The morning news., 1892-03-19
BLA1R's REPORT TO BUTLER.
The Ex-senator Says He Mean,
Flight" When He Made 1t.

L lGLL w a6Q NO AdQ6 1Ls
From the Neto York Herald.
Ex-senator Henry w. Blair came to the
city Friday and stopped at the Fifth Ave-
nue. hotel. This is the second time he has
been here in ten days, and IN addition to
attending to matters incident to bis candi-
dacy for the republican nomination for Pres
ident, he is doing some law business for
Boston people, which he finds about as re-
munerative, while it holds on, as serving
New Hampshire in the Senate was He
says it goes little hard for an office holder
of fifteen or twenty years standing to be
thrown out upon the cold world, but that
be is buckling down to business TO make an
honest living as cheerfuily and as phiio-
sophically as he knows how.
Mr.. Blair received good deal Of atten-
tion in the big lobby on the Fifth avenue
last night. Everybody wanted to Joke him
| about his candidacy. The last gentleman
to indulge in funny talk with him was a
son of the late "Thad" Stevens, who asked
Mr.. Blair how he wanted the New York
delegation TO be fixed up" The New
Hampshire statesman said very promptly
it was his desire that it should be divided
evenly between him aud David B. Hill-he
to have the republican votes and Hill the
democratic.
In the talk had with the ex-senator |
asked him whether he really meant "iight''
when he made his famous retort to Senator
M. G.. Butler of South Carolina in the SEN
ate.
"As matter of course l did," he said
rather sharply. 81 have talked good deal
in the Senate, but hope no one thinks for
moment that | have talked without mean
ing Just what said.
II considered that Butler insulted me in
the Senate, and told him as publicly rs he
had spoken the offensive language that |
would give him satisfaction in his own way
and he knew just what that meant. That
was the effect of what l said. and 1t bore
and could bear no other construction. l
think the little retort was properly appre
ciated on the other side of the chamber for
always after that | was splendidly treated
by democratic senators, and especially
those from the south. which, l am sorry to
remember. had not always been the case be-
fore.
"And 1 want to say just here, now that the
subject is up, that 1 don't believe the late
war would have been possible had our
northern men at Washington habitlally
pursued the same policy toward southern
gentlemen that | did toward Senator
Butler. The simple truth is that for a
great many years before the conflict cul-
minated in open war the north was repre-
sented by set of half poltroons who were
ks
cowardice behind an assumption of lofty
dignity or superiority. Southern men got
in the habit Of insulting our men and of
driving them as they pleased, and finally
came to have the idea that one man from
the south was a match for five or six
northerners.
"This feeling in the south was the natural
and legitimate outgrowth Of the oowardly
policy of northern men, and it proved TO be
the costliest error Of human judgment ever
made in the history Of the world, IL 1t is e
I t Q measured by the blood and treasure that
it took 10 correct it. This is pretty plain
talk coming from northern man and a
New Highlander, but it is the simple truth,
in my opinion. which have long enter.
tained, but have not chagced, until you
made the suggestion 70 me, TO give 1t ex-
preston"