The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-02
SARCASTIC mr.. JONES.

Z E
The New York Greenbacker,s Pangent Re
Spouse tc General Butler.
Letter in Boston Traveller.
Several Of yesterdays papers contain what
purports to be an interview with General Butler,
published in Monday Traveller
The errors, lack of correct reasoning, and I'M
seemly language contained in the article re-
ferred to compel me to think some enemy Of
General Butler must have prepared and sent it
over the wires for the express purpose Of injur-
ing his reputation for veracity, good sense, and
good inanners qualities the want of which /
never before saw evidence of or heard him
charged with lacking.
First-He is made to say, II boited the con-
vention because he was nominated This state
ment is not true, as all present are aware be-
sides, on the day following his nomination, May
30, the Associated Press dispatches of the 3lst
bear witness that / issued an appeal to the
Greenhaekers OF this State, urging them, for the
sake OF party, to wait patiently for General But
lers answer to the action of theconvention. add
ing that if lie accepted our nomination and In
dorstd our platform should give him my supi
port in the canvass and at the polls, and that i
regarded it the sacred duty Of all members OF
the party to do likewise
Second-He IS made to say our party has a
candidate who has already accepted the nominal
tion. Now, if that is che case, no announce
ment of the fact has ever yet been made public
or if it has, it has escaped my attention and that
Of Large majority of the Greenbaekers of the
country. It certainly cannot be found in the
letter he addressed to the committee appointed
to notify him of his nomination, and he is a
man Of too much sense and learning to say it
can be- Therefore, do not believe he ever
uttered the statement attributed to him.
Third-He is made to ask why do not go to
work and organize the canvass in this State,
and in the same paragraph and apparently in the
same connection, to say: 1T would appear to
me as an outsider, but holding d different posi-
ton, think should say what wish, hope, and
desire to my friends and not to my enemies and
at such times as / think it will best serve my
friends and not my enemies,p
Now Mr. Editor, give General Butler credit
for possessing too much common sense to have
ever uttered these statements; he certainly
would not say to his enemies, go on and
spend your time and money in carrying on a cam
vass for his personal interest or that of his
friends, and at the same time withhold his con,
6dence from those bearing such burdens. No
one could seriously think bis enemies so foolish
as that, and especially Greenbackers, who are
actuated by their principles and not to serve the
! personal ends Of any man or his particular
] friends Nor do believe General Butler places
I so low an estimate on the candidacy which has
been rendered him as to proclaim himself in the
| political market for any such purpose as the
language attributed to him indicates Nor do ]
/ believe he would condescend TO the vulgarism of
/ q sTonlbs lawyer as indicated in the last SEN
! tence in the reported interview, in selfaggrand-
/ izement over his worst enemy, much less when
! speaking Of one who has always spoken respect.
fully to and Of him in all his public utterances.
1 Truly great men never exalt themselves, and
/ seldom try to belittie others. Public opinion
4 generally places men in their right position in
| this life, and history, if they make one, after
! they are dead.
1 Regarding General Butler as a man Of grea,
intellectual force and executive ability, man