Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-16
BUTLER,s DOZEN CAMPAIGNS.
Effs Several Contests for Congressman
and Governor

| From the Newburyport MASS Herald.
Eleven times previous to this fall BENJAMIN
F. Butler, Of Lowell, Cor Gloucester, has come
before the people ofthis section for their favor
four times as candidate for governor. twice In
his party convention for governor and Eve
times as candidate for Congress. The first
time that Gen. Butler was brought particularly
to the notice of citizens in this part of the state
was in the autumn of1S59. He was that year
the candidate of the democratic party for gov
ernor, against N. p Banks, republican cand-
| dase, who, it will be remembered by many Of
| the Older re aders Of this article, was the whig
governor Of Massachusetts from 1874 to 1851.
| In this election Gen. Banks was elected. re-
ceiving, In round numbers, $1,000 votes tc
| 81, 600 for Butler and Ia, 600 for Briggs. The
| next year, 1860. Gen. Butler was also a
candidate of the ultra wing Of his party, the
breckenridge" or ':.Copperhead" democracy
Massachusetts did not take kindly to this doc
trine, and throughout the state he received only
about 5000 votes to 104 600 for John A. An
| drew. republican; 81, 600 for Erasmus D. Beach,
douglass" democrat, and % 900 for Amos A.
Lawrence, the Union or "Bell and Everett"
candidate. This ended Gen. Buffers guberna-
tOrial ambition for the time being, but In the
fall OF 1856, having gained a residence the pre-
vious spring In Gloucester, in this then the
hfth) Congressional district, he was nominated
by the republicans, and elected to Congress, his
opponent being the Hon. William d. Northend,
(demOcrat), of Salem. Again he was the can
didate of the republicans in 1868, and besides
the Hon. Otis P. Lord (democrat) he had as COM
petftor the Hon. Richard Il. Dana. jr., who ran
as an anti-Butler republican. Gen. Butler was
reelected, however In 1870 he was again the
republican candidate for Congress, and was
elected. In 1871 Gen. Butler attempted to Sc
cure the nomination for governor in the repub-
lican state convention, and after q hot
fight was defeated by 179 votes, William B. Wash
burn being his successful competitor. In 1878
he again attempted to get the nomination. but
In the convention 1t did not come to ballot as
he saw he was in minority by test vote. and
withdrew, pledging his support to the nominee
In speech. Governor Washburn was again
nominated that year. In 1872 General Butler
ran for the fifth time for Congress In this dis
trct, and was elected by an overwhelming ma
JOr1ty, receiving about Il, 500 to about II 800 for
Charles p. Thompson, majority of some 5000.
In 1874. he was the candidate for the fifth and
last time, and was defeated by Charles p. ThOmp-
son. receiving 7.747 to S,7l6 for Thompson. In
1876 General Butler, having returned home to
Lowell, again entered the lists as candidate for
Congress of the republican party. and
elected, receiving IL 100 votes to 1919 for John
X. TarbOX, (demOcrat) and 1855 for E. Rock
wood Hoar. (anti-Butler republican,. This ia
the seventh NOW eighth) district. Having
failed as demOcrot to be elected governor, and
as republican to get nominated, General But
Ter, in 1873, decided to run as an Independent or
back nomination. Next came the democratic
convention at Worcester, to which large num-
Der or Butler delegates had been elected.
The Butler men went to Worcester
on the afternoon of September II, and finding
that the old liners in control of the state COM
mittee were exceedingly hostile to their candi-
date they planned to steal a march. In the gray
dawn OF the following morning they arose early
and repaired to Mechanics Hail. This was
locked, but ladder was procured entrance eff
fected the delegates let in and the convention
organized, with Richard S. SpOfford, jr., as
president. Gen. Butler was then nominated.
The democrats put in nomination Judge Josiah
q. Abbott, the republicans Thomas Talbot and
the prohibtionists Rev. DR.. Miner. The result
of the election was that Talbot secured 1874, 725
votes. Butler 100, 435, Abbott TO- 1872. Miner 1.Sl3
and all others 81. leaving Gen. Butler just 25,
800 short of an election. In 1879 the General
made another attempt to secure the coveted
seat. He first got the nomination of the green
back-labor party; next, the nomination of the
Butler democrats" SO called. and lastly that Of
convention Of independent republicans"
The republicans nominated John ID. Long, the
''silver-tops" John Quincy Adams and the pro-
hibitionists Daniel c. Eddy. AS a result of this
election Gen. Butler lacked 1862 votes of an
election, receiving 109 149 to 1872. ISL for Long.
$50 for Adams, 1.645 for Eddy and 10S for all
others. er-s'It ~