The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1864-10-26
A Letter from General Butler.
His Views OF tho Situation.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT or VIRGINIA
AND NORTH CARoLISA,,
Is THE FIELD, Sept. %.
MY DEAR CAMERON =

The Confederate Congress, In Deccnl'
bcr last, passed an act, the first section
Of which is in these words: "Thc Con-
gress of tho Confederate States do enact
that all white residents Of the Contcdc.
rate States between the ages Of seventeen
aud fifty, arc in the service Of the Con
ftdcrate States"
The act then provides how farmers,
mechanics, aud others may be detailed
by military authority, to raise the pro-
visions and do the work~ior the army in
the field. :
What would our Democratic friends,
who arc 50 blatant over " Lincolns 5 tyr
anny," say 10 such draft as that on
our side? I would like to sec Governor
Seymour's mild protest against it. ]
would not like to hear Voorhees, dcnun.
Citations of it, for they would be vulgar
Now, when I read in the Richmond
papers clamorous calls that the detailed
men shall be all put into the ranks, how
can | doubt the united testimony OF de-.
serters and prisoners, that tho rebel
means as to men are at an end?
Never having been q convert to the
theory that the provisions at the South
would be readily exhausted, | have not
placed much reliance upon that result.
Yet it is certain that the means Of
transporting those provisions from point
to point by rail have given out. and the
railroads are becoming SO crippled in
their equipment, that it is impossible
for them to furnish the movement Of
men aud supplies necessary to the extcn.
slvc military operations required to meet
our forces.
Add to- this the concurrent testimony
of prisoners, deserters and refugees, tha,
the rank aud file Of their armies arc in
the confident expectation and belief in
the promise Of their leaders, that this
will be their last campaign, that the
nominees Of the Chicago Convention will
bo elected in November, and that the
independence Of the Confederate States
will be acknowledged aud treaty Of
peace be concluded, and you have an
imperfect synopsis Of the reason why /
believe the rebellion near its end.
1t will be for tho loyal men Of the
North to see to it that their treason does
not end in the way proposed by the
Southern leaders, aided BY the election
Of General Mcclellan and the Chicago
platform.
Here: is the oniy danger, i danger
cEistS at aU. .G
Therefore, whatever may have been
or may be the preferences Of any man
to any person for the Chief Executive Of
the nation, or dissatisfaction with the
course Of the Government upon matters
of nero Observation-Disclosures, even in
important points of administrative poll
cy, as laid down in the platform or fore
shadowed ia its acts-it seems to me the
plain duty Of every loyal man to support
the election Of Lincoln and Johnson.
The question now before the people is
not as to the prepondcraoce or fitness of
Mr.. Lincoln. or General Mcclellan for
the Presidency. Admit that neither, or
either one or the other is of himself the
best man for the place. What then ?
One must be elected. No other result
is possible. We are then remitted to
the class of political ideas which each
represents and: to what is still more
important, to the men and their affilia-
tious by whom each will be surrounded,
and controlled, in fact, and by whom
his administration will be shaped in the
event of election. Can it be that any
true man, especially any Andrew Jack
son Democrat, can desire this Govern
ment put into the hands Of the 'Messrs.
Vallandigham, Woods, Seymour, Pom.
dlcton, Long, Harris, Voorhees, and
their surroundings, North and South ?
Let us sec what their platform and their