St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-11

Benjamin Butler was born at Deer
field, n. H., Nov. >, 1918. He graduated
at WaterVile college, Maine, in 1888,
and commenced the practice of the law
at Lowell, Mass, in 1871. He early took
a prominent part in politics on the
Democratic side, and was elected
member of the Massachusetts
house of representatives i'll 1888,
and of the state senate in 1889. In
1860 he was delegate to the Demo
cratic national convention which met at
Charleston. Here he endeavored to
persuade the convention 10 simply re-
affirm the principles enunciated in
1856 at Cincinnati, by the conVen-
ton which nominated Mr.. Buchanan
for the presidency, but was defeated
by a vote of 105 TO 1873. When
portion of the delegates reas-
sembIed at Baltimore, Mr.. Butler, after
taking part in the opening debates and
votes, announced that majority OF the
delegates from Massachusetts would
not further participate in the delibera-
tions of the convention, OIL the ground
that there had been 4 withdrawal i'll
part of the majority of the states; and
further, lie added, upon the ground
that l would not sit in convention
where the African slave trade, which Is
piracy by the laws of my country, is APP
provingly advocated" In the same year
he was the Democratic candidate for
governor of Massachusetts.
At the time of President Lincoln's
call for troops in April, 1861, he held the
commission of brigadler general of
militia. On the nth of that month he
marched to Annapolis with the Eighth
Massachusetts regiment, and was
placed in command of the district
of Annapolis, i'll which the city
of Baltimore was included. In
May he was transferred to the command
of Fortress Monroe and the department
of Eastern Virginia. While here, some
slaves who had come within his lines
were demanded by their masters. He
refused to deliver them up Oh the ground
that they we're contraband of war:
hence arose the designation of con
trabandS" often applied to slaves during
the war. In August he captured Forts
Hatteras and Clark OH the coast OF
North Carolina. He then returned to
Massachusetts to recruit an expedition
for the gulf of Mexico and the MiSsis-
sippi.
On March 20. 1862, the expedition
reached Ship island, and on April II
went up the Mississippi. The fleet
under Farragut having passed the forts
April "A and virtually captured New
Orleans. Gen. Butler took possession of
the city on May and governed it with
great vigOr until November, when he was
recalled. Near the close of 1868 he was
placed In command of the department of
Virginia and North Carolina. and his
force was afterWard designated as the
army of the James. While Gen. Grant
was moving toward Richmond, Gen.
Butler made an unsuccessful attempt to
take Petersburg In December, 1864.
he conducted an Intellectual expedition
againt Fort Fisher, near Wilmington,
n. c., aud then returned to his resi-
dence in Massachusetts.
In 1886 he was elected by the Repub-
licans member of congress, and soon
took prominent part in its proceed
ings. He was the most active of the
managers appointed in 1858 by the house
OF representatives 10 cOndnct the i'm
parchment of President Johnson. In
1871 he was an unsuccessful candidate
for the Republican nomination to the
office of governor of Massachusetts.
From 1868 to 1874 he was Il member of
congress. LII 1882 he was elected gov
ernor of Massachusetts as a Democrat.
In 1884 he was the candidate of the
Peoples party for president. For the
past eight years lie has devoted his
time to his law practice, which was very
larOp