Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1893-01-20

Gen. Benjamin +. Buffers death calls
public attention to career which went
frther back in the date at which it attain
Cd national prominence than that Of any
other man Of equal fame. Although Gen
Buffers position before the war was mere
ly that Of state politician belonging to the
minority party of his state, the opening OF
the war brought him at once to the stten-
tion of the nation, and he retained that at
tention up to the close Of q long career.
Before the war Mr.. Butler cslled for
political notice rs the Massachusetts, Dem
ocrat who voted for Jefferson Davis straight
along in the CharIestown convention. His
character as man Of positive views, who
carried his conclusions to their extreme
length, was admirably illustrated in that
action. With the outbreak of the war his
position as pro- slavery Democrat changed
to that of an ardent supporter Of the Union
and enemy of the slave power that was try.
ing to disrupt tho Nation. He led the
first military torcs that reached the
capital after the Baltimore outbreak had
ont of its communications with the North,
and took back force to Baltimore which
reduced the insurrectionsry city to sub
mission. As the commsndant at Fortress
Monroe he involved the ingenious theory
that the slaves Of enemies of the Union
were contrxbsnd of war. which not only
gave the escaping negroes an name that
struck to them throughout the struggle.
but furnished practical emancipation to slI
who reached the Union lines His course st
New Orleans has been the topic of inter
national dispute. but it is certain that he
kept the dissfected and violent elements
Of that city in better order than any gov
eminent establiskcd there before or since.
General Buffers genius was re-eminent-
ly that Of political general" The term
implied q reproach which was so far well
founded that his military operations were
generally barren and sometimes disastrous.
But in the political ideas engendered of
the problems Of the war he was an cpl
gsmmatic genius. His classification of
the escaping slaves ~ "contraband of
war" was matched By his description of the
Southern States during reconstruction de-
bates ss "eamps Of paroled prisoners"
His Congressional career is still cherished
public memory; while his Gubernstorial
campaigns in Massachusetts,, after be bad
returned to the Democratic organization,
and his stirring up of ancient and time
honored abuses is not soon to be forgotten.
The great characteristics of Benjamin
+. Butler were his positiveness, his fear
less doggedness in advocating his beliefs.
and his originality Of conception and argu
ment. Few men exhibited those qualifica-
tions In ss many and ~ diverse situations.
He was grestest and most undisputed ss a
lawyer; but despite the outcry and vilitica-
ton which attended his work as military
administrator, there is no doubt that he
did work in that character at New Orleans
sucn as no other living man could have
done. As q parliamentariau and debstor
he had few equals, while as csmpaigner
he had the qualities which never failed to
arouse public interest. Unique, original
and daring, our politics never produced the
counterpart Of Gen. Butler, and few men
have been known better fitted to perform
bis peculiar part. With many of the polit.
ical faults Of his day, the forcible and posi-
tive characteristics of Butler made him q
character which the vast majority of the
nation appreciates and will cherish as one
Of its valuable mepories Pisssburs Dss-
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