The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1893-01-19
BEN BUTLER is DEAD.
THE OLD WARRIOR UNExPECT-
EDLY SUMMONED.



Picturesque American Character Gone.
Gen. BENJAMIN f. Butler. Of Massachusetts,,
lied at his Washington residence, New Jersey
avenue, opposite th, Capitol, at 1880 O'Clock
Wednesday morning. presumably OF heart dis
Ease. He had risen but Few minutes before
md was suffering from an attack Of nausea.
His servant started 70 assist him, when the
General murmured, 1T is too late; all IL over
And within five minutes all was over the old
hero expiring just "a a hastily summoned
physician arrived. Not later than Tuesday the
General was discussing Mr.. Blaine's illness.
and said, Blaine may Outlive me yet" Did he
feel a premOnition Of his impending death?
Benjamin +. Butler was horn at Deerfeld,
n IL Ncy. $ ISIS. His father M ,:,. John But Ru,ler Ter.
young son Benjamin settled in Lowell Mass,
about 1928. The lad attended the Lowell
graduated at Waterville College, Maine. in
is3s. After pursuing a course Of legal studies
ae was admitted to the bar in 1s4o and began
practice at Lowell. He became prominent
ivil as well as the most successful criminal
lawyer in Massachusetts. In 1854 he married
Miss Sarah, the daughter Of Dr. hlldreth.
member of the Massachusetts State Legisla-
ture and became the leader OF his party. He
next became the ooa,it:onls, I delegate @ 10 the
inent. During the knOw-Nothfng excitement
of 1855 he opposed the new party and when
Gardner disbanded the Irish companies he re-
sisted, thereby losing his colonels commission
in the militia.
In 1859 he was nominated for Governor Of
beaten by Briggs. In 1s6" the split took place
in the Democratic party. when Gen. Butler op-
posed the pro,siavery clique, in botn the
Charleston and Baltimore Presidential COnven-
tions, vet voted ffty-seven times for the
nomination of JEFF Davis.
When President Lincoln issued his first csAl
for troops to suppress the Southern rebellion,
Butler was a brigadier general of the Nassa-
chusetts militia. On the 1tth Of April he
marched with the Eighth Massachusetts Regt-
ment to Annapolis. and was placed in COM
mand Of the district OF Annapolis. which in
cluded the city of baltimore. He entered that
city on the 18th of May. 1851, at the head of 100
men and occupied the city, placing 1t under
martial law. lie made a major general
during the same month and assigned to
the command of Fortress Monroe. Here he is
sued his famous proclamation declaring slaves
Contraband Of war. and for many years after
ward the negroes were universally referred to
as "contrabands," the intelligent coutraband-
occupying a large space in the war literature OF
the period. In August he commanded the force
that captured Forts Hatteras and Clarke, in
North Carolina His attempt 10 dig the Dutch
Gap Canal cost many thousands of lives.
About this time he became involved in a con-
troversy with Admiral Porter, and for the good
Of the service the two officers were separated,
General Butler being assigned to command at
New Orleans. 1t was during this controversy
that the General referred to the Admiral as
Bottled Porter" sobriQuet that clung to
the naval commander for many years. Before
his assignment to New Orleans General Butler
lower Mississippi. In March, 1sG2, the expedi-
tion reached Ship Island and marched up the
river to New Orleans and cc-operated in the atr
, tack made upon the city by Admiral Far
ragut.
Butler assumed des1 otic powers, forbade the
promenading of won, on tie streets after
nightfall. and inaugurated sanitary reforms
that ultimately proved of inestimable value in
He armed the negroes of the city and levied
forced contributions for the support OF the
POOR and for the Improvement of the city Tie
ordered the eXecut ION of William Mumfard for
tearing the American flag from the mint. He
was cordially hated by the SOuth bern people.
and in December. ls62, jefferson Davis issued
a proclamation declaring him an outlaw. lie
also seized sSt1.ts0 in treasure that had been
deposited at the Dutch consulate, insisting
that it was intended for the purchase OF arms
| for the Confederates.
Dec. Ii. 1862. General Butler recalled
! from New Orleans. At the time he declared
| that this was prompted by Louis Napoleon.
| who contemplated an invasion Of Mexico. to
which Bntler hostile. In 1862 he COM
manded the Army of the James including the
departments Of Virginia and North Carolina.
| He was subsequently sent to New York. where
trouble was feared at the elections. but his
stay there was short. owing to the protests
| turning to North Carolina he made futile at
| tacF upon Fort Fisher near Wilmington. This
ended his military career lie was removed by
Gen Grant and returned to his home in Massa-
chusetts.
| He was elected to congress by the Republic
! cans in 1860 and served until 1879, with the in
the the Impeachment @ trial of President John
son and displayed much malignfty
| in his conduct of the prosecution that
| 1t assisted in bringing abOnt n great popular
| reaction in the Presidents favor. He was the
Republican candidate for Governor of Massa-
chusetts in 1871. In 1875 and in Isl? he was
| again the candidate of small wing OF the
Democratic party and of the independent
| Greenhackers but again beaten. He was
elected by the Democrats, however. in 1852.
| The following year he was again a candidate,
| but failed OF election.
lie was the Greenback and Anti-Monopolv
candatc for President in 1854, hut received only
1913 s2s votes. He devoted the later years of
! his life 70 the practice of law in the United
States Supreme Court and to writing a review
Of the public events in which he had borne a
| mart, He possessed large fortune. derived
! principally from the profits Of a bunting fac
| tory the only one of the kind in the United
States. His wife died several years ago. His
| only daughter became the wife Of Gov. Ames
the Military Governor of Mississippi