The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-06-02
ETCHINGS FROM
CURRENT TOPICS

the ability ana eminent hntesS OF Two OF
| the south's strongest representative men.
Both served with distinction in the Con-
federate army, fighting until amputated
| limbs rendered them unfit for field duty;
both entered politics in their respective
states Immediately after the civil war
closed. and both rose to elevated political
| positions through the suffrage of their
| friends and neighbors.
| Whether in the national senate, in the
| house of representatives or in the guberna-
torial chair they have labored for the good
of their section persistently and assiduous-
ly with manly modesty and dignity that
has attracted the attention of the country
and evoked the approval of their constit-
uents. The reputation of the south is safe
in the hands of two such typical southern
ers as oates and Butler, whether on the
field of battle or in the councils of the ma
ton.
Although General Butler Is only 60 years
of age, he seems to connect the remote
past with this present time of vibrating
activities.
He comes of one of the Oldest and most
distinguished families in the SOUTH and his
achievements in military and political life
demonstrate the power of heredity in a way
to put psychologists to serious thinking.
Since the Incorporation of South Carolina
as a state, in every geenration there has
been Butler who lowered above the ma
jority of his fellows. either in statecraft or
upon the field of battle.
General NJ. C. Butler is nephew of Cole
mel Pierce Butler, who commanded the
|
and who fell victim to Mexican bullets.
Another uncle was United States Pickens
Butler who, in his day. was a great politi-
cal and social factor in the south. On his
maternal side General Butler is closely al
lied to the Perry family of Lake Erie fame,
his mother having been Miss Perry pre-
vious to her marriage to DR.. Butler.
Then men of the Butler family, with very
rare exceptions, have been striking speci-
mems of phyisacl beauty, and General M. c.
Butler is one of the handsomest men of
his geenration
In his appearance there is every indica-
ton of high birth and gentle breeding, and
wthal, he is so manly and so unostenta-
tious that he needs neither family tree or
court of arms to tell of his claims to a long
and honorable lineage.
Geenral Butler married early In life Miss
Pickens, a daughter of the late Governor
Francis Pickens, of South Carolina, and
their home has always been at Edgefeld
Court House, South Carolina, that wonder
full old town which has probably produced
more remarkable politicians and statesmen
than any other of like population in the
country.
The appointment of General Butler to the
rank of major-general by President McKin-
ley recalls an interesting episode in his
early life which is one of the social tradi-
tions of South Carolinians.
| While still very young, with no indication
| that the future years held such unusual
honors of the handsome Carolnian, Gen.
Butler, then known chiefly to his associates
and comrades as Calbraith Butler, was q
universal favorite in South Carolina society
He had been admitted to the practice Of
law and already was beginning to manifest
that talent for leadership which has been
apparent in the later periods of his life
At that time, the time of the episode re-
ferred to, young Butler was esteemed per-
maps the nu1uSOHitSt HIGH VI Ills d5C III tio
| fire-eating state, and quite the social toast
of his section. At the quaint old village of
Edgefield, his home. lived the young girl
whom he afterwards married, Miss Pickens,
In a beautiful suburban residence, Edge
wood, just outside the municipal limits Of
the town. Among the prominent and influ-
entail citizens of Edgefield, was Colonel Ar
thur Simpkins, then editor of the Edgefed
Advertiser, newspaper that did its share
| toward mounlding public opinion at that
period when secession and states rights
were the dominating themes for political
discussion. Parenthetically, it may be
told that Colonel Arthur Simkins was the
father of Mrs. Senator Call, of Florida,
one of the southern women who has. of
recent years, contributed to the social brill
lance of the national capital. Colonel SIM
kins entertained lavishly, and at large
masque ball at his home young Cabraith
Butler and Colonel Lipscomb, with the ca
gerness of youth and enjoyment found
themselves. with their partners. contending
| for the same position in the quadrile which
neither was willing to relnquish. An unfor-
| tunate quarrel ensued between the two gen.
| tlemen. With the code in absolute suprem-
| acy among the warm-blooded Carolinians,
| a challenge to fight duel was speedily sent
| and accepted by these two young repre-
| sentatives of the best element of the south,
farcical as 1t all appears. in the light Of
| these later times.
| The great duelling ground at that time
| was near Augusta, Ca, on the Savannah
river, and very few days after Colonel
Simkin's ball, Augusta society was wildly
agog over the contemplated duel between
! two such conspicuous young fellows as
| Lipscomb and Butler. who had become
! in the meanwhile the guests of friends In
! that city, pending the preparations for the
| duel. Young Butler was the guest of
Colonel Thos Barrett, prominent bank
er of Augusta.
For days business matters were subor-
dinated to the Butler-Lipscomb embroglio:
everybody talked about it, everybody be-
came partisan of one or the other, while
the principals remained calm and undis-
turbed by the serious complications which
probably meant death tn one or both NJ