The Xenia sentinel. [volume] (Xenia [Ohio]) 1863-186?, 1864-04-26
How General Butler Administers
Justice at FO- tFeSS Monroe.

Fortress Monroe correspondent Of the
Boston journal gives this sketch Of General
Buffers operations:
With loyal men General Butler is very pop
ular If he is rough, severe and Unamiable,
it is only with those who show regard for
our Government while they are traitors at
heart. He has faculty of unmaskiHg these
hypocrites, and for them he has no favors.
lie holds court in primitive style. The doors
of his Office stand wide open. As in the time
of Solomon, all who have a cause bring it di-
reetly to his presence; he decides it al once
The Pool of Sloan had not more variegat-
ed patronage than can be seen around the
headouarters of General Butler. Cases of
assault and battery, poor cOIored women
wronged by their landlords, pretty broIs par
ties seeking to be free from arrest with the
higher and more important and responsible
duties of his trust, keep him busy from early
morn, often till midnight. Never WeaFied-
clear, cool and sharp, with ready wit, clear
sense of justice, a courage equal to any emer-
gency, with perfect knowledge Of human
nature, learned in his practice as a criminal
laWyer-aIi enables him TO dispatch business
with amazing rapidity, and to make recrea-
ton Of what would crush most men. A spec
linen or two will illustrate this:
In the plainest possible attire he sits in his
Office, without show or parade, with genuine
courtesy. but with the air of a man not to be
trified with. He receives one after another Of
the vast thrcng who come to his headquarters
day by day. First comes an old man. His
daughter is under arrest as a spy. He assures
the General that his daughter is innocent of
the charge He has the papers to prove it.
Il is not right that his daughter should be
held on suspicion of such crime. General
L. -
his hanis. He says: "These papers only
show that your daughter was loyal at n GER
tain time. have proof her offer Sc was CON-
mitted after the time mentioned in these pa
pers | agree with yOu that the crime is
great one I can't discharge your daughter
with this accusation hanging ever her J
shall order her to be tried that her innocence
may appear
Next comes a gentleman to see about his son
who is prisoner at Richmond. He wants him
ex changed. The General asks: allow long has
he been a prisoner Thirty days was the
reply. ii have eight hundred officers" says
General Butler ''who have been in Richmond
for year or moro. / appeal 10 you if your
son was one Of those eight hundred if you
would think it right to leave him still longer
in prison, and release one who had been in
confinement only a few days" The father
replied: "You are right, General Butler, but
l want my boy"
One other case A Presbyterian minister
the employ of the Christian Commission,
called on the commanding general in relation
TO the prisoners at Point Lookout. Rebel
prisoners were many Of them sick and dying
and needed spiritual consolation. He asked
that Dr. Junkin. father-in-law Of Stonewall
Jackson, might be appointed to visit them
"Where is the post ehaplain?' the General
asked. eHe is sick" vas the reply, "and
can not attend to his duties.
"Let him resign" was the response. ale
is too faithful servant Of ChrisI to allow
men TO suffer for spiritual aid which he cant
render. When he resigns, will appoint Dr.
Junkin 10 his place." To this, Of course,
there could be no reply. The clergyman bow
ed himself out with his answer.