The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-21
FIRST EDITION
A QUESTION OF vERACITY.
Cameron Called to Account.
What Gen. Magruder Says of Him.
Reckless Lying Somewhere.
Etc., ETC.. ETC., ETC., Etc.
THE WAR ON "WIG.WAG.n

The WAX ON witt MAG.O
sharp Letter from the Ex-Confederafe Gene
raj n1agruder-Grave InsiDuations Against
Camcron's Veracity-How maEruder Crossed
the Long Bridge into Virginia, and How he
Did Not Gross It.
Below we publish a letter written by the ex
Confederate General Magruder to gentlemen
in this city, concerning the circumstances which
attended his resignation from the regular army
at the outbreak of the war, and the manner in
which he left the capital and crossed the Poto-
mac on his way South 1t will be seen that
General Magruder is rather severe upon Senator
Cameron, whose veracity he boldly questions,
characterizing o statement made by him in
Washington as ''monstrous, malicious, reck-
less, and infamous liel" The letter reads as
follows
GALVESTON, May s, 1870.
DEAR SIR: have net had an opportunity to
answer your letter Of April 18th until now. AS have
abstained from politics entirely since the war, 1
regret that am compelled to write a letter which
will be construed by some at least as being OF a
political character 1t Is not So however, for this
letter is purely personal, and written solely in
defense OF my honor, which has been recklessly,
maliciousy, and mendaeousy attacked by Senator
Cameron of Pennsylvania, in debate in the Senate
of the 9th umo, as appears from the Congressional
Globe, which you, though unacquainted with me
personally believe had the kindness 60 send me,
farther will here say that you are not only at
liberty to publish this letter. but that hope you will
do so, and in such newspapers that Mr.. Cameron
will be forced to read 1t, / hold myself respon-
sible personally at any time to Mr.. Cameron for its
contents ....
The paragraphs in tn debate in which allusion is
made to me are as follows:-
Mr.. Can,eron-'I remember that Captain Somebody
who became General in the Rebel army had the
command of a battery here, and he was going to
start of not only with himself but with his battery,
but somehow or other the battery did not get OF.
He cleared of in few evenings after however, and
got across the BRIDGE" ....tI ...
Mr.. Pomeroy-"That was the Captain who escorted
the President to the White House?"
Mr.. Cdmeron-'The same man. He escorted the
President to the White House, and heard him say
to the President that he admired him, and was going
to stand by him during the war. He said that the
evening before he went away" .I... To
I will premise in reference to the above that as
was the only onicer that commanded battery in
washington at that time and afterwards
became a General in the Confederate army,
Mr.. Cameron could have meant none
other but myself The rest Of his remarks are false
in every particular. In fact, they constitute one
q,onstros malicious, reckless, and infamous lie. For
in the first place never with Mr. Lincoln in the
presence of Mr.. Cameron in my life. Secondly
never escorted Mr. Lincoln to the White House, for
! was on my way from or in Europe at that time as
Mr.. Buchanan to inspect and report upon the armies
of Europe, and did not reach Washington until after
the Inauguration, think about the 10th OF March,
1861. In fact never was in Mr.. Camerons COM
pany but once in my life to my knowledge, and tina
was at dinner party in the house OF my brother
Commodore George A. Magruder, Of the United
States Navy, in Washington, whilst MIR. Cameron
was Secretary of War; about the 10th, 17th, or 18th
of March, 1851, when Mr.. Cameron offered in a con
versation with me, as was sitting by his side at the
dinner table, to senc me to Russia there to remain
until the termination OF the impending war; il
would agree to it. / looked upon
that as the most disgraceful position an
officer could occupy. To stand upon the soil OF a
foreign country to receive his pay, fold his arms
and look from distance upon deadly conflict OF
his counymen without taking sides with one or the
other was, felt the most ignobe course OF ALL and
treated Mr. Camersn's offer with the silent contempt
which thought it deserved
In your note yeu ask me to state the circum-
stances under which did leave Washington for
Richmond, Va, at the commencement OF the war.
do so with pleasure. The day on which President
Lincoln received the telegram from the Governor OF
Virginia nv native State, declining to send his
quota of troops under the first proclamation, or the
day after that Mr. Lincoln sent for me and Informed
me OF that fact. My State had not yet seeded.
informed him that / regretted deeply the course
events had taken; that II my State seeded, was
soldier obliged to fight either for or against her. and
that / would fight for those among whom
/ was born and bred, my relations and
friends all OF whom believed they were
right. / stated to him that / was
graduate of West Point but that West Point moi
charity school; that it was supported as much by
the Southern people in proportion TO cadets from the
South as by the North in the same proportion; that
the Government had always recognized the right oi
oficers to resign unless they were offciay charged
with crime, and that the obligations to which al
oficer subscribed were simply to obey the Lawful
orders OF his superiors 80 long as he held the com
mission OF the Government, and that every oficel
had this right to resign when he thought proper
Mr.. Lincoln acquiesced in the propriety OF these
views; "but," added, "Mr President l will b'
perfectly true and faithful to the obligations OF ny
commission as long as hold it, and you and you
amily will sleep in safety whenever am on guard.
srYesD said he, 81 know it, for you are an oficer
the army and Southern gentleman and incapable
of any but honorable conduct" 1 thanked hin
warmly and said, "Mr. President, II do resign yol
shall be the first 10 hear OF it after my resignation
psced in the hands OF the adutant If can reach Won
and will remain at least twelve heurs in Washington
after nv resignation" "Why," said he. with som
SURPRISE 'should you do that?" "Mr President"
replied 81 wish to be gracefully OF tOtth the old lor
before am OF; toith the new" 81 am sorry to los
you," he said with great animation, "but If you mus
go III help you 10 be gracefully on with the old love-
meaning, supposed, that he would accept my resil
nation when the time came TO o1er It, day or wv
after this my State seeded. handed my resigns
tion to Colonel c. F. Smith, commanding, about
or o o'clock A. NJ, and repaired at once to the Whit
House. Failing TO get admission, asked brotht
onicer, who said he would certainly see the Pres
Dent that morning TO inform him that had resigne'
which presume be did, took leave openly Of 10