New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-07

BUTLER. 4 Review Of His Legal. Political and
Military Career. Illustrated. PIP. l,l1i. Boston ::
\. VI. Thayer q Co.
Many men have. with or without his knowledge
and consent, chosen General Butler for their IA
vortc enemy and Of these many have. not without a
certain fcrvof. wished many things to his address.
Yet it mus. be doubted il among them all there
has been found rash enough 10 echo the asplra-
ton of job Ny desire is . 4. that mine adversary
etc; for to the wisc toad, how sharper than the
harrows tooth it is. to squat waiting and quakng
in the furTOw. These, after long doubt and pain
of apprchcnded evil may now rejoice that they
know the worst about themselves: those candid
friends of theirs OF whom Sheridan mot =. H. as our
distinguished author might saw, spoke so appre-
ciatv,ly. if not quite admiringy. MAY even feel
depressed IT hnding the worst no worse while as
for the Indifferent outside public that taxes LII
the rest of lis. how must we all lament mat 90
many Of In" most ficrccly hated are dead and gone
where. az last, there Is no lawing back, - WHICH,
when one comes 10 think of il, must 10 some men
We and General Butter have known in the flesh, form
n serious abatement even of the joys Of Paradise.
But if one may not now hope 10 hear I'll" counter
blast sulphuric from Seward or from llallcck. or
to nhalc the nicoiian aroma TINT once expressed
the controversial views OF Grant, Others there arc
still living on whom the gayciy OF nations
shall yet draw at sight. Silence and Baby
Smith, for instance. have long been strangers, ana
il is not easy 10 picture that spnnky old warrior
reading far beyond the middle Of this entertain
ing work without calling for his tomahawk TN
page 6s,. for instance. where the author writes.
Now think Smith was an efficient soldier in
many rcspccts.-athough it would seem that
have every cause TO dislike the man IN every
I,oro cav
would begin.
Here are Wright and Warren, accused by As
sistant Secretary Dana this time and here set up
to support a beautiful carroni. TO speak, on
Smith each ono of the three inscribed a. guilty OF
the one inevitable regular army failins-the
vice Of 'intcrminablc "Reminiscences, walt
ing and waiting. not going at thing when he was
told nut looking all around 10 see II he could not
do something else than what he was told to do. or
do it in a different way from what he WAS told
Poor Warren happy Wright, with the record OF
the Sixth Corps piled high for him Ia dozc be-
hind; thrice happy Smith, with the inksiand SO
handy.
That General Butler chcerfully dslikes some
persons and that these persons, with perhaps
few others, in thei turn rcioicc in comfort
ing dislike Of General BTtlcr is a widc-opcn secret.
Were IL otherwise wild horses should moi drag us
into the inprudence Of prying into the business.
One reflection may he suffered TO escape under
flag Of truce rs il were which j. that, for
wonder This contentious world Of ours has long
been agreed 10 the leading facts Of General
Buffers life history. In substantial accord. in
deed with the General himself yet strangely and
widely diycrging. each one from his neighbor.
10 the appropriate adjccfivcs to go with the
accepted nouns. Thus his extraordinary ingc-
s.l l,,. linda 4
delightful another damnable. His personal police
Of New-Orlcans is cross between Haronnal-
Raschid of blessed memory and the Ruler Of all
Tie Russias. including most OF the Sibcrias;
having regard 10 the power Of that forceful pen,
80 much mighticr than another mans sword. one
might almost call him NJ one dared the Black
White Gar But happily. just in the mex
of time one recalls Augustine Brrclls remark
about the prudence of the po-humous critics OF
Maraulay-and one forbcaIs.
To talk of Butter without n word on New
Orleans or Of New -Orlcans without mentioning
Mumford would hc like the thought of Mr.. DICK ;
memorial without the head of Charles the tIrst
And fortunately this brings as 10 plcasintcr side
Of General Buffers life and character. at once
plcas1mter and less known-perhaps because pleas
enter: for % many excellent persons his image h
usually served much the office that the
Wooden auHillhl MEL Inc auiItbic Nf ttNllp
Il target for his hate. saicty-valvc for III, sweet
temper While waiting for Butler and the troops
10 come up the river Farrasu' hoi-tcd the American
flag over the Mint Alumford. as every one knows.
pulled it. down, tore il into shreds, threw the
pieces TO the mob and deiiantly sportcd q frag
mcnt in the buttonholc OF hi, coat For this
Butler seized him, and tried him 10y a military com
mission. and hanged him. Mumford was gambler
and "A leader among the ont law and dpsDcrafincs
that swarmcd in Ncw-Orleans as in all pleasant
and profitable capitals. The laws Of war gave the
general commanding the power to infict this
punishment Was he then right 10 his power ,
To this there can hc but answer IN the mini
Of any fair man. The first dnty OF the COM
mandcr of an army in occupation Of Il hostile
town j, ~ keep order. This duty he owes not
more 10 his own Government than TO the help
less people that have fallen under his protection
Mumford's rash and futile exhibit Of an uncon-
| trocd sclf-will calculated TO put in peril
the life and property Of every man, woman and
child in New-Oreans. just how great and
immediate the peril was that Sunday when
| the whole town lay al the mcrcg of Farragut's
cannon General Butler tells on page 443-4I6 Now
read the hitherto untold stOry-at least il is new
to us-of this stern mans kindness +,
the widow and children of the man whose life
instance a
generosity we believe 10 he but one in many in so
many, and ~ little known, that remembering his
unchnngng devotion 10 his friends under what
| ever trials or cbb and flow Of fortune one is
tempted 10 ask whether in truth all the tartncss
the brusqucnese. the hardness. the contcmpt. the
| contumely that go to rake up the popular DOGGY
| called Butler, can really spring from a nature so
ausierc so stern. so imperious. Or may il be
with him rs with Others before him that these
rcpcllcnt qualities are cunning device Of nature
for its own protection, drawn like the nictitating
membrane Of tie horse over nerves too sensitive
| for the rude day
If so, what part Of this super-scnsitivcncss we
have been surprising must have sprung from acute
Inflammation Of that superb memory. In this land
| and this country, where to look for its
| match? Its better need not he sought anywhere
or in any age. Thu recollections recorded in this
book prove that were it otherwise we should feel