River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-05-18
END OF COPY LAWS. |
BEN BUTLER.
How the Hero of New Orleans Talked
to a Virginian-The Effects of his
Historical Researches.

How the Hero of New Orleans Talked
to Virginian-The Effects of his
Historical Researches.
Indianapolis journal.
/ dropped in at Mr.. Thurlow Weeds
the other evening, and finally, in the
evolution of talk, Gen. Buffers name
came uppermost.
II remember very odd incident
that included him, said the old gentle
man. SIN the summer of 1861 | went
down to Fortress Monroe, where But
Ter was in command, and where, about
that time, he invented the celebrated
noun, 'contraband,' as applied to run
away slaves. He had just elaborated
and matured his plan for the capture
of Richmond by way of the James;
he showed me map of the interven-
ing counties, the roads, bridges, fords,
ETC., and it seemed to me most plausi-
BILE. As we were discussing the plan
in his Office one morning and he was
expressing his fear that he could not
get troops enough to accomplish it, a
citizen came in dressed in suit of
gray so common Whereabouts. He
marched up to the general and said:
you're General Butler, | suppose;
I'm Col. Pickett--Col. Abram Picket;
that's my house over on the shore yon
der. I've come here to complain that
your soldiers steal my property"
"They do?" said the general; that
can't be allowed. Tell me about it.
"Well, SIR said Pickett, my boys
have run away, and they're hiding
somewhat bout heah. Ny family is
one of the Oldest families of Virginny,
an its a shame, sir, to low my proper
ty to be enticed away FIN me by an
invading army"
81 don't see as can do anything for
you, colonel General Butler said;
your boys, as you call the men who
have worked for you for nothing, are
as free as you or / to go or stay. If
they are in camp it is probably because
they prefer our quarters or our treat
ment to yours
GU can't do anything for me?' the
Virginian broke out. DO | understand
you to say that there is no redress?
"You are to understand said the
general that unless you can point out
to me some law or army regulation in
STRUGGLING me to restore to slavery per-
sons who have escaped from it, / can
not interfere to prevent your boys
from going where they please q
II was surprised to see Butler so
bland and quiet in demeanor and SO
gentle in tone.
'Its an outrage 7 exclaimed the
colonel "a bold outrage on the rights
of Virginia-on the property of one of
its first families 1t is nothing less
than robbery
'Did understand you,' asked the
general, to say that you were descend
ed from one of the first families of Vir-
ginia ?'--and his voice was SO unruffied,
and his manner so deprecatory, that /
thought for moment that he was
about to relent and hepl the man to get
his boys again.
"Yes!' exclaimed Picket, that's
what said-one of the very first fami-
lies, and to have my plantation plum
dered bya gang Of"
every WE'LL" said the general, look
ing up from the writing which he had
It sumed, and interrupting the insolent
visitor, "history tells us that the first
families of Virginia we're thieves and
prostitutes. Are you descended from
one branch or both?" The speakers
voice was still in the conversations,
tone, and his manner as mild as a sum-
mer day; and he asked the question
in the same matter-of-fact way that he
would have inquired of an orderly
how many rations he had provided for
an expedition.
"But Pickett was furious. He utter
cd great exclamation of rage, not
direct at anybody in particular, and
bolted from place that was desecreted
by FOREIGN hirelings."