Butler was censured by the House in 1870 for selling an appointment to the [[United States Military Academy]].<ref>McFadden, Robert D. (November 29, 2010). [https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/30/nyregion/30censure.html House Censure: Humbling to Some, but Not All]. ''The New York Times''. Archived version available [https://archive.md/aXI0g here]. Retrieved November 7, 2021.</ref> ''The New York Times'' had reported on July 30 that year:<ref>July 30, 1870. [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1870/07/31/83468664.pdf WASHINGTON.; Serious Charges Against a Congressman--The City Government Troubles--More Troops for North Carolina--The Alaska Seal Fisheries--Revenue Matters--Personal.]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved November 7, 2021.</ref>
Butler was censured by the House in 1870 for selling an appointment to the [[United States Military Academy]].<ref>McFadden, Robert D. (November 29, 2010). [https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/30/nyregion/30censure.html House Censure: Humbling to Some, but Not All]. ''The New York Times''. Archived version available [https://archive.md/aXI0g here]. Retrieved November 7, 2021.</ref> ''The New York Times'' had reported on July 30 that year:<ref>July 30, 1870. [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1870/07/31/83468664.pdf WASHINGTON.; Serious Charges Against a Congressman--The City Government Troubles--More Troops for North Carolina--The Alaska Seal Fisheries--Revenue Matters--Personal.]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved November 7, 2021.</ref>
{{cquote|There are serious charges pending before the Pension Office against Congressman RODERICK R. BUTLER, of Tennessee. A strong array of evidence has been brought to convict Mr. BUTLER of fraud, if not of forgery, in pension cases with which he has occupied himself. An officer is engaged in getting up the remaining facts on the case, and Mr. BUTLER is expected here on Wednesday to give some explanation of the affair, which seems likely to be made the subject of judicial investigation.|||''The New York Times'', July 30, 1870}}
{{cquote|There are serious charges pending before the Pension Office against Congressman RODERICK R. BUTLER, of Tennessee. A strong array of evidence has been brought to convict Mr. BUTLER of fraud, if not of forgery, in pension cases with which he has occupied himself. An officer is engaged in getting up the remaining facts on the case, and Mr. BUTLER is expected here on Wednesday to give some explanation of the affair, which seems likely to be made the subject of judicial investigation.|||''The New York Times'', July 30, 1870}}
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This occurred prior to the passage of the [[Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act]], which replaced the traditional [[spoils system]] with [[civil service system|civil service reform]]. Until the Pendleton Act passed, Republicans utilized the mechanisms of the spoils system via patronage to benefit their causes and safeguard the rights of newly freed blacks.