Perhaps the most dangerous attack upon the purity of the Government was the attempt of General Butler to get possession of the political power in Massachusetts, and ultimately that of the country.

What I was able to do to resist and baffle that attempt is the most considerable part of the public service of my life, if it has been of any public service.
I shall speak of each of these a little more fully.
The responsibility for three of these, I regret to say, rested upon Massachusetts men, members of the Republican Party.

The Union Pacific Railroad Company and the Credit Mobilier were made up largely of prominent Massachusetts men for whom General Butler acted as counsel.

When Mr.Ames was on trial before the House of Representatives General Butler, then a member of the House, appeared as a member and took part and made the extraordinary statement to the House that he was there as counsel for Mr.Ames.
Sanborn, who made the contracts, was a Massachusetts man.
His profits were used largely in affecting elections in Massachusetts.
The Treasury officials who were in fault, whether through carelessness or corruption, were Massachusetts men, and the arch contriver of the scheme was a Massachusetts man.
Yet the lesson which these things have taught me is that the American statesman who believes that the doctrines of his party are sound should never abandon his principles or quit political life because of its corruption.

Let him never for any political advantage support or tolerate a corrupt man, or vote for a corrupt candidate.