Morning journal and courier., 1883-02-21
Wednesday, Feb. 21, 1888.
GOVERNOR BUTLER's LATEST.

GOVERNOR BUTLER,S LATEST.
 Governor Butler of Massachusetts has figured in many queer scenes, and not the least notable of his performances was that of Monday, when he visited the State prison at Concord It will be remembered that he re- gently removed Warden Earle, after allowing the convicts to make such complaints against him as they saw fit, and appointed Roland G. Usher as warden. MT. Earle had 'lost the confidence" of the convicts, but it is ex- pected that Mir. Usher will win and keep the affection and esteem of the unfortunate gentlemen over whom he has been placed.
 The convicts were called together in the chapel of the prison and after prayer by the chaplain and the singing of the anthem ''Hallelujah, Praise the Lord'' the Governor rose to make 'ta few remarks" and was re- ceiyed just as he would have been if the assembly were Democratic mass meeting. For s'as he rose and came to the front he was greeted with round after round of pIaudits, and then with tumultuous shouts He res bonded first with bows and smiles" His remarks were very interesting, and were well calculated to make the prisoners feel better. In opening he said to them fsPris- oners, you are here because it has been as- certained, by the only means of ascertaining facts yet made known to the ingenuity of man, that you have broken the laws of the commonwealth, and for that offense, for those offenses, you are sentenced by the laws of the commonwealth to certain term of hard labor within these walls. That is the sentence that the law imposes upon you for your offenses; no other and no greater, unless you commit new offenses while here, and you have, therefore, your treatment in your own hands" He then assured them that the new warden was the right man in take great deal to convince him that Mr. Usher would do anything wrong. But to show that he was open to conviction he said: ''I have given him direction to allow you freely to write to me your complaints, be- cause I hold that it was no part of your sen tence that you should be confined to hard labor and not have the privilege of peti tioning to the supreme executive authority when you think you are wronged. You need have no doubt on the subject, and none of you need write across the sealed part of the envelope my name to prevent the letters be- ing opened"
 Having made the convicts feel as good as he could the Governor saw fit to intimate to them that they were not exactly privileged beings. He did this as follows: .'Now want to disabuse your mind of one thing. do not want you to understand it to be fact, so far. as I am concerned, that I re- moved the late warden on account of any thing that he did to you, because always hear both sides, and when the letters were written to me took care not to hear your side until got ready to hear h1s; but, be- fore got ready to hear him, he did those things in disobedience to orders of mine that caused me to remove him from office without knowing what your charges against him were" This was received with what is called 'faint applause"
 The Governor resumed his seat amid t'en- thusiastic applause" The 'texercisss' closed with a benediction. The prisoners were then marched back to their cells in a satisfied state of mind, judging from outward appear ances. The whole show was great success, and though nobody knows yet just why Warden Earle was removed the convicts are pleased.