temper to see public service injured, our people distracted, and our military efficiency demoralized by proceedings at once unjust and discourteous to the truest friend the Federal Government and its Administration have found among all the State in this hour of their trial, and the best blood of whose sons has been freely poured out upon every field. Since I can obtain no word of reply to myself in answer to the representations and requests made in these letters, I trust that you may be more fortunate.

I am compelled to declare, with great reluctance and regret, that the whole course oer Major General Butler in this Commonwealth seems to have been designed and adapted simply to afford means to persons of bad character to make money unscrupulously, and to encourage men whose unfitness had excluded them from any appointment by me to the volunteer military service to hope for such appointment over Massachusetts troops from other authority than that of the Executive of Massachusetts.

I am, very respectfully, your most obedient and humble servant,

JOHN A. ANDREW,

Governor of Massachusetts.

(Besides an acknowledgment of the receipt of the letter of December 21 and its inclosures, the reply following, which was received on January 14, 1862, was returned:)

WASHINGTON, D. C., January 10, 1862.

Governor ANDREW:

I am authorized by the War Department to say that if you will send on your programme, with reference to General Butler, it shall be carried out and the department given up. Please let me know your desires.

CHARLES SUMNER.

(Telegram.)

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Boston, January 14, 1862.

Honorable CHARLES SUMNER,

U. S. Senator, Washington, D. C.:

The President has my programme written replying to his telegram of last Saturday. My letters should be directly, and not indirectly, answered by the President or Department.

JOHN A. ANDREW.

[Inclosure Numbers 2.] COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Boston, January 24, 1862.

ISRAEL D. ANDREWS, Esq.,

National, Washington, D. C.:

MY DEAR SIR: I have very gratefully received your letter of the 23rd instant, and am rejoiced that Mr. Secretary Stanton has just put his clear head, sound judgment, and strong will to the work of reform.

55 R R-SERIES III, VOL I