St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-08-19
BUTLER'S BULL.
accommodating the Old
Parties and Calling on
a Third One.
He Defends His LabOrs at the
Democratic National Con-
ventiOn.
And Explains Why the Republic
can Party Can No Longer
Be Trusted.
A Winding Up Appeal to Greenbackers and
tiMonopolists to Unite on
Butler.

LOWELL, Mass, Aug. 18. Gen. Butler
has concluded not to delay any longer for
Gov. Clevelaud's letter, and has accordingly
given to the press tonight his letter or ad-
dress accepting the nomination of the
Labor and Greenback conventions. 1t is a
very lengthy document and openly treating
of what he did as a delegate to the Demo-
cratic National convention. Referring to
his proposed platform at that convention he
says:
/ had intended if these great principles of
government, by the people and for the people
only, had been cordially received, and earn
estly and honestly adopted by that conven-
ton as the political chart of the Democratic
party, to have permitted my name to be pre-
sented to the convention for the sutfrages of
the people as Chief Executive to administer
and carry forward the necessary measures
in which case 1 should have been bound by
its action TO support both its platform and
nominee.
That should be placed in that high posi-
ton l knew was the will of the $50, 900
voters of that commonwealth, who has ex-
pressed their confidence by their votes so
unanimously that no man from that state
could have been a delegate to that conven-
was opposed either to the principles 1 rep
resented or to my personal candidature.
In thus doing the will of those who sent
me, | sought none of the honors of the con-
vention, and interfered with none Of its
proceedings, save to serve as member of
its committee on what should have been its
platform of principles, and not of eXpedients.
Owing to an accident without fault of any
one, | reached that committee only after it
had been some hours in session, and then
found by solemn vote twice over, that it was
equally divided upon the question whether
in raising moneys necessary for an honest
and economical carrying on of the govern
ment, the Democratic party would pledge
itself to tax the people in such manner only
as would best promote American enterprise
and American industry, and foster and
cherish American labor. This division
was shown by repeated votes of
eighteen states to eighteen states
in the choice as chairman, one who should
represent the affirmative or negative of that
vital proposition. The committee failing to
elect chairman, remained under its tempo
rary chairman during the remainder of its
deliberations with the understanding that
after tariff plank should be agreed upon,
either one or the other of the two candidates,
Messrs. Converse, of Ohio, or Morrison, Of
Illinois, should be elected permanent chair
man and present platform to the conven-
tion, the tariff plank of which should most
nearly accord with his views
TO find myself holding the controlling
vote in a committee on resolutions of a Dem
ocratic national convention was not a new
or untried position. | had held that posi-
ton twenty-four years before in the Charles
ton convention of 1860; and there l was
obliged by my convictions to differ from both
sides. then presented a second minority
report of one which was adopted by the con-
VentiOn.
He reviews the contest in the committee
ON the tariff plank and gives the substance
Of his minority report and says:
Through the courtesy of the chairman of
the committee, and by ypersonalintercession
/ obtained the boon of thirty minutes to pre-
sent and discuss a charter of the people s
rights at an hour crowding on midnight, but
before it could be printed and laid before the
convention, and with the refusal of the con-
veution to adjourn to the morning before a
vote was was taken upon them So eager
were the members to get at their work of
predestined nomination.
Ind Such convention has been called a delib-
erutiye body!
IL 10 LIuC Ill'tt IL SpCuI udNS upon lhc uull
rule, which required mans vote to be cast
against his conscience and judgment. in
spite of his protest by others, and days in
trying to settle the internal dissensions of
the machine politics of single state; but it
could give thirty minutes only to the discus
sion of principles for the government of the
nation. l therefore could substantially pre-
sent but one plank the most important of
all, the protection of the American laborer
and producer, without which, in my judg-
ment, there can be no prosperity to this
country.
And this was voted down In The conven
ton by a vote of 7t21S to 9115.
| felt II but right to warn the convention,
however unimportant such warning might
seem, of the course OF my duty If such a
vote was passed against the wordngmen and
women of the country, for whose welfare II
was well known had stood from my earliest
manhood. The notice was in this emphatic
language, 'If you refuse to stand by the
workingmen, God help YOU, l cannot.n In
this there was no mistake. Mr. Watterson,
of Kentucky, who followed me, took warn
ing saying the party would look to God for
help, but the scripture saith, ''the prayer OF
the wicked availeth not - 1t was due to
myself not to adopt the course which certain
pure-minded, and upright, and highly moral
politicians deem it proper to pursue, take
part in the proceedings of a convention tc
It's end, and then, without giving any notice
to anybody. and without protesting, refuse to
support its doings.
He then proceeds TO argue that as the Dem
ocrats have not been in power for twenty
years it requires very explicit pledges from
them, and as the Republicans have ruled fol-
selves untrustworty, He thus criticises that
party:
The necessity for money to carry on the
war drew all the bankers and capitalists into
the Republican party. The immense for
tunes, almost necessarily growing out of the
vast expenditures of the war, fell into the
hands Of men who attached themselves to
the party that fed them, as the iron is at
tracted by the magnet, and monopolized in
dustries and enterprises.
The necessity to bind together the eastern
aud western shores of the republic by meth
obs of quick transportation, giving reason
for immense subsidies, granted to make
three systems of railroads across the con-
tinent with all their branches aud feeders,
created wealth in corporations or individuals,
to degree before unheard of, in this or auy
other country, and brought all those interests
substantially into the Republican party. And
If any stayed in the Democratic party, they
were in confederation with the same Glass TO
so arrange politics thst whichever party
game in power, capital, in all its varied and
powerful forms, would De sure of control,
and the people be ground up as ''hetween
The upper and neither mill stone.n Thus II
viii be readily seen, and he who runs may
read, that the Republican party is the party
of monopoly, of corporate interests in every
form of industry, and every department OF