Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-08-07

as propriety Of military action.
am, Sir, your obcdient servant,
BENJAMIN F. BUTLER.
Letter from Minister Harvey.
Hon. J. &. Harvey writer Secretary Cam
eron on the subject ofthenhass"s0r uisiUyrA''y I
oirculated against him in this county
The letter is dated Lisbon, Portugal, July
4th, and, after reeouutiug some minor details
In regard to his acts, makes the following !
statement
aSince, however, | rely upon you to see
Justice done me, and the pressure Of public
affairs may have displaced some Of the
material facts in your mind, propose to
tccite them briefly for that purpose. You
we're promptly informed Of the communlca-
tons which passed between Mr.. Magrath and
myself and Of the considerations which led
70 them. never had directly or indirectly,
a line of correspondence with him except
what you have seen in the telegraphs referred
to. He was a schoolmate of mine, and an
old friend. hsd good reason TO believe
that he was averse TO a collision, aud would
do everything to prevent It by personal and
other influence. You must remember per-
tctly well how all the information at the
time took this part threatened daily attack
on Fort Sumter by the so-called Confederate
army, which all good men ia Washington and
Charleston desired to prevent. When II
was considered settled that Major Anderson
would be withdrawn, telegrapbed the fact
to Mr.. Pettigrew, Mr.. Magrath, and Others.
Il 81 10 kn Hhn
impending calamity Of bloodshed, and to
postpone, at least the Inauguration of civil
war. A few days elapsed, and he was not
withdrawn, when Mr.. Magrsth inquired Of
me If my previous information was correct
I carried his dispatch to you at Willard
Hotel, informing you, at the same time, OF
my telegraph to him. You suggested that
should take it to Mr.. Sewsrd, which I did,
at the Department of State, and in reply to
my question, What answer should send to
to Charleston he said, substantially, That
time would vindicate my previous assurance
returned, stated what had occurred, and you
then informed me tha, Major Anderson would
be Withdrawn.
al tslegraphed Mr.. Magrath accordingly,
without giving any authority but my own,
and felt glad at being the medium Ofacom-
municati N which l then thought would
preserve the peace, and give misguided men
a chance to retrace their steps. 1t was then
or soon after reported that the authorities in
South Carolina would not consent to the vol
untary withdrawal Of Maj. Anderson, but
would demand formal capitulation. Know
ing that such a concession never could and
never ought to be made by the Government
and fearing it might interrupt the peaceable
retirement of Major Anderson, l stated the
rumor by telegraph to Mr.. Msgrath, asking
lift were true, and saying, # 1t was, the
friends of peace would be rendered power
| less!
q he sent me an authorized ana decided as
surance to the contrary. l sought you i'm
mcdiately at the War Department, and sub
mitted the dispatch. It made so much impress
sion on your mind thai you requested nae to
take It itforthwith 10 the President, and gave
me a note to him, which / still retain, to
facilitate my admission in case of delay. l
informed the President hastily ol all the
antecedent circumstances which eliminated
in that dispatch, and be proposed to retain it,
as the subject was still undetermined in his
mind, in order to have the information before
him with the other papers. | consented,
aud leftit.
aYou know better than do what causes
led TO the change Of purpose in regard to Maj.
Anderson withdrawal. Upto the last hour,
labored, aud hoped to avoid collision at
Fort Sumter, and believe conscientously it
would have been saved but for the rash
precipitancy OF the advisers about Mr.. Jetf
Davis. If the authorities OF South Carolina
alone had been consulted, | feel sure there
would have been no attack, and think the
reinforcements could have been entered =
Tie reasons for this opinion would require
too much space to be set forth fully, and
therefore / state it broadly as a CONJUNCTION
resulting from various forms of information.
The men who were willing to have such a
result accomplished were ignored by the
dominating spirits at Montgomery, who
forced forward state Of things that produced
the present crisis, which, though lamentable
in many respects, is perhaps fortunate finale
to the previous caapter of events, since 1t
has stirred the popular heart with one
mighty impulse, and brought all parties to
see the necessity of sustaining the Govern
ment, and of upholding the integrity of the
Consultation and the Union.
"MY whole action in this matter was
voluntary, and inspired by sense OF the
highest and best patriotism. can appeal
to God, honestly and fearlessly, for the recti-
! tude Of my intentions as for their perfect
purity and disinterestedness. And when we
all meet before the bar of Eternal Justice,
and our hearts are exposed, Ihave an abiding
trust that the one act of my life which viii
plead most successfully for mercy and the
forgiveness of many errors and infrmities, will
be that which has so unjustly provoked this
cruel calumny. shall not indulge in
elimination, or permit my natural feelings
of Indignation against such an outrage to
find expression now. Indeed it has saddened
me too deeply for any such emotion, and l
fear almost toreeeive my next letters, dreae-
ing the effect which may have been pro-
duced on those who are nearest and dearest
to me, but who are less able to bear up
"a -.,oL -, s,Q;otfov, ~