OCR Text |
Show Old Masters BEN BUTLER Dp C. C. G. A QUEER COMPOUND was Ben Butler. He loved his friends very dearly. If any one did not like him and was a little conspicuous in showing that dislike, it was a great joy to old Ben to fight him. He was born in Deerfield, N. H., November 5th, 1818. He became a great lawyer and was one of the foremost advocates in Boston for many years. In his practice he had a duel nature. When he thought the situation demanded it, he did not shrink from the tactics and manners man-ners of the police court lawyer, but no one could be more courteous and winsome than he, when opposed by learned and accomplished men of his profession. (He charged the rich larger fees, but ho tried gratis more cases for poor men than any other lawyer in Boston. From the first he was the sincere friend of the poor working man or woman. He had many lough ways, but hi? life was true and absolutely clean. When the great civil war burst upon the country he was given the commission of brigadier general of volunteers. He was sent to take and govern New Orleans. There he performed most conspicuous service. After the capture of the city, in a strictly military way he established order. For many years New Orleans had been swept annually by yellow fever. His soldiers were all northern men and naturally would be the chifest sufferers In case an epidemic came. He did not know the cause of the disease, but he did know the efficacy of cleanliness and fresh air. So he caused the city to be thoroughly cleaned, and caused a wide swath to be cut through some adjacent woods, which permitted the sea breeze to sweep unobstructed into and through the city. The very thing to blow away the mosquitoes that were the cause of the fever. He kent a close watch over the shipping that came into the river from foreign ports. One from a West India port had on board a man sick of the fever. Butler had the patient closely ounrantlned and when the man died had the bodv cremated and that was the only case of yellow fever in New Orleans that year. When General Butler first took possession of the city it was a habit with a certain clas of women to insult the officers when they met them bv spitting unon them, and by throwing slops from unner windows upon them. Old Ben went over the ordinances of the citv and found one especially framed for the punishment punish-ment of certain disorderly women. He then issued a military ordpr directing that anv woman who might insult a Union officer o pHriinr should bo arrested, and if nroven guilty, should be punished as prescribed by ordinance No. .. a pandemonium of wrath shook the city when this order was published, but the insults M stopped. H It is told that a delegation of furious women carried the order to Mrs. General 'Beauregard, H who was in the city, and cried, "What do you M think of that?" That iMrs. Beauregard read the M order and handing it back said: "What concern M should that bo to any lady?" That had a quiet- M ing effect on her visitors. When slave owners demanded the return o slaves that had entered his lines, he declared: M "They are contraband of war." General "Butler went up the river and fought the battle of Baton Rouge, which trained military M officers delcared was altogether a brilliant affair M in plan and execution. General iButler was called east, given a com- mand in Virginia, fought the battle of Big Bethel, M but his military career was not as brilliant in the M east as it had been in New Orleans. He lacked a military education and we suspect fl he was deficient in some of the elements necessary fl to make a great general. His fort was his admin- fl iterative ability. It was of the very highest class jH After the war he was governor of Massachusetts M and then for a term of years a senator of the M United States from Massachusetts. M It was a wrong time for him to be senator. The passions aroused by the war had not cooled M and his combattant side was always in evidence. M Then his was not the right nature to serve as a M legislator. His mind was purely administrative. fl Some millions of his country wanted to vote for him for president, and could he have been M elected to that office, there is no doubt but that H he would have been one of the most brilliant of H executives, for his judgment was perfect, his pa- H triotism all embracing. M His home life was perfect, and it was a de- light to those who had his confidence and friend- H ship to visit him, for his hospitality was bound- H less, his courtesy perfect, and then to bo with him H was a perpetual education to friends. He died of appoplexy in Washington. H |