A Brave Soldier's Views

Among the poople cf Berkshirè cctunty thore ia perhaps uo one whose sentiment on jfolitical topics are entitled to greater weight than are those of Geu. Bartlett. His gallant BerTicoB during the war and his wide rcputatiou as an able, conscientious and uprigbt citizrn Bince the surreuder at Appomattox have secured for him a warm place in the hoarts of his oountrymen. Oen. Bartlett Iibb been welllmown hitherto as belonging to that large clasB of independent voten, and that these people may know the nontimente of 80 distingtdshed a momber of their ranks, I am kindly pennitted to uiako public the substance of a brief interview which I had with the Qeneral today. "I have no besitation in aaying that 1 am earnestly and heartily in favor of the election of Tilden and Hendricka," said Oen. Bartlett, in answor to a queatiou aa tohiu position in the present campaign. ' ' I think that the early prosperity and welfare of the country are entirely depeudent on their encceas." ' ' Do you think yon expresa the sentiment of the daas of voters to which you belong ï' ] aaked. " Whother they are the sentiments of a maJority of the independent voters of the couutn I am not able te aay," replied Oen. Bartlett, " but they seem to be entirely consistent with what I regard as the platform of the Indepen dent Reformers, namely, the I'ifth Avenue Address. I entirely agree with Parko Oodwin in iiis interpretation of that addresg. Mr. Hayes may be a very respectablo gentleman, but, in my opinión, he is nevertheleas tho man describod in the addreas as ' the man who onght notto benominateoVwhileGov. Tilden appoars tome tobe exactly the kind of a man which the addreeH described as the man who ought to be nominated. Aa Oovenior of New York ho has shown that he poiiBesaea both the abilitv and the courage to instituto and can y out tbe ref orms which are o mucli needod in the adminiatration of the national Government, and which the people bo earnestly desire. To quote the address : ' His capacity and courage for the work of roform are mattera of record rathcr tban of promise.' " "Thenyou have no faith in the promises made by Gov. Hayos in hia letter of accoptanoe?" "Gov. Ilayes may meau well enougb, but look at the men who are supporting him ! Does anybody auppose that on the event of his election Gov. Hayea is going to say to Mr. Blaine, Mr. Chandler, Mr. Morton, Mr. Conkling, Oen. Butler, and the reet of them, ' You are the men who have brought the country into diegrace,1 and then turn his back upon them ? Such a aupposition is absurd upon the faco of it. Look at Gen. Kilpatrick'a letter to Gov. Hayea. That shows the kind of men who are supporting the Republican candidatos. I regard tbat letter as eimply infamous, and if it can bo ahown that Gov. Hayes received the letter without donounciug its autlior opeuly at once, it ought to dofeat him by itelf." "Beinga soldier, yourself, General, what is your opinión of Gen. Dix's circular calling for the organization of the ' Boys in Bluo ' to cid in tho election of Gov. Uayea ?" "That circular," replied the Oenend, forcibly, t;is simpty infamous, and it will iiurt Gov. Hayos and hia canse far more than it can help him. I am confident that the soldiera who carried a muskot in tho army will not be influencod by any such appeals. The war is over, and what the ountry wants is peaco and good fceling throughout all sectioné. . I notice, by the way, contiaued Oen. Bartlett, "that some of my independent frienda, inciuding Cari Bcliurz, who joined the Liberal party ia 1872 and cordially aupported Mr. Groeley, now attempt to explain their opposition to Mr. Tilden by stating that they foar the intluence of the 'ex-Coufederatea' in caso Mr. Tilden is elected. Now the abaurdity of thia excuse appears when it ia suggeated that they dia cot entertain those feara in 1872, when they obtaincd in a ♦enfold prepai jou to what thoy do now." Il further conversation, Gen. Bartlett exprèssed himaelf diaappointed at the attitude taken by such men aa Hou. Cari Schurz and Briatow in the preaent campaign. Ho did not aoo how it was possible for them to overlook the influencea which were at work for Gov. Ilayes, and having observed them, they could scarcoly f ail to aee what the roault of such influonces would be on Gov. Hayea' administratration. In conclusión, the General epoke in terma of hlghent praiae of Gov. Tilden's roform record, and of his noble and atateamanlike qualities. He was satisüed in his own mind that Gov. Tilden was an oarnest eympathizer with the canso of the Union during the war, and the attompta of the Republicans to prove that ho waa anything elao only showed in what desperate straits they wore placed. He buspected that the Republicana veré conacioua of the inferiority of Gov. Hayea as a reform cancidate, and they were trying to dodge that paramount issue by appeáling to the old war feeling. Gen. Bartlott'a long silence on the politica] (luestions of tho day, it should be stated, are entirely due to his ill-health. The terrible wounda he received in tho war, which left him with but ono leg,ehattered hia health greatly,aud latterly, by over-exertion in business, ho hns brought himeelf down to a sick bed. Ho ia now able to take a short rido during each day, and ho is allowed to converse a few momenta with visitors, bnt beyond this ho has to be kept very quict. Gen. Bartlett hopos to be able to write a letter more fully defining hia position shortly, but excepting thia he wül uot be able to tako auy part in the campaign. His physicianB havo. peremptorily ordered him to avoid uil political excitement aa the ono condition of his early recovory, and he will of eourao abide by their decisión.