, 1865-01-13
An Interesting G. c1rrcspondence.
THE Norfn11- Ne1n Pe1fus y,nh1tchas %hn co1

The Norfolk Ne,o Regime publishes the fol
lowing correspondence :.
"aAssv1lIE, Dec. 19, 1861.
"GESERAL: Will you allow me most re-
spectfully to appeal 10 your clemency In be-
half Of three cases otI non7jnrors which, I
think, Justly merit youTattention. They de-
cline taking the oath of;allegiance, not from
obstinacy or any feeli1E Of hostility to the
North, but their sympa4,les being with their
friends and relatives In FIginia, they cannot
look upon the oath bul as perjury-a mis-
taken view, admit lave exhausted argu-
mcnt in vain to induce; them to comply, but
argument Is lost when Y comes In the way OF
conscience Many pitus Christian has sui:
fercd at the stake Tor conscience sake.
THE first is that Of young lady, Miss Ju-
1ict Nottingham, who kecps here a children's
school, LIVING with an qed mother, her only
s'The second is ycrng student Of Dlvin-
ity, whose great desir, Is to enter the Theo-
logical Seminary In Pennsylvania.
"Ihe third IS that Of three young men,
considering them as one case, named CorbIn,
two Of them mere hds, the support Of al
aged father, who has imtlored them with
tears to take the oath, but their answer Is !:
"lhe parties are nearly strangers to me !;
my only motive for thus engaging In .heir be-
half is the hope Of doing good.
"Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
"F. Fl. SafTu.
"Maj. Gen. B. F. BUTLER.
III. G. CLARKE, Capt. and A. D. c."
REPLY or GENERAL BUTLER.
"ukADQuARTERs DEPARTMENT OF Va. ASD)
n. G., Army OF TIE JAMES,
In THE FLED, Va, Jan. ?, 1865.
"S1R: have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt Of your Communication in relation
to the cases Of conscience In certain people
ut Eastville, as therein set forth. who have
conscientious scruples against taking the oath
Of allegiance to the Caitcd States.
:" II their objection is to taking IN oath,
then they may be admitted to their solemn
affirmation; but dp not understand you 10
put their cases upon Tint ground, bat that
they have rclatires and friends In the South,
the oath because Of their relations.
"l do not understand their reasoning. II
they are well disposed aud loyal to the Uni
It'd States government, 1t is no matter what
their relatives ore. If they arc not we'll dis
pesed towards the United States Government.
then they hnyc no business to llvc uuJcr that
government, and should 70 to some country
There is neither conscience nor honesty iu
living under government to which they arc
hostile, receiving the benefit Of its protection
and laws and returning 10 equivalent.
''fou say ono Of them is divinity student,
and dceiles to 20 10 4 Pennsylvania theolog.-
cal seminary. To his case answer lha: he
had better make himself fmorc thoroughly &C.
quaintcd With his duties under human Law
before be studies tbs Divine Inv.
"You say that another is young lady
teachtng school. j she Is 50 blind to her
own duties t" ter country she is not 1T
teacher Of others.
"Iour other casa is Of three Young men
WHO have been cntrtatcd by their father, with
t4n1s in his eyes, to take the oath Of allegi-
ance to their country. II their respect for
their father, II their duty to their country
and their Obligations 10 its laws will not con-
quer their love Of secession, they will be sent
to Secessia.
You argue, as reason why the orders Of
the department should not be enforced, that
many martyr has gone to the stake for con-
nindoo widow has burned herself on her hus-
bands funeral pile !; but that by no means
proyea that wcman- burning Is highly mefi-
torIoua,' mornl kand feligtous1 act, and,
we've in crn1na1ld at Hindostau, / should
feel 1t My duty 10 interfere with such exhibi-
tfons Of Hnd6o conscience, precisely as am
to da with the exhibitions you
speak of, Of secession conscience.
~ will forward this communication, TIN
with directions mat tness PARTIES etther take |
Tie oath Of allegiance or be sent through the |
Lines.
II nm, very respectfully, your obdlcnt
servant. "DE.SJ. F. BuTLEn,
Alajor-General Commanding.
II. Smith, Esq., Ecstville, Va.
"F. II. C. CLARKE, Capt. and 4. D. c."
Whatever Butlcr's military abilities may
he, as the keeper Of the rebel conscience he
would be admirable. We dominate him 1or
The post.