The Washington herald., 1914-03-05
HISTORY BUILDERS.
How Ben Butler Charmed His Polit-
ical Adversanies.
Cwritten expressly for The Herald)
ny DIR. Z. J. ERWARDs.

Cwritten expressly for The Herald.)
ny DIR. E. ,. ERwARDs.
ls.THERE probably never lived IN
Massachusetts, a man who had
greater power OF exerting persona
fascination and completely overcoming
prejudice than Gen. Ben Butler pos
sessed,'' said the late Charles Lev
Woodbury., of Boston. to me shortly afteI
the publication Of Gen. Buffers reminis'
cences
Mr.. Woodbury.. In his younger days
saw much CT Gen. Butler. for until the
outbreak Of the civil war the latter was
prominent in Democratic politics In Mas
sachusetts and Mr.. Woodbury's father
Levi Woodbury.. who had been United
States Senator from New Hampshire and
Secretary OF the Treasury In the admin
istration of President Van Buren. ,was
also OF very great influence In Demo
cratic circles in New England. Gen
Butler, as a Democrat representing Mas
sachusetts at the national Democratic
convention. which was held at Charles
ten, s. c.. In the spring Of 1850. supported
the nomination OF Jefferson Davis for
President by that convention.
Butler was afraid OF nobody" Mr..
Woodbury. continued, land he was es-
pecially rejoiced IL he at any time was
able to tread upon the tees, so to speak,
of what he regarded as the excessively
blue-blooded intellectual aristocracy OF
Massachusetts.
"I remember very well with what
perfect charm Butler, when governor,
captured many Of those who were present
ut the commencement exercises OF Har-
ward in June OF that year. Senator
George +. Hoar, whose duty II was to
preside at that gathering, declined to do
% mt hagitaffno IN n his gr.ee0h
the severe criticism OF the action of the
overseers of Harvard In inviting Gov.
Butler to become the guest af the college,
as had been done with Massachusetts
governors ever since the colony became
a State.
Joseph II. Choate. however. agreed
to preside, and he made a wonderfully
tactful and graceful speech when al
luding to the presence there of the gov
ernor OF Massachusetts. / happened to
know that Butler expected to be treated
with scant civility and intended to speak
with all his power OF sarcasm. but he
was SO touched by Choate's graceful ref
erence to him that he felt compelled to
respond in terms and in a manner which
revealed to all who were present what
his gift of personal charm really was.
"A night or two later Gov. Butler was
invited as a guest to a dinner which was
given by banker friend OF mine In Bos-
ton. The banker called upon the COVER
nor to be present at the State House.
and showed him a list Of guests who
we're to be present. 1t included some of
the leading professional men of Boston.
a number Of the foremost bankers, and
two or three men who had gained high
literary regulations. Gov. Butler was
told that with a single exception-that of
Jonas French. who was chairman of the
Democratic State committee. every one
OF the guests had voted against him in
the Gubernatorial campaign. and he was
asked IL he cared to draw his pencil
across any Of the names.
" Not one he replied. I should be
very glad TO meet these gentlemen.
shall deem II compliment to sit with
them at the same table
Well. do you know" continued Mr..
Woodbury.. that. although some Of these
guests felt like withdrawing their ac-
ceptances after they heard that Gov
Butler had been invited. yet so perfectly
did he charm these men. so highly did
he entertain them, such were the refine
ment and gentleness OF his speech and
manner. that they all confessed they had
discovered new Ben Butler. and some
OF them actually declared that il he
were again to be candidate for governor
they would feel disposed to vote for him.
Thus was revealed the other side Of
Ben Butler-a side OF which the great
public had no knowledge"
Copyright 1914