Year: 1868

Generate Opinion ef Minister Johuson and


the Alabama Chains.


LowHLL, Mass, Nov. H. 1868.


The fast has already passed into the history Of
American politics that there never was before such


hard fought and interesting political battle within
the limits Of Congressional district q that which
took place In the Fh district OF Massachusetts, dur
ting the campaign preceding the late general cleo
ton. It may with truth almost be said that In the
minds Of many the result Of the Presidential contest
itself was tnsigncant compared with the real fam
ced importance Of the result In Ben Buffers district
All over the country throughout the thrifty North,
the sunny South and the plenty y-iaden West, there
was an absorbing and lively intereSs either In the
triumph or defeat OF the renowned and persevertng
Butler, and the advocates this side and that were
far more than enthusiastic In contributing their
mighty feeble influence to shape the result In
cordance with their respective wishes The friends
Of General Butler got into the field early and worked
for the love fun OF the thing, while on the other
hand his enemies and opponents came late and
labored against tide which every day OF the can
vass was sweeping them rapidly and surely over
that terrible political precpce which ia the terror
OF all aspirants to public life and fame. Every move
they made redounded to the actual benent of him
whom they sought to slaughter, and 1t Ia matter of
serious thought whether or not II the canvass
had occupied another fortnight Butler would
the district ana gone back to Congress by aocams-
ton. The fact however that he Is triumphantly re-
elected, as well as the various incidents OF the ex
citing campaign, have been made known to the
HERALD readers and is therefore hardly necessary
refer to them again In detail 1t is generally surmsed
that the General will be the man OF all others OF the
coming Congress to take the lead OF the dominant
party which has connded in him and elected him,
and there Is therefore, universal " @ and anxious in
rent political topics OF the day, and his probable
course In the national legislature upon resuming
ntu To ifu anAoo
OF the community one OF the HERALD reporters has
made reconnaissance and the result Of the expedi-
@ 20
Of the day. General Butler, unlike General Grant Is
one, once formed, are freely and emphaticaly given
when solicited, but Of the other nothing up to this
writing has ever been definitely or authorativey
learned. Butler contrary to the IDEAS Of many is q
remarkably social genius and his free and easy man.
ner OF discussing topics is such as to cause the
presence. The distant and defiant air which charac-
terizes many men Of greatness does not belong to
gentlemaniy His home is IN Gloucester, q town Of
some importance down In Cape Ann, but he has also
an elegant mansion In this city where he spends the
It V situated on pleasant eminence on
Andover street. overlooking the Merrimack river,


Charming drive and is short % half mile letS distant ant
from the central or business portion of the town.
His ONCE s In Merrimack street and is the same



profession. During thellate campaign and, In fact,
ever since his election TO Congress he has attended
position which be al attained in public life he
has been obliged In order to keep along in the FORE
most rank, to give almost exclusively his whole time
who thinks he has very easy time OF it il he Is not
obliged to answer over fifty letters day. The wear
too much for the Generals powerful physical frame
and during the last week he has been confined to the
house nearly all the time. He is gaining rapidly,
from his brief indsposltion and probably with the
assembling OF Congress he wiz be fresh. vigorous


Your reporter having passed the compliments of
tne DAY with the General, and both having mutually
agreed that the weather had been rainy fol few
Gays past the conversation very naturally turned
upon political matters. 1t occurred to me that the
subject OF the result OF the general election would be
idea, the knight Of the pencil led on something fol-


REronrsn-well General, what do you think Of


General BUTLER-It has turned out precisely as
It was intended it should by the democratic leaders
would cali Thrown race;'' for no political party
was ever 80 completely, so thoroughly sold out by
the leaders as the democracy.


REPoRTER-How was thatf


General BUTLER.-I VIII tell you. The rank ana
file and the Western democracy were pledged against
and the high rates Of interest. The chairman OF the
Democratic National Committee, Mr.. Belmont, was
the United States agent OF foreign bankers; there Is
held abroad some six hundred millions OF dollars Of
the United states bonds; payment In gold would
make more than two hundred millions difference in
value. The Democratic Convention was managed
by Belmont In conjunction with other New York
politicians. have long known their tactics 1t has
city ana State OF New YORK than to save the general
government election. II they must lose either they
always prefer the latter; therefore, they determined
against Chase, Hendricks and Hancock, fearing
that with them the democracy would win in the
nation, and they took up seymour In order to save
the result Of which would have been the index OF the
contest but sent Pendeton there whose notions
distasteful at least to the republicans, from whom
alone they could have maze gains. They had al
ready placed o Western man on the ticket blair,
who OF all men Is the most obnoxious to Western
lent republican general in the Union army, although
man OF acknowledged ability. They arranged their
platform SO as to revive all the issues OF the and
thus overshadow entirely all questions OF finance
and taxation, which last issues they never got
hearing during the whole campaign. or course this
threw the vote OF every true patriot and lover Of his
country against those who had ever been opposed to
them during the war. While the contest-the only
S eonsss Of tine going on In
Seymour did not take the stump although in the two
last named states less than 5000 votes would have
uncomortaby close the New York World and the
National htethgence', one owned and the other pur
party by the Impossible proposition to change the
candidates. IL thus being made sure that the demo-
Gratis had no chance OF carrying the general cleo
ton, seymour Immediately took the stump to save
New York. Mr. Belmont issued an address, and the
played for result was obtained. New York was saved
to her politicians and the value OF the bonds OF Bel
monts foreign clients was enhanced.


REfoRTER.-ln view OF these facts, General what
do you think Grants course will be towards the
democrats2


General BUTLER-These same men are now pat.
ting General Grant on the shoulder and endeavoring
TO win him TO their purposes, but General Grant Is
bound by every principle OF honor that holds men
In their action TO carry out the reconstruction mea
sures OF Congress- and to give suffrage to the negro
aud fully protect HIM In Its enjoyment. The very
fact That Louisiana has gone against him by 600
majority, whole parishes not giving him a single
vote under the reign Of terror which existed there
where thousands OF republican votes were thrown
before will impei him and the republican party TO do
this. The New York and Belmont democrats will get
some comfort from the financial policy TO which the
new administration is pledged. look to see the ac
ton OF the new administration radical upon all
points raised and settled py the war, but conserva
tive upon finance


RHRoRrER-What do you think, General will be
done by Congress I'm relation to those States where
there have been disorders In the late electiopsY


General BUTLER-I cannot doubt that In every
such case prompt and vigorous measures will be
taken 10 correct the evil as well In overrullng what
HI. aup occ IN