The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-20

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 t~-%e%~<~<<<~<%~ ~-t<+<|s" and bitterly attacked some of the men who thwarted ambitions This book l he sent to public libraries. including that l of the British museum, where he had good reason to expect 1t would be permanently preserved.
 shall say nothing of him which I did not say in public speeches or published letters while he was living and in the fullness of his strength, activity and power. History deals with Benedict Ar mold, with Aaron Burr, with the evil counsellors of Charles I and Charles II, with Robespierre with Barero, with Cat 1 iline, upon their merits, and draws from their lives examples, or warnings, with out considering the fact that they are dead. This, especially, is a duty to be performed fearlessly, though with due caution, when it is proposed in some quar- ters to erect monuments or statues to such men for the admiration of the youth of future generations.
 Military Career Diseraceful.
 His military career was, with the ex- ception l have stated, Ohe war admin | istration of New Orleans), disgraceful to himself and unfortunate 10 the country. From the beginning of Buffers recruiting 1 for the war, wherever he was in com mand came rumors of jobs, frauds, trad ing with rebels through the lines, and the putting of unfit persons in responsible positions"
 MT. Hoar reviews General Buffers mil itary career in considerable detail. and with great frankness, concluding as fol- lows:
 "So the contribution of General But ! lers military genius to the success of the United States in the war consisted of d scheme to blow up a powder-Doat, in the capture of Fort Fisher somewhat after the Chinese fashion of warfare which General Grant said hardly had the effect to excite the curiosity Of the occupants of the fort which 1t had been intended to demolsh, and of his scheme of engin- eering at Dutch Gap and Bermuda Hun dred fH
 General Grant got tired of him at last. and ordered him to report at Lowell. So ended the military career of incompe- 1 tenee, boasting and failure.
 General Buffers career after the war is then taken up, and one passage con tains this sentences:
 censures Butler.
 q repeat what I said of General Butler in his lifetime, when he was at the height of his power, with full knowledge Of i his vindctive character, that the success of his attempt to use and consolidate the l political forces of Massachusetts would have been the corruption of her youth 1 the destruction of everything valuable in her character. and the establishment at the mouth of the Charles river or another 1 New York, with its frauds, Tweed rings and scandals"
 Discussing Buffers relations with Gen. eral Grant, MT. Hoar says:
 l "I do not suppose that the secret of the hold which General Butler had upon Gen. eral Grant will ever be disclosed. But Ter boasted in the lobby of the house of representatives that Grant would not dare to refuse any request of his, because he had in his possession affidavits by which he could prove that Grant had been drunk on seven different occasions. This state ment was repeated to Grant by mem- Der of the house, who told me of the con- versation. Grant replied, without mani- festing any indignation, or peiier or dis belief in the story: I have refused his requests several times Tn the case of almost any other person than President Grant, such an answer would have been a confession of the charge. But it ought not to be so taken in this case. Unless | he desired to take into his full confidence the person who was speaking to him, he was in the habit of receiving most import ant communications with entire silence. or with some simple sentence which indi cated his purpose to drop the subject
 Grant May Have.
 1 My own belief is that at sometime dur | ing the war. or before the war, in times of Encouragement. Grant may have been in the habit of drinking freely, and may at some time have done so to excess Dur ] ing the whole time of his Presidency I had a good opportunity to observe him i in personal intercourse. I was familiar with many men who were constantly in | his company at all hours of the day and often far into the night. They assured me that there was no foundation for any 1 impression that he was in the habi l drinking to excess then. If, at any time. he had formed such a habit, he had put | it under his feet. For that, I think, he is | entitled to greater honor than if he had never yielded to temptation. My explana- tion of Buffers influence over Grant is to l extend conjecture. But, I believe, Grant | thought him a powerful political leader | and that he was entitled to respect as | representing the opinions of large num- l bers of men. Besides that, Butler had great influence over some ambitious men who were his confederates, and over | some timid men, who were afraid Of him. Their influence with Grant was on But l ler's side. Grant Sympathetic. "Then. Grant was apt I have said in another place, to sympathize with men who were bitterly attacked. especially men who were charged with dishonesty 1 or corruption, because such charges were i made agalnst him. So, without undertak- ] ing to explain Buffers influence with Grant. I content myself with stating 1t | and with lar1enting it. He led Grant to make some very bad appointments in | Massachusetts. which were totally re- pugnant to her people. But. for those ap- pontme lion, the strong ob-