Tremendous applause.) 1t also
teaches US that money, in however large
amounts, and however COrrE0tiy use l, can