Evening journal., 1914-03-05
NEW NERS OF YESTERDAY
EOW Ben ButIer Charmed
BIS Political AdyerSarIeS
BY HOLLAND.


There probably never lived in Massa.
ehusetis man who had greater power
OF exciting personal fascination and
completely overcoming prejudice than
General Ben Butler possessed" said the
late Charles Levi Woodbury., of Boston.
to me shortly after the publication of
General Buffers remisineences.
Mr. Woodbury., in his younger days
saw much of General Butler, for until
the outbreak Of the Civil War the latter
was prominent in Democratic politics in
Massachusetts. and Mr.. Woodburv's
father, Levi Woodbury.. who had been
United States senator from New
Hampshire and secretary of the
treasury in the administration of Presi
dent Van Buren,. was also of very great
influence in Democratic circles in New
England. General Butler, as a Demo.
erat representing Massachusetts, at the
national Democratic convention. which
was held at Charleston, $. c.. in the
spring of 1860, supported the nomina
tion of jefferson Davis for President by
that convention.
Butler was afraid of nobody" Mr..
Woodbury. continued. "and he was es
pocially reioiced if he at any time was
able TO tread upon the toes, so 70
speak. of what he regarded as the ex-
cessively blue-blooded intellectual aris-
tocracy Of Massachusetts.
Il remember very we'll with what
perfect charm Butler, when Governor.
captured many Of those who were
present at the commencement exer-
cises Of Harvard IN June of that year.
Senator George +. Hoar, whose duty
It was to preside at that gathering.
declined TO do so, not hesitating to
express in his speech the severe criti-
cism of the action OF the overseers of
Harvard in inviting Governor Butler
10 become the guest of the college. as
had been done with Massachusetts
Governors over since the colony be-
came a State.
Joseph II. Choate. however, agreed
to preside and he made a wonderfully
tactful and gracious speech when al
luding to the presence there of the
Governor OF Massachusetts. I hap
pened TO know that Butler expected to
be treated with scant civility and in
tended to speak with all his power OF
sarcasm. but he was so touched by
Choates graceful reference to him
that he felt compelled to respond to
terms and in a manner which revealed
10 all who were present what his great
gift OF personal charm really was.
"A night or two later Governor
Butler was invited as a guest to a
dinner which was given by a banker
friend Of mine in Boston. The banker
called upon the governor TO be pres
ent at the State House. and showed
him list of guests who were to be
present. u included some of The
leading professional men of Boston,
number of the foremost bankers
and two or three men who had gained
high literary regulations. Governor
Butler was told that with a single ex-
ceptiOn that of Jonas French. who
was chairman, every one of the
guests had voted against him in the
gubernatorial campaign, and he was
asked il he cared 10 draw his pencil
across any of the names.
We'll. do you know" continued Mr..
Woodbury.. that. although some of
these guests felt like Withdrawing
their acceptances after they heard
that Governor Butler had been in
vited, yet 80 perfectly did he charm
these men. so highly did he entertain
them. such we're the refinement and
gentleness of his speech and manner.
that they all confessed they had dis
covered a new Ben Butler. and some
Of them actually declared that II he
were again 10 be candidate for gov
ornor, they would feel disposed TO
vote for him.
Thus IL was revealed the other side
of Ben Butler-a side Of which the
great public had no knowledge"