Year: 1861

60 forth TO toe country as the uneontradicted
sentiment Of officers al this unfortunate june
/ ture. cannot peFmi, the people Of the eoun-
! trv-the North as well az the South--to bs
I thus deceived into the belief that any consid.
srable humber Of the efecfir6 officers OF the
army regard it az either practicable or right te
I consirsin the existence Of The Federal Uniol
one day after it shall cease to stand by and
/ through the affection Of its several members.
( It Is timely, therefore, FOR me to say in this
way / have as vet met with no officer OF
southern birth who Is rot resolved, at the
proper time, 10 cast bis fortunes with his
STATE, and, n need be, give bis best services
for the defense Of her soil, the homes Of his
kindred, and the rights Of bis fellow-statesmen
from invasion or assault, even though made in
the name Of the Federal Union.


lean say further, have seen no officer from
a Southern State who is willing TO be employed
Tor the coercion Of any STATE, whether South
Carolina or Massachusetts,. Some there are,
presume, who might accept such a service
from a mistaken sense Of duty, but I cannot
hesitate to declare that those who can be found
to act thus, will prove few in number and ex-
ceptional cases. The great mass-if not, in
deed, every single one-Of southern officers
recognize their allegiance in times like these,
10 their several States as clear and enforcing;
ana their countrymen may be assured they will
not fail or falter in the discharge Of their
whole dutV.


The army cannot be made the instrument Of
a central power, except for the defense Of the
whols country and against foreign enemy
never for The suhiugation of a sovereign mem
Der Of the Confsderacy, formed by our fathers
for purposes Of common veal and common de-
fense. It can never, under The Constitution,
be legally employed against a State Of the
present Union; aud those who think the Off
GERS Of the army will lend the aid Of their pro-
fessional experience and training for tie re-
ductiou Of their own States and section into a
condition OF political gassalage to anOther.sec-
tion, will cherish a delUsion.


In other and precise wsrjs:


The people Of the Southern States need not
distrust for one moment the loyalty OF their
klEsmen in the federal army, as it is now or
ganized To man, these oficars-graduates
Of the military academy, as well 5 others
hold themselves ready at the call OF their sew
eTal States; when these need their professional
services, they viii nst halt OF hesitate; they
viii not remain in the service Of a government
in which their own States and section are not
integral and equal parts, This is the fixed re-
solve Of many officers with whom the present
writer has interchanged views, and whose ul-
innate course has been fully decided That
course has been the one absorbing question in
the profession since the 9th day Of November,
because we have not failed 10 see that, in the
event Of any inseBsste attempt to preserve the
Union by force, the army will at once be re-
sorted to, and its officers, first Of all Bmeri-
cans, be forced TO chose sides in the terrible is
sue that must be Joined when the sword shall
Be cast into The balance Of the Federal Union.


GRADUATE.