The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-08-19
GENERAL BUELL..
Why he Retired from the Army,
His VIEWS on the Present Policy Of
the War.

From the Philadelphia Age, Aug. 6.
We need not call the attention Of our readers
to the letter Of Major General BUELL., which
we publish below. This letter was addressed
to friend, by whose permission we print it:
RKDP1ErD SPRINGS, July 10, 1864.
DEAR SIR The public have seen no official
announcement of the fact-thOugh it is no
doubt by this time very generally knOwn-that
have resigned my commission in the army.
have several times since been assured that my
personal friends, and many who are without
the claim of personal acquaintance have taken
an interest in my official career, feel that some
explanation of the circumstances and motives
Of my action is due to them. Accepting this
claim upon me have already answered some
of my friends in substance as do you now.
1t is perhaps unnecessary to enter into an ex.
position of the circumstances Ofmy supersedure
in Tennessee in the fall of 1862, since the par
ticulars, though not without q certain value,
involve interests of my own with which it is
not my wish to weary you. As far as facts are
concerned it will suffice for the present to say,
that after the adjournment, about the 1st OF
May, 1868, of the Commission which inves-
tigated my campaign, my correspondence with
the Department was confined to a monthly re-
port made to the Adjutant General that was
waiting the action OF the War Department on
the proceedings of that Commission; that the
first week of April last, was offered command
under Gen. Sherman, my junior, which l de-
clined that about three weeks later l received
notification that l was mustered out of nv
rank as Major General of Volunteers, and that
on the same day sent in my resignation as
Colonel in the Adjutant Generals department
of the Regular Army.
The impulses of most men would approve
my course in this matter, if it even rested on
no other ground than determination not to
acuuiesce in any measure that would degrade
me but had higher motive than that.
believed that the policy and means with which
the war was being prosecuted were alike dis
creditable to the nation, and stain upon civ
ilization: and that they would not only fail to
restore the Union, if indeed they had not al
ready rendered its restoration impossible, but
that their tendency was to subvert the institu-
tions under which the country had realized
unexampled prosperity aud happiness; and to
such work could not lend my hand.
While there may have been more or less of
personal ambition mixed up in the movement
of secession, as there must generally be in the
management of political affairs, yet do not
doubt that it was mainly determined by an
honest conviction in the minds of those who
engaged in it, that the control of the govern.
ment had passed permanently into the hands of
sectional party which would soon trample on
the political rights of the South. The appre-
hension was shared in by a very large portion
OI Tue pCOpI6 WIZ uot lawn oCCCSclOL. 30O
who were anxious for the reservation of the
Union that even cOersivc measures, if tenn
pered by justice and mercy, would not have
estranged them. Under these circumstances
the use of military force to put down armed
resistance was not incompatible with restOra-
ton of the Union with its former glories and
affections, provided the means employed in
such manner as to convince the people that
their constitutional rights would be respected.
Such policy, therefore, in the use of force i,
force must be resOrted to, had the manifest
advantage of weakening the power of the re-
belliOn, and strengthening the government,
nifty and justice always lend to authority.
A policy which recognized these principles
was wisely declared by Congress in the begin
ming of the war and from fervent desire for
the preservation of the Union. In which pride
of country and all my interests as a citizen Gen.
tered, not less than from NATURAL impulse I
gave that policy my earnest support. Unfor-
tunately it was too often cheated of its due eff
feet by the intrusion of sectional rancor and
the iniudiciOus or unfaithful acts of agents of
the government: and when at the expiration
of year, q system of Acknowledgement and spo-
liatiOn was inaugurated, the cause was robbed
of it's sanctity and success rendered more diff
emit of attainment.
You have, in the few lines, an explanation of
the motives of my conduct while was in com
mand. as we'll as of the step which, after
twenty-three years of service, has closed my
career as soldier, and broken up the profess
sional habits and associations to which W -