Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-06-18
hen. ButIer's Reply 90 the Grees-
back Labor Com snfttee.

the formal announcement Of his no,ninn-
ton by the Greenback Labor Conven-
tion. General Butler says:
LOWELL, Mass, June 18th. h.-Gentle-
men Of the Com niftee; | receive at your
hands the official announcement vi the
action taken by the convention at Indian.
apols with deep sensibility. In the or.
dmary course OF political events the
choice OF u convention Of representative
men from any considerable portion Of
my fellow w-citizens according to me this
highest honor that they can confer, would
call for grateful ucknow Judgment. even
though 1t might be but % selection to
represent the thought Of such conveD
lion upon questions which commonly
divide political parties. Views upon
such questions may have been inherited
or an outgr0wth OF measures merely oil
admnistra ion. The great questions
you represent are higher and grander
Than any mere political measure.
Nearly quarter OF century ago,
when the very existence Of
the republic aud the establish
ment Of democratic representative
government hung trembling upon the
issue OF the greatest civil war the world
has ever known, or may ever know, by
the wisdom born Of an imperious neces.
sity, financial system sprung from the
patriotic impulse to save the Nations
life and rescue the hope Of free instilu-
tions for all men from going down for
over IN darkness aud death. II was de-
yisci by the great aud good men Of that
day to whose care republican gov.
ernmeht, to be administered for
the psople aud by the people,
had been coniided. That system of ii.
nance saved the life Of nation, perish.
Ing without 1t, and broke the chains
which enslayed four millions Of men. 1t
gave TO this country. while war was ras
ing, prosperity, 1t had never known.
1t enabled the people to assess upon
themselves and pay taxes to an extent
before unknown in any country. IL made
it possible for the Government to repay
three fold all the loans it had received
iron creditors, or gave to him a security
more profitable and stable. than
had ever before been issued by
any power in the world and made the
financial system of our government at
once tho envy and admiration OF all
men. This was done by the legal teHder
currency. The very highest tribunal of
constitutional construction had decided
shirmaiively on the constitutionality and
stability OF its existence. The legal
tend having become the very founda.
ton OF the business Of the people, the
engine OF the prosperity of the nation,
it seems 10 me almost an act OF cruelty
to disturb financial question which has
been 80 set at rest.
But the resurrec tionists Of false ideas
of the dead past have dug up the re-
mains of contention from the peaceful
graves where they slept, and threaten
to revivify and agitate controversies
which will unsettle commercial values,
hinder and delay the business energies
of our people with, apparently, but the
single object to extend system
OF purely paper currency, issued
by corporations established by the
government, for private emolument
and gain to the corporators, which cur.
rency itself is to be valuable only be-
cause il is made redeemable in the very
greenback which this ghoul-like agita.
lion seeks TO repudiate, overthrow and
destroy. Such currency Andrew Jack
5Ouy WiJh tht pfcoCtcHCG Wis0OIt Vi
n statesman, by the iron hand of u sol
dier and sustained by the Democracy of
more than generation ago. had wholly
crushed out, and in the hope
of the wise and good, had buried
forever, as one of the grievous
errors of an administration which hal
insdiously crept into the Government,
Tor the aggrandizement of the few to the
destruction of the people. As Demo-
crat, ttaught in the Jackson school in
my early youth, with my Judgment ma
tured by many years converse in public
affairs, am constrained, were it the last
act OF my life, in view of this attempt to
undo what Jackson had 80 well done,
coming from whatever quarter 1t may, to
say to you, gentlemen, that there seems
wisdom, indeed necessity, for the
further continu tnce of your organ.
ization in this renewed exigency;
and thereto Q, upon this contestation
am with you. | thank you for your
suggestions that, in other matters to-
wards which your organization turns,
the interest ef labor, the preser-
vation of the lands of the
people for the benefit of the people,
the conlrol of the agencies created by
the government to be used for the good
Of the people. To regulate and control
system OF inter. State commerce which
shall control and cheaper the trans.
portatiou of persons, freight and
intelligence, and to protect all
in their just rights. and confine all to
their true duties, to the end that there
may be in this country equality of rights.
equality OF burdens, equality of privi-
leges and equality OF powers to all per-
sons under the law, has been the politi-
calsrule of my life, have the honor to
be, with personal esteem, very respect
fully, your friend and servant,
BENJAMIN +. BUTLER.
Judge Field Oh the Action OF the
California democratic Com
ventIOn.
WAsHINGToN, d. c., June 1.-THE
Post Tomorrow will print an interview
with Representative Money, Of Missis-
sippi. concerning the Presidential candi.
dacy OF j Jlstice Field, and the views of
the latter with regard to the recent
action of the California Democratic
State Convention at Stockton.
The most important parts of
the interview are as follows: Learning
that II. d. Money, who was one of Til
deu's most efficient managers i'll the
South i'll 1876, was very close
to Judge Field, Post reporter
called upon Mr.. Money for the pur.
pose of ascertaining what were Fields
views respecting the action OF the DEM
ocratic State Convention of California
and the editorial from the AHa Caiitor-
mia, recently telegiaphed East by the
Associated Press. Money said he had
Just returned from visit to Judge Field,
aud had discussed the 4 Ia editorial and
the action OF the California Convention.
That Judge Field had expressed himself
substantially to this effect: "rhere is a
radical element in California politics
that alarms conservative men in
that State, without regard to party or
gauization, a. dangerous to the rights of
property. | have never swerved from
my duty TO pander to that element,
which is, therefore, hostile to me.
Bat politicians have done
so, and thsis the secret of
the resolution which has been aimed ut
me. This element does not constitute n
majority of the Democratic party OF Cali
fornia, but is large enough to intimidate
its organization. This element resented
judicial decisions of mine, not one of
which would | retract to receive the
nomination, therefore, the action of the
California Convention is no surprise or
disappointment to me. Most assuredly
| have not denied any support
nr
and frank appeal TO public opin-
ion and, as you know, | said months
ago, that did not expect to receive
their support, aud it was so stated in
the public prints, | have not sought
the nomination, and if have allowed
my name to be used, it was in Difference
to the opinion of friends in different parts
of the country, who acted without refer