The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-21
III.-BuTTERwoRTB.

III.-DuTTERwoHTB.
Tho most marked figure In tho Force bill
conspiracy was Gen. BENJAMIN Butterworth OF
Cincinnati. Every eye was upon him. All his
movements woro closely noted by tho friends
as we'll Us tho opponents OF tho bill. twas his
tenth year In Congress-. No man Is moro apt
in parliamentary practice. BY virtue OF his
qualifications, he should have been one OF tho
Committee on Rules. But like Conkling, ho
was known to havo a conscience, and Joe Can
non was preferred.
Roscoe Conkling was conspicuous for what
he did not do. Bu:terworth is conspicuous
both for wha: no did not do and for what he
did. Ho Is as brilliant On orator as was Ros-
COO Conkllng. Ho Ia even moro ready and
moro versatile in dobate. lie stands as high
among his compeers in tho House as Conkling
stood In the Senate. In some points he is SUI
perior to ConklnR He Is as genial as a
May morn, rs sympathetic as woman.
and the most conciliatlng OF men. Like
Dantcn and like CcnklinR. however,. he is
hesitatinG. In the heat Of tho tariff debate the
intensity OF his convictions overmastered his
indecision. He became volcano OF honest
indignation. He handled the Mckinley bill
without gloves. and in way that appalled, its
supporters. lie struck it like prize fighter
Democrats danced with delight. Butterworth
nbounded in argument. His speech was lum-
nous with wit and lurid with sarcasm. 1t was
the most lucid exposition OF the aboninable
measure-tho Kohinoor OF the tariff debate.
Yet, notwithstanding this mastery md un-
rivalled effort. Butterworth voted for the bill.
And herein he differed from Conbling. II Conk-
ling had ever denounced the attempt to count
In Louisiana, he never would have been in
duced to give q vote TO seat Hayes.
Viewed in the light OF his tariff speech. But
terworth became an object Of extraordinary
interest when the Force bill conspiracy was
Matched. Unlike ConklinR with the Electoral
Commission. Butterworth had no hand In
framing the Federal Election bill The former
was temporary expediept perverted 20 party
purposes. The latter is q self-perpetuating
device intended to maintain party supremacy
in defiance Of the popular villa monstrosity
that could deceive no one.
In private conversation Butterworth made
no secret OF the fact that it was distasteful to
him. But he did not disclose specifically his
objections TO the measure. During the discus
sion he wandered about the hall like discom-
fted spirit He was always to be found in
front OF any distinguished orator who opposed
the bill. manifestly paying the closest atten-
tion. He listened also to members Of his own
party. but did not appear to follow them so
closely. At times he would wander OFF by him
self, as II oppressed By the weight OF the Ques-
ton. Like Danton, he occasionally looked
aloft, Us II he would evoke counsel from the
spheres Then he would return and again
listen to the debate. But he never went out
when an opponent Of the bill whom he consid-
cred worth hearing was talking.
If ever there could be an exigency where his
party required his great powers 1t was now.
Three OF It's members. and two OF them sup
posed from their locality to be the most in
terested In Its passage. had fallen away and
made telling speeches against the measure
These had evoked from some OF the most ac-
compished Republican orators their best
efforts in response. But Notwithstanding the
emergency. Butterworth. the greatest of them
all. maintained an ominous silence.
Like Danton at the accusation OF the Giron-
dists. he seemed to be apprehensive that his
party was about to plunge into series OF ex-
cesses that would destroy it and endanger lib
erty. He dlsliked to strike II. 1t had been the
idol OF his heart. He hated to see 1t
destroy Itself. But 1. was fast becoming
1lmy-eyed monster, hungering for prey.
capable OF battening only upon terror. Destroy
ing and being itself destroyed. At times But
terworth appeared TO have desire to close
with 1t. to arrest 1t in its mad career, or be
himself overwhelmed in the encounter. Thus
hesitating and doubling, when the final vote
was taken. he gave the bill a feeble aye"
Possibly he remembered how Vespasian was
caught mapping at the circus where Nero was
performing. A Caesar II not Nero. was here
performing In his own circus. and Butterworth
knew that his eye was upon him.
When. In violent times, q great man begins
to hesitate on account OF the excuses OF his
party, there is something going on within him
In the nature OF a revolution. He himself may
not be conscious Of It 1t is mighty conten-
ton. An observer himself, he becomes the OBJ
served OF observers. Such was Butterworth's
condition. Stunned by this extreme revolu-
tionary measure. there was within him the i'm
pulse to a counter revolution. Many feared
but all desired to hear him. In failing to
speak he disappointed everybody. And by
merely voting for the bill he did not regain the
party confidence lost by his course on the
Tariff bill and by his hesitation about this
measure. Never again will its present leaders
fully trust him. AS Napoleon said TO Carnot.
they will know him too late. The emergency
called for him. OF all the mon In the country.
he should have responded.
Referring to James A. Garfield years ago,
Col Morrison said: Tho Lord took hold OF
that mans back bono to make 1t into brains."
The remark may DO applied to Butterworth.
Tho brains were there. but tho emergency |
called for decision. Better for his fame mad he
persisted politically in throttling the Infamous
federal Election bill. AMOS j. CUMMINGS.