Ben Butler

The suddfst words of tongue or peo, Are those wtiiuh say: We might liave Ben. This was the refraiu of three of our young citizens who went to Detroit Monday evening to liear the "cock-eyed son of destiny" teil the workingineii what is the matter with them. Au immense mob had gathered in one of the parks, drawn there mainly by curiosity to see one of the unique characters of the age. They saw liim; they heard him; thejr will not forget him. For, like Richard III., he was- "Not shaped for sportlre tricks. Nor made tocourt au arnorous looking glass." With a roiy-poly body, sliort,weak little legs, a head which would take a Xo. 10 hat, bald all over the crown and a little giay f ringe of hair from ear to ear around the back of his head, great heavy eye-lids which would take muscle to lift tliem and which lie In folds almost over his eyes, plalnly diessed In black - the figure fiom tlie many caricatures we had seen was unmistakable. It wa9 the great and only Ben. He bas a good voice and distinct utterance ; speaking with einpliasis and without eloquence. As a character he seems to be on the stump wbat Beecher is in the pulpit - iinique, fresh in ideas, inconsistent in theory and practice, a player upon words to capture the unthinking, holding enough of truth to make demagogism plausible, egotisticand ambitious, noble and innoble, to be admired and to be despised. He has no inconsiderable following among the workingmeu whoseconfidence curiously enough he has gained by his pretensions of interest for tlieir welfare. He tells tliem he is an anti-monopolist. Vet he owns a large portiou of the stock of the only uiauufactory in this country which makes bunting. He tells theni to hate the rich. Yet be himself is a milhonaire. He tells them the railroads grind them. Yet he owns one himself. He gives strong reasons fora heavy tariif. Yet he advocates a low one. He tells them he is their friend. Yet no one can teil what he has done for them, but talk. He loves them. Yet his eye is "cocked'' for their votes, not tlioir hardsliips. He is a citizen of the republic. Yet he endeavors to incite other citizens to disconlent, to uprising and to Hot. How can we characterize n man with sucli principies anti such a contradictory character f