Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-01-13
Gen. Butler on "GoosssiOn Conscience.
Al Gat9esiins CO1respoa3sass.

an LatTestias Co1TesPO1Iea
The Norfolk New Regime publishes the fol
lowing correspondence
''BAsTVILLE, Dec. 10, 1864 General VIII
you allOE me most respectfully to appeal to
your comenoy in behalf Of three CASES Of non-
jurors which, think justly merit your atteu
lion. They d5oline taking the oath of alegi-
anoe, not from obstinaoy or any feeling of hos
tlliiy to the North. but thsir sympathies bOnp
with thir friends. and relatives In Virginia,
they cannot look upon the oath but as perjury
mistaken view, admit, have exhausted
argument 10 vain to induce them TO comply,
but argument is lost when 1t comes Ia the way
Of conscience. Many pioua Chtiatiau has suf'
fered at the stake for conscience sake.
"The first is that Of young lady, Miss Juliet
Nottingham, who keeps here ohildrens school
living with an aged mother, her only stay in
life.
1.-THE second is young student of divinity.
whose great desire is to enter the Theological
Seminary in Pennsylvania.
1.-THE third is that Of three young men, con.
sideripg them rs Que case, named Corhin, two Of
them mere lads, the support Of an aged father,
who has implored them with tears to take the
oath, hat their answer is Father would you
have NJ commit perjuryl'
1.-THE parties are nearly strangers to me my
only motive for thus engaging IN their behalf IS
tho hope OF doing good.
Very respectfully, your obodisnt servant
+. II. SMITH.
"Major General D. F Butler
III. C. CLARKE. Caplaia aud A. b. c."
REPLY OF GENERAL BUTLER.
"HaAp-aUARrERs DEPARTMENT. OF Va. AND
N, c., ABMT OF TIM 1AMEs IL rHH FIBLD, Va,
Jan. .. 1856 Sir IL have the honor to aokow
ledge tue receipt Of your communication in re-
iatiOn to the cases q oonsolsnoe in certain peO-
pie at EasiSille, rs therein set forth, who have
conscientious Scrupies agaiust taking The oath
OF AleR glance to the United Ststss.
''1f their objection 10 to taking an oath. then
they may he admitted to their solemn afirmA-
lion but do not understand you to put their
cases upon that ground, but that they have re-
laiions and friends in the South, and they think
it would be perjury 10 taks the oath because Of
their relation.
al do not understand their reasoning If
they are we'll diipogsd aud loyal to the United
States 9overnment, II 10 no lnatter what their
relatives are. II they are not we'll disposed to-
wards the United States Government, then they
hays % bgsiasss to live HndsF that qoVeInment
and shoud 30 TO seme country 70 whose Govern
ment they are we'll di posed, There 10 neither
conscience nor honesty In living under oOVern
ment to whom they are hostile, reesivlng the
benefits Of its prossciion aud laws aud returning
no equivalent.
''Y ou say one Of them 10 divinity student.
and desires to 60 TO q Pennsylvania Theological
Seminary. To this case answer that be had
better make himssli more thoroughly aoquiiat-
cd with his duties under human Law before he
stu iies the Divine Law.
"fvu say that ApetheT IL Q younE lady teach
Ing schpol. II she 10 % blipd't to her own datles
to her country she is not at teacher Of others.
:'Your other oass ls Of three yeqng men who
have been VpiFeated BY their father. with tears
10 bis eyee, 10 take the oath Of allegiance to
their caantFy. II their respect for their father,
II their duty to their country and their ohligR-
tions to its laws will not conquer thsir love Of
Secession, they will hs sent to Secessis.
s.YOu urge as q reason Why the ordeTa Of the
department should not be enforced, that many
. martyr has gone TO the stake for conscience
sake. To that | answer that many HindoO
widow has burned herself on her husbands
funeral pile but that by no means proves that
women burning is highly meritorlous, moral
aud religious act, aud, we're | In command at
Hindostau, l should feel Il my duty to Interfere
with such exhibitions Of hindoo conscience,
precisely as ! am compelled to do With the ex-,
hlbitiops you spsakoE Of Secession conscience
II will'foFusTd this eommuqieAtion, unsealed,
to the Provost Marshal at Easlvile, With direc :
tion that these parties either take the oath Of
allegiance or be sent through the lines.
al an, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
pEky. +. BurLEa,
ali. Smith, ESQ, EastVille,YE
I'll C. cLAGKR, Capt. and A. D c."