Year: 1873

political anatomy. This detracts from the genuine
ness OF its praise OF Washburn and resolves the
bad mamie has got a bad eyer 1t is equally dis
ingenious In another respect-the only respect in
nation principle "For the first time m our party
history, 1t says ian attempt Is made to overturn
an existing republican administration in Massa-
bitiOn, Notwithstanding lit has been usual to
tain In office for three years at least Gov
ernor whom the republican party had chosen"
as in "the precedents with Banks and Andrew and
Bullock and Clafiin." The disingenuOusness OF
this proposition consists in the facts that when
Butler made his famous contest at Worcester two
years ago u was understood that it was war to
the knife. and the sgners OF the Hamilton Hall
address knew that the contest was only suspended
last year as the result OF a bargain between Gen.
eral Butler and the dynasty in whose behalf they
speak that the field was to clear this time in return
for Buffers undivided support OF the party in the
Presidential canvass. Butler was Outwitted and be-
trayed, at which people generally will laugh, as
him: hut the fact remains that poIiticlans Of all
classes in Massachusetts are capable OF making
unworthy bargains and breaking them as soon as
And, worse than this, it proves that tae New Eng
land Brahpins, like the priests Of the older
Blahma-a god whom the Yankee poets SO fre-
quenty address-are no better than they ought to
songs to Brahma.


BUTLER AND wAsHBuRN


do not intend drawing q parallel between the
two men who are handicapped Tor the race at WOr-
cester. Both are well known to the country, both
were long in Congress together, and both are IN
timately connected with the politics OF this State
Butler Is the more famous, and Washburn the more
abused and thoroughly hated, both in and out OF
Massachusetts,, than any politician IN the country;
breath OF scandal. The one, bold vigorous and
aggressive, has gained little but evil lame; the
other. slow, plodding and dependent, has reaped
only good repute. am not disposed in this letter
to award condemnation or praise to either. All
have attempted or shall attempt Is to show
the relations Of each to men ana par
ties. So far as personal ambition is concerned
l suppose 1t Is attributable alike to both. Few
men refuse to be Governors or Presidents whe
they see the way TO these responsible stations
opening before them. Consequently the allusiOn
to "One mans personal ambition" in the Hamilton
ana tne common people upon whom ne must
depent for preferment. Washburn IL for himself
and and the dynasty which M made and Is seeking 70
cides between them and they must stand or fall by
that decision. Apart from the alleged demerits Of
the one and the proclaimed merits OF the other
points on which my readers would not thank me
Tor eXpanding-this Is all there is to the contest
i means that the old blood or the new shall rule
Massachusetts-that the future shall be opened or
nothing more.


THE CANDIDATES AND THEIR SUPPORTERS.


have already treated at sufficient length Of the
candidates, and to q considerable extent OF the
men who are Washburn's leading supporters. The
political prominence of the Hoars ana other mem-
bers OF the old whig dynasty makes it compara-
lively easy to pick them out and portray them.
their great-grandfathers always ruled Massachu-
setts These things are not true of the Butler
champions The Butler delegations come from the
fields and the factories and the workshops Fig
urativey speaking, as well as actually, they are
from the iadlng slopes OF Beacon Hill. Few of
them share in the blue blood of New England few
OF them have ever seen the magnificent parlors OF
the rich, and very few Of them have ever touched
the embroidered garments of the BIahmln caste.
ventice as described the signers OF the Hamilton
Hall address, as could describe thousand others
among Washburn's friends, for nobody knows them
or knows aught concerning them, except that they
are the hard-handed men OF Athens-Nick Bottom
tue H1et weayer and Peter Ounce the carpenter and
These things, and indeed all things else in Massa
chusetts illustrate that the battle is now betwee
the high arlstocracy and the real democracy, and
am tempted to believe that Butler himself is the
modern Bottom, willing to play all the parts, and
far outrlvalng the poor wit OF the Duke and his
retainers. AT the same time must not forget to
remark that tue men of national reputation in this
State--Sumner and Wilson and Banks and q few
others-are neutral in this contest. Sumner has
been spending the summer on the beach with Long
fellow, talking poetry rather than politics. Wilson
is nursing himself after the severe strain Of the
late campaign upon his constitution. Banks spends
the greater part OF his time in and about Town !;
You can find him at the Parker House almost any
day. wrapped in the mantle OF his own originality,
and without political suggestion in his Uranium.
This canvass is one of work, and very dirty work,
and it IS left to those who like it, Judge HOar de-
scribed by Lowell rs man


Who covers with his hat


More wit an gumpton an shrevd Yankee


Than there is moses an old stone fence,


is the only representative OF the literary set.
These fine people do all their work against Butler
with their tongues, and they certainly do not de-
scribe him as well bred, witty virtuous and every
bOdy's cousin. But while every Bohemian who Is
real Bohemian is vigorously talking Butler down,
there remains the singular fact that among all the
hubbub, Sumner and the really eminent men OF
the State are indifferent. 1t is likely that little
Importance is to be attached to their neutrality;
1t may be the result OF sheer disgust with politics;
but, II it has any significance at all, it is an omen
favorable to Butler.


THE ISSUES OF THE CANVASS.


1t may be fairly assumed at the outset that there
are no national issues in this canvass. There Is
rather than national question: Both q acsions
are excessively loyal to the administration and
neither can see any possible improvement on Gen
eral Grants policy. There Is some talk on questions
OF local interest," but this is only intended to hurt
Mr.. Butler. After the Worcester Conven tion there
only real question is the choice Of a candidate But
the manner in which this question IL handled just
now Is exceedingly funny. l have heard it talked
about by hundred people in the last two days.
could not even help overhearing 1t talked about.
On the part Of Mr.. Buffers friends political discus
sion takes the form OF profound admiration OF
the general Mephistopheiian character:stcs and
all and ready approval and endorsement OF every
public act OF his life. What Is better to him than
this Quixotic devotion Ia the loudly expressed de-
termination OF his supporters to get them fellows
out" and the TACT already stated that the masses
refuse to believe any OF the stories concerning him.
On the part OF his enemies he is denounced with a
rancOr that exceeds belief-a rancOr viler and
more bitter even than that which dsgraced both
sides In the recent Presidential canvass How
men OF culture and social position can degrade
themselves and American politics 1t is diffcult to
understand, especially when 1t Is only done TO keep
Washburn In and Butler out The more humorous
element to which l referred just now is the pre-
tence Of both sides, ana particularly or the Brah
min Office seekers, that they do not want office.
They are like Decimus Roach in "Kenelm Chill
lingly," who, having determined to get married.
alter advocating celibacy as the nearest approach
to the angels" wanted it distinctly understood
that his contemplated change in condition was not
from any motives OF sefgratincati0n. The Massa-
chusetts bahmns do not 90 SO far perhaps but
having long regarded ofliceholding as the nearest
approach to the angels now that they see q
probability OF losing place and power, they want
1t distinctly understood that they do not seek office
from motives Of selfgratifcation. Butler, on the
other hand, boldly avows that he does want ofnce,
and his personal ambitionr Is, In consequence
his most painful crime. A canvass conducted by
means 30 ignoble and under DISCUSSES so thin
would be disgraceful to any State, but 1t is douby
disgraceful to Mass sachusetts.


BACK PAY.


The most forcible argument that is urged against
General Butler Is his support OF the retroactive
clause IN the Salary Grab bill This Is measure
about which there are scarcely two opinions among
honest men. IL is almost universally conceded TO
be indeiensible. But in times OF general political
nto ~ kt tod ka