The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1893-01-18
TO THE SUPREME BENCH
BUTLER. LAWYER. SOLDIER AND
STATESMAN. is DEAD.
Not Known the Old Warriors Life Was In
Danger-IIis Sixty Years of Active Career
Since His Graduation from College.
Death Came swiftly.


Gen. Benjamin II. Butler, of Massachusetts,
died at his Washington residence, New Jersey
avenue, opposite the Capitol, at 1880 o'clock
Wednesday morning. presumably of heart dis
ease. He had risen hut few minutes before
and was suffering from an attack of nausea.
His servant started TO assist him, when the
General murmured, 1T Is too late all il oger"
And within five minutes all was over the old
hero expiring just IA a hastily summoned
physician arrived. Not later than Tuesday the
General was discussing Mr.. Blaine's illness.
and said, Blaine may outliye me yet" Did he
feel a premonition of his impending death2
Benjamin +. Butler was born at Deerfeld.
served in the war of 1872 Mrs. Butler and her
young son Benjamin settled in Lowell, Mass,
about 1928 The lad attended the Lowell
High School and the Exeter Academy, and was
graduated at Waterville College. Maine, in
1888. After pursuing course OF legal studies
he was admitted to the bar In 1s40, and began
practice at Lowell. He became prominent
civil as well as the most successful criminal
lawyer in Massachusetts,. In 1854 he married
Miss Sarah, the daughter of DR.. Hildreth.
In 1888 he was elected "A Free-Soil Democratic
member of the Massachusetts, State Legisla-
ture and became the leader of his party. lie
next became the coalitionist delegate TO the
constitutional convention and was again prom
inent. During the Know-Nothing excitement
of 1885 he opposed the new party and when
Gardner disbanded the Irish companies he re-
eisted, thereby losing his colonel's commission
in the militia.
In 1859 he was nominated for Governor of
Massachusetts on the Liberal ticket, but was
beaten by Briggs In 1860 the split took place
in the Democratic party, when Gen Butler OPP
posed the pro-slavery Clique, in both the
Charleston and Baltimore Presidential conven-
lions, yet voted ffty-seven times for the
nomination OF JEFF Davis
When President Lincoln issued his first call
for troops to suppress the Southern rebellion,
Butler Was bTigadier general of the Massa-
chusetts militia. On the 14th OF April he
marched with the Eighth Massachusetts, Regi-
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 the 18th of May, 1861, at the head OF 900
men and occupied the city, placing IL under
martial law lie was made 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 "eontrabands the intelligent contraband"
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 TO 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. IL was during this controversy
that the General referred TO the Admiral as
Bottled Porter sobriquet that chung to
the naval commander for many years. Before
his assignment to New Orleans General Butler
had recruited an expedition for service on the
lower Mississippi. In March, 1862, the eXpedi-
tton reached Ship Island and marched up the
river TO New Orleans and co-operated in the atr
tack made upon the city by Admiral Far
ragut.
On taking possession OF the city General
Butler assumed despotic powers forbade the
promenading of women on the streets after
nightfall. and inaugurated sanitary reforms
that ultimately proved OF lnestiInable value i'll
guarding against epidemics OF yellow fever.
He armed the negroes OF the city and levied
forged contributions for the support of the
poor and for the improvement of the city. He
ordered the execution of William Mumford for
tearing the American flag from the mint. He
was cordially hated by the southern people,
and in December, 1862, Jefferson Davis issued
proclamation declaring him an outlaw. He
also seized 100000 in treasure that had been
deposited at the Dutch consulate, insisting
that it was intended for the purchase OF arms
for the Confederates.
Dec. Is. 1862 General Butler was recalled
from New Orleans. At the time he declared
that this was prompted by Louis Napoleon,
who contemplated an invasion of Mexico, to
which Butler was hostile. In 1863 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
of leading citizens and officials. Re-
turning TO North Carolina he made a futile at
tack upon Fort Fisher, near Wilmington. This
ended his military career. He was removed by
Gen. Grant and returned to his home in Massa-
chusetts.
He was elected to congress by the Republic
cans in 1866 and served until 1879, with the in
terval OF two years. He was one OF the mana
the Impeachment trial of President John
son and displayed so much malignity
In his conduct of the prosecution that
II assisted in bringing about great popular
reaction in the Presidents favor He was the
Republican candidate for Governor of Massa.
chusetts in 1871. In 1878 and in 1879 he was
again the candidate of n small wing OF the
Democratic party and of the independent
Greenbackers, but was again beaten. He was
elected by the Democrats, however, in 1892.
The following year he was again candidate,
but failed of election.
He was the Greenback and Autobiography
candate for President in 1884, but received only
l33,s25 votes. He devoted the later years OF
bis life TO 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
part. 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