Benjamnin F. Butler, Butler's Book: Autobiography and Personal Reminiscences of Major-General Benjamin Butler

[773] put off forever and ever. No longer should they be permitted to live on the land or even within the boundaries of the United States. Let them go to Mexico, to the islands of the sea, or some place that I do not care to name,--because I know no land bad enough to be cursed with their presence — but never to live here again.

At the close of my speech the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher was called upon to address the assemblage, which he did in his peculiar way, expressing high consideration for myself, and in the course of his remarks he named me as a possible candidate. for the presidency in 1868.

The proceedings were interlarded with toasts, and among others there was one by Gen. Prosper M. Wetmore of my possible candidature.

While all this was sufficiently laudatory, yet to me it was one of the most unhappy and unfortunate occurrences of my life, and it was my own fault that it was so. I only looked upon it as the effervescence of the champagne of the hour, and paid no attention to it as a sober announcement of such possible candidature. Otherwise I cannot account for my not having had wit or wisdom enough to interpose another little speech in which I could have taken the sting all out of it. I should have been wise enough to have said something in substance like this: Gentlemen, you honor me overmuch by your high consideration. The place you name is not due to me. You should have put forward, in my judgment, one whom I should feel honored to support — the lieutenant-general of the army who has carried us through the memorable events of the late campaign with such success and brilliancy and genius of effort--General Grant, who ought to be our next candidate for the presidency when Lincoln retires, and who no doubt will be called by a grateful country to that post.

If I had had brains enough to say that, the sting would have been taken out of the whole affair; nay more, I could have been put in command of the Army of the Potomac if I wished.