Kicking the dead lion — a Joke on Butler.
On the 8th of November,
General Butler sat in New York — an Emperor in power; to-day there are none so poor as to do him reverence.
Even the fools of the New York Legislature are jingling their bells around the carcass of the dead lion, irreverently handling the paws which, in life, wrote so many prison orders for women and transferred so many bank deposits to the United States (?) Treasury.
A correspondent of the New York
Tribune, writing from
Albany, says:
‘
The first political flurry of the session occurred in the Assembly this morning, when the Senate resolutions complimentary to
Grant,
Sherman,
Farragut and other victorious leaders of the
Union forces came up for consideration.
Mr. Macdonald, one of the New York city Democratic representatives, moved a mock amendment complimentary to
General Butler for his distinguished services at
Fort Fisher and the
Dutch Gap canal.
The gauntlet thus thrown down was at once taken up, and
Mr. Van Buren, of New York, spoke eloquently in eulogy of
General Butler, claiming that he had rendered infinite service to the cause of the country by his military administration of the city of
New Orleans, and by his services in preserving the peace of New York city during the week of the Presidential election.
’
Mr. Creamer, of New York, replied in behalf of his constituents, and with much warmth repudiated the idea that the
Democratic masses of the city had any thought of breaking the peace or doing anything else that was wrong, and denying that the good order of the city on the occasion referred to was in any degree due to the presence of
General Butler.--The Assembly finally voted, under the previous question, to strike out the amendment referring to
General Butler, and the resolutions were then adopted, just as they came from the Senate, unanimously, except that
Mr. Keegan, one of the New York delegation, and the individual who distinguished himself last week by his attempt to carry through the
House the resolutions eulogistic of
ex-Governor Seymour, voted in the negative.
This young man is understood to be an
eleven of the New York
Express office, and the peculiar brilliancy of his legislative talents would certainly indicate an equally distinguished origin.
Several of the
Democratic members were absent when the vote was taken.
A new resolution was then drawn and submitted by
Mr. Angell, complimenting
General Butler, and this lies over until next week.
The effect of this little breeze has been salutary; hitherto the opposition have displayed an amount of meekness, and symptoms of dissension among the majority have naturally exhibited themselves, but the result of the discussion to-day has been to show that there is a common enemy, who watches incessantly for every advantage, and to whom the majority must constantly present a firm and united front.
The smallness of the majority against the
Speaker, yesterday, upon the appeal, has disappointed those who sought to overrule him on the question of the committees, as, in addition to the malcontents, who voted in a body against the
Speaker, a very considerable number of those who were friendly to him joined unwillingly in the adverse vote.
The contemplated movement against him will, it is now thought, be abandoned.
The Yankees on slavery.
The debates in the
Yankee Congress on the abolition of slavery by an amendment to the
Constitution are drawing to a close.
In the last proceedings, we find the following:
‘
Mr. Rollins (
Missouri) said, at the last session he voted against the proposed amendment, but when the question shall again be taken, he intended to record his name in the affirmative.
He had changed his views with reference to the expediency of the measure, and was satisfied with the reasons which had induced him to reach such a conclusion.
He entertained the same opinions of the rebellion now which he always had, and that there was not a shadow of pretext for the infamous and disastrous conduct on the part of the
South.
Nevertheless, he believed that there had not been exhibited a sufficient willingness to extend conciliation to the masses who have been misled and betrayed by their leaders.
If he could preserve the Constitution and Union by preserving the
status of slavery, he would do it. He would go further, and save them, even if it were necessary to extend slavery.
He would, in the language of the
President, either partially or altogether destroy slavery to accomplish this purpose; and it was simply because he believed the amendment, if adopted, would serve that patriotic end that he should vote for it. He argued that Congress has the power to propose the amendment to the
Constitution, and yielded to the public sentiment of
Missouri in abolishing slavery.
We can never have a peace until we, in some way, dispose of that institution.
He expressed the opinion that in less than two years
Kentucky, too, will be a free State, and will abolish slavery without compensation.
Mr. Rollins was applauded at the conclusion of his remarks, which extended over two hours.
’
Mr. Garfield alluded to the progress of emancipation.
Slavery was first driven from the territories, and then its kingdom of the States was shaken to its foundation, and one by one its corner-stones were being removed.
His colleague (
Pendleton) had, however, found a new resting place for slavery — namely, where the great statue of liberty was enshrined; but no spot was so sacred that slavery could not be pursued to the altar, and there slain.
The argument of his colleague were good if it were true, that the States were sovereign and independent.
This he controverted; and if they were sovereign and independent, they were not so now. Coming into the
Union, the obligation once taken, rendered them an indivisible nation.
Mr. Stevens said the gentleman from
Ohio (
Pendleton) had exonerated those in arms in the rebel States from responsibility for this bloody war and placed it upon himself (
Stevens) and those who acted with him. This was a grievous charge if true, and should make them feel not only regret, but remorse, for their conduct.
He thanked God that his long entertained hatred of slavery had not been weakened by enfeebling age. The party with which he had acted could not hesitate to do what duty required, viz: to exclude slavery from the territories, confining it to the spot which it already polluted in the States.
He had hoped that the great evil would work its own destruction.
But none with whom he had acted had proposed a violation of the
Constitution for eradicating slavery.
He said the epitaph of the gentleman from
Ohio would be: "Here rests the ablest and most pertinacious defender of slavery and opponent of liberty of his party;" while his own (
Stevens) would be: "Here lies one who never rose to any eminence, and only courted the low ambition to have it said that he sought to ameliorate the condition of the poor and down-trodden of every language, race and color."
Miscellaneous.
Daniel S. Norton, (Union,) of
Winona county, has been elected
United States Senator from
Minnesota, to succeed
Morton S. Wilkinson, and serve for six years from the 4th of March next.
General James H. Lane, (Union,) has been re-elected to the United States Senate from
Kansas for six years from March 4th.
Bishop Thomas C. Brownwell, of
Connecticut, presiding
Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in
America, died at his residence in
Hartford,
Connecticut on Friday morning, in the eighty-sixth year of his age.
Reports from
Mexico state that the
Republican army, under
Porfirio Dias, had gained a splendid victory over the Imperialists, and that Arteaga was besieging the city of
Morelia, compelling, by this investment, the Imperialists to evacuate the whole State of Jalisco.
Insurrectionary movements are said to be greatly on the increase.
The following-named officers have been promoted by the
President to be brevet brigadier-generals in the regular army for meritorious and faithful services:
Colonel Satherlee,
Colonel Shears,
Major Easton,
Colonel E. D. Townsend,
Colonel Hoffman,
Brevet Colonel Vinton,
Brevet Colonel Vanvliet,
Brevet Colonel Rufus Ingalls,
Colonel Schriever,
Brevet Colonel Brice and
Colonel George Wright.
The
Tribune announces the release of its correspondent from prison in the
Confederacy, and publishes the following telegram from him: "
Knoxville, Friday, January 13, 1865.--Out of the jaws of death; out of the gates of hell.--
Albert D. Richardson."
Thomas is as good at repeating as at inventing a falsehood.
He now officially announces
Hood's losses in the
Tennessee campaign at one
lieutenant-general, eighteen
general officers, seventy pieces of artillery, and thirteen thousand men.
