been retained in their rank or commands, or have been given a hearing or a court, and not one of them has yet been dismissed or punished but himself.

We do not profess to know the details of the accusations against General Benham or of the rebutting evidence, but from different sources we have seen enough to be assured if much has been said by way of attack, much more also can be brought forward in his defense; and we doubt not, if you will accord to him the justice of a fair trial, such as is given to all others, he will prove himself guiltless of every accusation, and that his whole military course in this war will sustain his former high character.

With the belief, therefore, in your own desire for justice, and that you would not willingly see any officer should be kept from its service at such a crisis, we unite in urgently asking of you the revocation of the suspension from rank of this officer, and that you will grant him a court for the investigation of any charges against him on the written record alone, if other evidence is not available, to the end that, in case he proves his innocence, he may be promptly resorted to his active command in the army, where we are satisfied he can render most efficient service. And we cannot forbear expressing our opinion that it is our highest duty to secure the services of every person who has military ability and loyalty to the cause, and that nothing of personal feeling or of doubtful accusation against an officer of previous good character should prevent his services from being given to this war.

And should there by unavoidably a delay in ordering such a court to enable General Benham at once to go into more active service with the confidence which we entertain in his capacity for usefulness as already well known to several of us, we could earnestly request of you that he should now be assigned to the command of the Department of New England, or some other important command of that character, to aid us, as we are satisfied he can do, most effectively in the proper preparation and forwarding of the re-enforcement to our armies in the field, believing that, while this war continues, such an officer will be constantly useful if not indispensable to us.

N. S. BERRY,

Governor of New Hampshire.

[Indorsement.]

I have such confidence in the patriotism and capacity of General Benham, that I look earnestly for his opportunity to be heard by a competent tribunal, in the hope that he may thus be enabled to return to the field. Meantime it is clear that a general officer, with proper power, could expedite our military preparations saving us from the delays caused by constant correspondence with staff officers at remote posts, &c.

JOHN A. ANDREW.

Upon the ground that no officer should be cut down without a hearing, I unite with Governors Andrew and Berry in the above.

WM. SPRAGUE,

Rhode Island.

I concur in the above.

FREDERICK HOLBROOK,

Governor of Vermont.

I concur in above.

ISRAEL WASHBURN, JR.