, 1864-01-01
4 Letter from VIM. Butler Ex-Trcas.
ufCFs
MEMPHIS, Ten1,., Dec. ., 1863,

urcr.
MEMPHIS, Tenn., Dec. %, 1863,
Editors Chicago Tribune:
My attention was to-day called to the fol-
lowing paragraph in tie Daily Mlieois State
A.uis:tt of TIC 18th inst:
The Washington Correspondent Of the Chi
cago Tribune writes to that rapcras follows
ut is rumored tlata late Treasurer Of Illinois
"is making Immense Gums Of money BY
s'speculating In cotton with sort Of exclu-
usiye permit ut Memphis. Tho question Is,
"who gave him such permit and ID it proper
HeEoEgl out Of his Illinois Office, into which
ahe went as poor IS rat, but came out as
"ricl as Crmsusy'
Who is this Treasurer who is making mill
lions out Of the war, when other people are
not permitted to speculate "reds 7" VIII
not Joe Forcet be little more specific, and
Sntanglo ,dss the hanks of cotton to which ho al
The concluding sentences Of the above
paragraphs are the editorial notes and COM
uents Of the editor of the Register upon the
second paragraph, Which he a5cribcs to your
PAPER
In the first place I am candid to admit that
It does not appear Oh tho face Of the libel
that ! am the ex-Treasurer Of Illinois alluded
to. But having. been Treasurer Of that
State, and my. official conduct having been
made the subject Of party criticism, it is not
unlikely that "Joe. Forrcst' meant me.
There are, however, considerations which
induce me to hope that Jou were not person
ally cogpizant OF tho appearance Of the article
thaf, on my official conduct being attacked,
stepped promptly forward, and no only cha!-
lenged but demanded full md thorough
investigation Of my course and conduct as
Treasurer, at tile hands of the Legislature;
not only SO. but that ! demanded the Com
nlittee should consist exclusively Of Demo-
crats-I being d Republfcan-and that, in
compliance with my wishes thus expressed.
Committee Of Five, majority of Which
were Democrats, were raised By tho Senate
ut tic session Of the Legislature Of Illinois,
1eG2-3, with full power to sift my official
career to the bottom; and that the report OF
that Committee was triumphant vindication
Of mF reputation, In terms quite Us compli~
mentary is any gentleman could have desired
Whnt makes me hope that you, sir, we're not
party to the publication Of the slander above
quoted as appearing originally in ronr paper,
is the fact that the report Of that Committee
appeared in full in your own paper, amongst
yonr regularly published proceedings Of tic
Legislature
Tic paragraph In question, however,
charges, assuming that 1t refers to me, TINT 1
am now '1maling immense SUMS Of money
by spcculating in cotton with q sort Of
ezt7uti.c permit at Memphis connected with
libclous insinuation that the permit has
been Improperly granted, and Of course ius-
properly obtained. In reference to the charge
that am making immense sums Of money
BY speculatfng il cotton at Memphis, can
only say. that a1n here dealing in cotton;
but whether nm making immense sums Of
money, or making money ut ali, is matter
which concerns myself, and not you, or 'tJoc
Forrest" Tlis, suppose, you will admit.
Eut If am making money or losing money
upon *spcru,it'' improperly granted or I'M
properly obtained, conccde that the whole
mGfter Is tie legitimate subject OF newspaper
comment. In respect of the permit upon
which am operating, allow me- therefore,
to eay not only on my own account, but on
account OF Mi. Ci,aEe ard his agents, that
Lave not now, nor have at any time had q
permit or any other kind Of authority from
Tie Treasury Department orany Of its agents,
general or special, or from eany department
Or officer or agent of the Government, which
yor or any ot1:cr citizen might not obtain,
by complying with the Treasury regulations,
Which lroyide for their is5uc. 1havc no 6pe-
c;al permit, II by the term special it is meant
that my permit fs in any sense any moro
special than the thousand similar ones
which have been issued to other loyal citi-
ztER.
As to The insinuation Of the Register, that I
am making millions out Of the war, will
simply eay, that I have not had, nor have I
at any time applied for any contract with
the Government, nor have been connected
with the profits or losses Of any contract OBJ
tnIncd by any other person or persons since
The war begun. Nor have now any such