Letter From Major General Butler

Unitkd Statfs Steam Fbioatk Minneiota,) OïF CiCPI UaTTLBAS, AugUát 'SI, 181. ) I Lavo reccived your uoto, as well as those of inany otber of my truo friendo iu ■ Massachusots, asking my opinión about politieal qiiesiioba, and soine kiudly suggestiug my uaiao as a candidato tur Govfiniir at the (hsuh'g election. I reply to jou as reprosenting tbein all, beeauso our iutimacy will permit more fraukuoM than would seom moet towards thoso Ies8 closcly conuected. Aa I have state-d to you, and as I Lave publicly repeated sinco I left Lome, I left all politics, in a party seuse of tho term, bebiud me, and I now know no politics in any senso, save as represented by the question - bow best to preservo the Union and restore tbe country iu its j iutegrity. I'eaee is desirable to all, and to none more so than to tbe soldior wLo bas left Lis frienda and kis Lomo to do bis duty to bis couutry. ]ut bowever desirablo, it ia not to bo jpurebased upon any terms, save tbo recognitioii of tbe authcrity of tbe Federal government over cvory inch of tenitory whièh ever bclongcd to it. Upon uo conditiou wbatover, otLor tban tbis, would I consent to peace. A peaoe involving tbe, disintogration of the Uuion, or uutil the snpromacy of the goverument is forover establisbed, would be Bimply a declaration of perpetual war of sectiou8. Wero tbe SoutbsrnConfederacy today aoknowledged in the fullness of good faitli, two montlis would notelapge beforo causes of war would aiise, sufficient not only to justil'y but to demaud a reuewal of tbe conflict. No two montlis have assed, in the last ten jeara at least, in which outrages have not boen committed upon northern men in the South, which, ïad they been perpetrated by a foreign nation, would have demauded a redros of grievances, utider pain of a suspension of diplomatic relations. But we have borne these outrages because tbero was no tribunal to the arbitrameut of which we could Bubmit hom, and it was against the genius of mr peoplo to appeal to anus. 'J'bercfore i see witli pain upon the part of some of bose'with wbotu I have actcd in political orgauizatious, a disposition to advocate teaceful settleuients wherein tLere can je no puace. Therefore, this war must go on, not for tbo purpeso of subjugatiou - but if those who have commeneed it mug u[ion themsehes tbat cond'ition as an iiicideht, it will ouly be anotber iüus,ration of the fruit of sowing tbe wind. liesides these there are no othor politics. Ou the matter of tho uoiuination, I canuot consent that rny name sball be used by any party. Wkile on some things, as you are aware, I do not agreo upon the principies upon which both the State and the natioual aduiinistrations were inaugurated, yet we are a long way past tbat. Tho república party, baring won a political victory, both iu the State and in tbe iiation, iseutitled to tbe patriotio endeavor of every man to give it a i fair trial in the admiuktratiou of the goverumeut, and in that, it sbould, as it does, take the lead iu official positions. And now thero is left notbing for us to contend against, save any corruption, iuéfficieney or iuipropriety of tration, whicb, I doubt not, would at once be rebuktd by republicana as well as by demócrata. But as far as regarda the personnel of udministration iu tho State, I lielieve Governor Andrew has eudcavorcd faithf'ully, zealously and efficiontly to put our Coimnonwcalth on tbe side of tlio uatiou, acd to sustain tlie Union. I, thcrefure, for oue, would not desire to see a change in the Executivo, alt' ough I doubt nut the peoplo will demaud changos ia Bbme of the tuiuor offices. I do not say tliat I would vote for Goycnior Andrevy, but were I at homo I would not vote nguinst hirn. Let it be understood that without distinction of party, and without raising party issues, all men who love the Union are deterinined to stand by it and the country, until this rebellion slmll be quelled, and theu we rnay horeafter divido as we ploaso upon the minor differenccs of administration of govcrnment. To you, my dear friond, I urge no justification for this course. You will appreciate it for you are aware of the sacrifico, bolh of fecling and position, I made a ycar ago. in tlie earncst endeavor to save the country from this cahimity, which I then partly foreaaw, aud acting in the best light I had, ondeavored to prevent. And I am rcady to malte a like sacrifico now to rcpeal tlint which I then sought to avert, I need to thank you and others of rny friunds for this, among other kindncsaoa you have shown me.