shades of opinion, and even more,
may be sincerely entertained by honest and truthful men. Yet, all being
for the Union, by reason of these differences each will prefer a different
way of sustaining the Union. At once, sincerity is questioned, and motives
are assailed. Actual war comming, blood grows hot and blood is spilled.
Thought is forced from old channels into confusion. Deception breeds and
thrives. Confidence dies, and universal suspicion reigns. Each man feels
an impulse to kill his neighbor, lest he be killed by him. Revenge and
retaliation follow. And all this, as before said, may be among honest men
only. But this is not all. Every foul bird comes abroad, and every dirty
reptile rises up. These add crime to confusion. Strong measures
deemed indispensable, but harsh at best, such men make worse by
maladministration. Murders for old grudges, and murders for self, proceed
under any cloak that will best serve for the occasion.

These causes amply account for what has occurred in Missouri, without
ascribing it to the weakness or wickedness of any general. The newspaper
files, those chroniclers of current events, will show that the evils now
complained of were quite as prevalent under Fremont, Hunter, Halleck, and
Curtis, as under Schofield. If the former had greater force opposed
to them, they also had greater force with which to meet it. When the
organized rebel army left the State, the main Federal force had to go
also, leaving the department commander at home relatively no stronger
than before. Without disparaging any, I affirm with confidence that no
commander of that department has, in proportion to his means, done better
than General Schofield.

The first specific charge against General Schofield is, that the enrolled
militia was placed under his command, whereas it had not been placed under
the command of General Curtis. The fact is, I believe, true; but you do
not point out, nor can I conceive, how that did, or could, injure loyal
men or the Union cause.

You charge that, General Curtis being superseded by General Schofield,
Franklin A. Dick was superseded by James O. Broadhead as Provost-Marshal
General. No very specific showing is made as to how this did or could
injure the Union cause. It recalls, however, the condition of things, as
presented to me, which led to a change of commander of that department.

To restrain contraband intelligence and trade, a system of searches,
seizures, permits, and pas