The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-05-30
Governor Andrew Of MassaChusetts,
Writes . Foolish Letter.

The radical abolition journalists have
been teemiDg with mysterious hints OF the
refusal of Governors of certain States to
raise more men for the prosecution Of the
war, unless HuNrERs emancipation order
was approved by the President. The
foundation of these rumors appears to
have been the following letter of Governor
ANDREW of Massachusetts to the Secretary
of War:
COMMONWEALTH OF MAssACHUsETTs,l
.ExECUTIvE DEPARTMENT.
Boston, May l9, 1882
Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War;
SIR: have this moment read telegram
in these words, viz.-"The Secretary of War
desires to kn ow how soon you can raise and
organize three or four more infantry regi.
ments, and have them ready to be forwarded
here to be armed and equipped. Please an.
swer Immediately and state the number you
can raise.
(Sgned) "L. THOMAS, Adjt. Gen."
call, sudden and unexpected, finds me
without materials for an intelligent reply. Our
young men are all pre-. occupied with other
views. Still if real call for three regiments
is made, l believe we can raise them in forty
days. The arms and equipments would need
to be furnished here. Our people have never
marched without them. They go into camp
while forming into regiments and are drilled
and practiced with arms and march as sol
diers. To attempt the other course, would be
to dampsn enthusiasm and make these men
feel that they were not soldiers but mob.
Again, if our people feel that they are going
into the South to help fight rebels who will
kill and destroy them by all means known to
savages as well as civilized men, who will de.
ceive them by fraudulent flags of truce and
lying pretences, as they did the Massachusetts,
| boys at Williamsburg, and will use their ne
gro slaves against them. both as laborers and
| fighting men, while they themselves must ne
| yer fire at the enemy's magazines, think
they will feel the draft is heavy on their patri-
otism; Tout if the president toM sustain Gen.
Hunterl recognize all men euen black men, as
legally capable of that loyalty the blacks are
waiting to manifest. and let them fight with
| God and human nature on their side, the roads
| will swarm, if need be, with multtudes whom
New England would pour out to obey your
| call. Always ready to do my utmost, l re.
main most faithfully your obedient servant.
(Signed) JOHN A. ANDREW.
Although the above letter cannot be con.
sidered as an absolute refusal to obey the
requisition of the President, yet it comes
very near such an act of disloyalty, and we
shall be much mistaken in the patriotism
Of the old Bay State if its sentiments are
cot almost unanimously repudiated BY the
press and the people.
When the time arrives that the Govern
ors of the several States shall dictate terms
upon which they will furnish troops for the
national defense, then the days of the Re
public are over. Massachusetts may die
tate today that unless the slaves are eman
ipated she will send no more troops, and
will recall those already in the field !; then
it will be just as proper for some other State
to declare that, unless the Government does
this, that, or some other tbiog, such State
will refuse to send troups to the war, or to
fight for the preservation and defense of
the Union. 1t IS full and complete justifi
cation of CLA1B JAcKsoN's and MAaoFF1N's
insolent messages to the President, that
Missouri ana Kentucky would furnish no
troops to fight the other Southern States,
and would be sufficient excuse for States,
counties and towns to refuse the payment of
taxes to put down the rebellion.
1t is part of the history OF the HUNTER
order, that it was concocted, in substance
by certain radical politicians, who received
printed slips of it from Port Royal, d,
rected 10 the hand writing of Gen. HUNTER
himself, while the President Of the United
States was compelled to issue proclama-
ton on the vague statement of its appear
ance in the newspapers 1t was trick
and trap to catch the President, and
these gentlemen boosted of his inability to
avoid the snare set for him, out they were
slightly mistaken, not only in Mr.. LlNcoLNs
force of character, but in his honesty and
directness Of purpose.
1t is not surprising that these defeated
tricksters are indignant, but the more of
factious opposition they display in regard
to the conduct of the war, and the louder
they howl out their imprecations on the
policy pursued by the President, SO much
stronger and heartier will be the support
which Mr.. LINCOLN will receive from the
great masses of the American people.
We are so we'll pleased with the remarks
Of the Cincinnati Commercial, a Republican
paper in regard to these malcontents, that
we give them place just here:
Senator Grimes, of Iowa, has had the
assurance to say, 10 his place in the Senate,
that he would not vote for the Tax Bill
until the President has more definitely laid
down his war policy. Mr.. Grimes wishes
to kcow what bis constituents are to be