Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-08-11

THE REASONS FOR MS RESIGNATION.


The foilaaing letter from Mi Gen Don Car
los Buell. addressed to a friend assigns the res
I'm. Sos his resignation.
BfpFoRD SrslScs. July 10. 1864
Drsn Sr--Ths nubIic lave seen no official
annDracemeut o. ihc facf-though - IS no
doubt. ss tAis tme very generally knovn-rhat
have resicaei Uy commission ~ The arms /
have several tiuie- since bceu assured that my
pes.onsl friends. aud maay shO. without she
claim Oi personal Acquaintance, have taken
interest IN my official career, feel that same
! PLANTATION Of the circumstances and motives OF
ms action j. due 10 them Accepting this claim
/ upon ne, have already answered some Of my
( friends in substance as do you now
IL i perhaps unnecessary 20 enter into an ex-
position OF the circumstances Of my supersedure
| la I ennessee ia the fall OF 1862 since the par
! ticulars though not without a certain value. in
volye interests OF my own with which do not
not wish 70 weary you. As far as facts are con-
cerned. IL will suffice for the present to say that
after the adjournment, about the lst of May,
/ 1863, OF the Commission" which investigated
my campaign, my correspondence With the de
partment was confined 90 a monthly report made
20 the Adjutant General that Was waiting the
action OF the War Department on the proceed
i ings OF that COmmi ssion; that about the fifth
week of April last was offered command under
General Sherman, my junior. which | declined:
+ that about three weeks later | received noiifca.
/ ton that | was mustered out OF my rank as
4 Major General OF Volunteers. and that the same
day sent in my resignation "a Colonel in the
Adiutant Generals Department Of the regular
army
/ The impulse Of most men would approve nv
course in this matter. If it even rested on no 9th
er ground than determination not to acquiesce
in any measure that would degrade me; but /
+ had a higher motive than that | believed that
+ the policy and means with which the war was be
/ ing prosecuted were discfeditable 10 the nation
aud a stain upon civilization; and that they would
not only fail TO restore the Union. it indeed.
they had not already rendered its restoration i'm
/ possible but that their tendency 70 subvert
+ the institutions under which the country had re-
allied unexampled prosperity and happiness; and
/ 20 such a word could not lend NV hand
While there may have been more less of
/ personal ambition mixed up in The movement of
secession as there must generally be ia the man
aeement Of political afftirs, yet I do not doubt
that il was mainly determined by an honest con-
vietion i'm the minds of those Who engaged in il,
that the control OF the government had passed
permanently into the hands OF sectional party
which would soon trampe on the political rights
of the south.
This apprehension was shared in by very
large portion of the people who did not favor
cession. aud who were anxious for the preser-
if tempered by justice and mercy, would not have
estranged them.
Under these circumstances the Use OF military
force TO put down armed resistance was not in
compatible with restoration Of the Union with
its former glories aud affections, provided the
means were employ ed IN such manner as to
convince the people that their constitutional
rights would be respected. Such policy
therefore. in the use oi iorce must be resoTted TO-
: had the mlniiest advantage OF weakening the
power of the rebellion aud Strengthening the
Government. independently ol the moral force
which dignity. and justice always lend to su
/ thority.
a policy which recognized taese principles was
wisely declared by Congress in ne beginning Of
the war; and from fervent desire for The pres
eryation of the Union, in which pride OF country
and all my interests a. citizen centered. not
less than from a natural imoulse. L gave that
policy my earnest support. Unfortunately twas
too often cheated of les due effect by the intru
sion OF sectional rancOr, and the iniudiciOus or
uniaithiu acts or agents of the Governments
and when at the xpiration of a year, system
Of spoilation and Acknowledgement was inaueu-
rated, the cause was robbed OF lis sanctity, and
success wa- rendered difficult of attain
ment.
You have. ia ihese lev lines. an explanation
of the motives OF ms conduct while | in
command. as well as of the step which after
twenty three years OF service, has closed my
career as a soldier and broken up the professional
habits and associations to which was educated
and in which have passed the larger portion of
nv life | am very far from casting uniavorable
reflections upon the thousands in the service,
who perhaps. with views similar TO my own
have not chosen my course. Few OF them have
been similarly situated; and ! rather commend
the patience with which they have struggled on
in positions which must otherwise have been filled
by less scrupulous men, and in which they might
mitigate some of the calamities which they vet
could not wholly prevent
Very truly yours, ID. {. BUELL..