as next after the schism in Congress between
the Democratic factions led respectively by Carlisle and Randall,
Carlisle having been chosen Speaker of the House over Randall.

Converse, of Ohio, appeared in the Platform Committee representing
Randall, and Morrison, of Illinois, and myself, representing Carlisle.
I was bent upon making Morrison chairman of the committee. But it
was agreed that the chairmanship should be held in abeyance until the
platform had been formulated and adopted. The subcommittee to whom the
task was delegated sat fifty-one hours without a break before its
work was completed. Then Morrison was named chairman. It was arranged
thereafter between Converse, Morrison and myself that when the agreed
report was made, Converse and I should have each what time he required
to say what was desired in explanation, I to close the debate and move
the previous question. At this point General Butler sidled up. "Where do
I come in?" he asked.

"You don't get in at all, you blasted old sinner," said Morrison.

"I have scriptural warrant," General Butler said. "Thou shalt not muzzle
the ox that treadeth the corn."

"All right, old man," said Morrison, good-humoredly, "take all the time
you want."

In his speech before the convention General Butler was not at his
happiest, and in closing he gave me a particularly good opening. "If you
adopt this platform of my friend Watterson," he said, "God may help you,
but I can't."

I was standing by his side, and, it being my turn, he made way for me,
and I said: "During the last few days and nights of agreeable, though
rather irksome, intercourse, I have learned to love General Butler, but
I must declare that in an option between him and the Almighty I have a
prejudice in favor of God."

In his personal intercourse, General Butler was the most genial of men.
The subcommittee in charge of the preparation of a platform held
its meetings in the drawing-room of his hotel apartment, and he had
constituted himself our host as well as our colleague. I had not
previously met him. It was not long after we came together before he
began to call me by my Christian name. At one stage of the proceedings
when by substituting one word for another it looked as though we might
reach an agreement, he said to me: "Henry, what is the difference
between 'exclusively for public purposes' and 'a tariff for revenue
only'?"

"I know of none," I answered.

"Do you think that the committee ha