第37章

Astoconductingthedraftbytownships，Ifinditwouldrequiresuchawasteoflaboralreadydone，andsuchanadditionalamountofit，andsuchalossoftime，astomakeit，Ifear，inadmissible。

Yourobedientservant，A。LINCOLN。

P。S。——Sincewritingtheabove，gettingadditionalinformation，Iamenabledtosaythatthedraftmaybemadeinsubdistricts，astheenrolmenthasbeenmade，orisinprocessofmaking。Thiswillamountpracticallytodraftingbytownships，astheenrollmentsubdistrictsaregenerallyabouttheextentoftownships。

A。L。

ToGENERALG。G。MEADE。

(Private。)

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，July27，1863。

MAJOR—GENERALMEADE：

IhavenotthrownGeneralHookeraway；andthereforeIwouldliketoknowwhetheritwouldbeagreeabletoyou，allthingsconsidered，forhimtotakeacorpsunderyou，ifhehimselfiswillingtodoso。

Writemeinperfectfreedom，withtheassurancethatIwillnotsubjectyoutoanyembarrassmentbymakingyourletteroritscontentsknowntoanyone。IwishtoknowyourwishesbeforeI

decidewhethertobreakthesubjecttohim。Donotleanahair’sbreadthagainstyourownfeelings，oryourjudgmentofthepublicservice，ontheideaofgratifyingme。

Yourstruly，A。LINCOLN

TELEGRAMTOGENERALA。B。BURNSIDE。

WARDEPARTMENT，WASHINGTON，July27，1863。

MAJOR—GENERALBURNSIDE，Cincinnati，O。：

Letmeexplain。InGeneralGrant’sfirstdespatchafterthefallofVicksburg，hesaid，amongotherthings，hewouldsendtheNinthCorpstoyou。Thinkingitwouldbepleasanttoyou，IaskedtheSecretaryofWartotelegraphyouthenews。ForsomereasonsnevermentionedtousbyGeneralGrant，theyhavenotbeensent，thoughwehaveseenoutsideintimationsthattheytookpartintheexpeditionagainstJackson。GeneralGrantisacopiousworkerandfighter，butaverymeagerwriterortelegrapher。NodoubthechangedhispurposeinregardtotheNinthCorpsforsomesufficientreason，buthasforgottentonotifyusofit。

A。LINCOLN。

TOGENERALH。W。HALLECK。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，July29，1863

MAJOR—GENERALHALLECK：

SeeingGeneralMeade’sdespatchofyesterdaytoyourselfcausesmetofearthathesupposestheGovernmenthereisdemandingofhimtobringonageneralengagementwithLeeassoonaspossible。Iamclaimingnosuchthingofhim。Infact，myjudgmentisagainstit；

whichjudgment，ofcourse，Iwillyieldifyoursandhisarethecontrary。IfhecouldnotsafelyengageLeeatWilliamsport，itseemsabsurdtosupposehecansafelyengagehimnow，whenhehasscarcelymorethantwothirdsoftheforcehehadatWilliamsport，whileitmustbethatLeehasbeenreinforced。True，IdesiredGeneralMeadetopursueLeeacrossthePotomac，hoping，ashasprovedtrue，thathewouldtherebycleartheBaltimoreandOhioRailroad，andgetsomeadvantagesbyharassinghimonhisretreat。Thesebeingpast，Iamunwillingheshouldnowgetintoageneralengagementontheimpressionthatweherearepressinghim，andIshallbegladforyoutosoinformhim，unlessyourownjudgmentisagainstit。

Yourstruly，A。LINCOLN。

H。W。HALLECK，General—in—Chief。

TOSECRETARYSTANTON。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，July29，1863

HON。SECRETARYOFWAR。

SIR：——CanwenotrenewtheefforttoorganizeaforcetogotowesternTexas？

Pleaseconsultwiththegeneral—in—chiefonthesubject。

IftheGovernorofNewJerseyshallfurnishanynewregiments，mightnottheybeputintosuchanexpedition？Pleasethinkofit。

Ibelievenolocalobjectisnowmoredesirable。

Yourstruly，A。LINCOLN。

ORDEROFRETALIATION。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，July30，1863。

Itisthedutyofeverygovernmenttogiveprotectiontoitscitizens，ofwhateverclass，color，orcondition，andespeciallytothosewhoaredulyorganizedassoldiersinthepublicservice。Thelawofnationsandtheusagesandcustomsofwar，ascarriedonbycivilizedpowers，permitnodistinctionastocolorinthetreatmentofprisonersofwaraspublicenemies。Tosellorenslaveanycapturedperson，onaccountofhiscolorandfornooffenseagainstthelawsofwar，isarelapseintobarbarism，andacrimeagainstthecivilizationoftheage。

TheGovernmentoftheUnitedStateswillgivethesameprotectiontoallitssoldiers；andiftheenemyshallsellorenslaveanyonebecauseofhiscolor，theoffenseshallbepunishedbyretaliationupontheenemy’sprisonersinourpossession。

ItisthereforeorderedthatforeverysoldieroftheUnitedStateskilledinviolationofthelawsofwar，arebelsoldiershallbeexecuted；andforeveryoneenslavedbytheenemyorsoldintoslavery，arebelsoldiershallbeplacedathardlaboronthepublicworks，andcontinuedatsuchlaboruntiltheothershallbereleasedandreceivethetreatmentduetoaprisonerofwar。

ABRAHAMLINCOLN。

TOGENERALS。A。HURLBUT。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，July31，1863。

MYDEARGENERALHURLBUT：

YourletterbyMr。Danawasdulyreceived。InowlearnthatyourresignationhasreachedtheWarDepartment。IalsolearnthatanactivecommandhasbeenassignedyoubyGeneralGrant。TheSecretaryofWarandGeneralHalleckareverypartialtoyou，asyouknowI

alsoam。Weallwishyoutoreconsiderthequestionofresigning；

notthatwewouldwishtoretainyougreatlyagainstyourwishandinterest，butthatyourdecisionmaybeatleastaverywell—

consideredone。

IunderstandthatSenator[WilliamK。]Sebastian，ofArkansas，thinksofofferingtoresumehisplaceintheSenate。OfcoursetheSenate，andnotI，woulddecidewhethertoadmitorrejecthim。StillI

shouldfeelgreatinterestinthequestion。Itmaybesopresentedastobeoneoftheverygreatestnationalimportance；anditmaybeotherwisesopresentedastobeofnomorethantemporarypersonalconsequencetohim。

TheEmancipationProclamationappliestoArkansas。Ithinkitisvalidinlaw，andwillbesoheldbythecourts。IthinkIshallnotretractorrepudiateit。ThosewhoshallhavetastedactualfreedomIbelievecanneverbeslavesorquasi—slavesagain。Fortherest，I

believesomeplansubstantiallybeinggradualemancipationwouldbebetterforbothwhiteandblack。TheMissouriplanrecentlyadopted，Idonotobjecttoonaccountofthetimeforendingtheinstitution；butIamsorrythebeginningshouldhavebeenpostponedforsevenyears，leavingallthattimetoagitatefortherepealofthewholething。Itshouldbeginatonce，givingatleastthenew—bornavestedinterestinfreedomwhichcouldnotbetakenaway。

IfSenatorSebastiancouldcomewithsomethingofthissortfromArkansas，I，atleast，shouldtakegreatinterestinhiscase；andI

believeasingleindividualwillhavescarcelydonetheworldsogreataservice。Seehimifyoucan，andreadthistohim；butchargehimnottomakeitpublicforthepresent。Writemeagain。

Yoursverytruly，A。LINCOLN。

TELEGRAMFROMGOVERNORSEYMOUR。

ALBANY，August1，1863。Recvd2P。M。

TOTHEPRESIDENTOFTHEUNITEDSTATES：

IaskthatthedraftbesuspendedinthisStateuntilIcansendyouacommunicationIampreparing。

HORATIOSEYMOUR。

TELEGRAMTOGOVERNORSEYMOUR

WASHINGTON，D。C。，August1，1863。4P。M。

HISEXCELLENCYGOVERNORSEYMOUR，Albany，N。Y。：

BywhatdaymayIexpectyourcommunicationtoreachme？Areyouanxiousaboutanypartexceptthecityandvicinity？

A。LINCOLN。

TELEGRAMTOGENERALFOSTER。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，August3，1863。

MAJOR—GENERALFOSTER(orwhoevermaybeincommandofthemilitarydepartmentwithheadquartersatFortMonroe，Va。)：

IfDr。Wright，ontrialatNorfolk，hasbeenorshallbeconvicted，sendmeatranscriptofhistrialandconviction，anddonotletexecutionbedoneuponhimuntilmyfurtherorder。

A。LINCOLN。

TOGENERALN。P。BANKS。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，August5，1863。

MYDEARGENERALBANKS：

WhileIverywellknowwhatIwouldbegladforLouisianatodo，itisquiteadifferentthingformetoassumedirectionofthematter。

Iwouldbegladforhertomakeanewconstitution，recognizingtheemancipationproclamation，andadoptingemancipationinthosepartsoftheStatetowhichtheproclamationdoesnotapply。Andwhilesheisatit，Ithinkitwouldnotbeobjectionableforhertoadoptsomepracticalsystembywhichthetworacescouldgraduallylivethemselvesoutoftheiroldrelationtoeachother，andbothcomeoutbetterpreparedforthenew。Educationforyoungblacksshouldbeincludedintheplan。Afterall，thepowerorelementof"contract"

maybesufficientforthisprobationaryperiod，andbyitssimplicityandflexibilitymaybethebetter。

Asanantislaveryman，IhaveamotivetodesireemancipationwhichproslaverymendonothavebuteventheyhavestrongenoughreasontothusplacethemselvesagainundertheshieldoftheUnion，andtothusperpetuallyhedgeagainsttherecurrenceofthescenesthroughwhichwearenowpassing。

GovernorShepleyhasinformedmethatMr。Durantisnowtakingaregistry，withaviewtotheelectionofaconstitutionalconventioninLouisiana。This，tome，appearsproper。Ifsuchconventionweretoaskmyviews，IcouldpresentlittleelsethanwhatInowsaytoyou。Ithinkthethingshouldbepushedforward，sothat，ifpossible，itsmatureworkmayreachherebythemeetingofCongress。

Formyownpart，IthinkIshallnot，inanyevent，retracttheemancipationproclamation：nor，asexecutive，everreturntoslaveryanypersonwhoisfreebythetermsofthatproclamation，orbyanyoftheactsofCongress。

IfLouisianashallsendmemberstoCongress，theiradmissiontoseatswilldepend，asyouknow，upontherespectiveHouses，andnotuponthePresident。

Yoursverytruly，A。LINCOLN。

TOGOVERNORSEYMOUR。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，August7，1863。

HISEXCELLENCYHORATIOSEYMOUR，GovernorofNewYork：

Yourcommunicationofthe3rdinstanthasbeenreceivedandattentivelyconsidered。

IcannotconsenttosuspendthedraftinNewYork，asyourequest，because，amongotherreasons，timeistooimportant。

Bythefiguresyousend，whichIpresumearecorrect，thetwelvedistrictsrepresentedfallintotwoclassesofeightandfourrespectively。Thedisparityofthequotasforthedraftinthesetwoclassesiscertainlyverystriking，beingthedifferencebetweenanaverageof2200inoneclassand4864intheother。Assumingthatthedistrictsareequalonetoanotherinentirepopulation，asrequiredbytheplanonwhichtheyweremade，thisdisparityissuchastorequireattention。Muchofit，however，IsupposewillbeaccountedforbythefactthatsomanymorepersonsfitforsoldiersareinthecitythanareinthecountrywhohavetoorecentlyarrivedfromotherpartsoftheUnitedStatesandfromEuropetobeeitherincludedinthecensusof1860，ortohavevotedin1862。Still，makingdueallowanceforthis，Iamyetunwillingtostanduponitasanentirelysufficientexplanationofthegreatdisparity。

Ishalldirectthedrafttoproceedinallthedistricts，drawing，however，atfirstfromeachofthefourdistricts——towit，theSecond，Fourth，Sixth，andEighth——only，2200beingtheaveragequotaoftheotherclass。Afterthisdrawing，thesefourdistricts，andalsotheSeventeenthandTwenty—ninth，shallbecarefullyre—

enrolled；and，ifyouplease，agentsofyoursmaywitnesseverystepoftheprocess。Anydeficiencywhichmayappearbythenewenrolmentwillbesuppliedbyaspecialdraftforthatobject，allowingduecreditforvolunteerswhomaybeobtainedfromthesedistrictsrespectivelyduringtheinterval；andatallpoints，sofarasconsistentwithpracticalconvenience，duecreditsshallbegivenforvolunteers，andyourExcellencyshallbenotifiedofthetimefixedforcommencingthedraftineachdistrict。

IdonotobjecttoabideadecisionoftheUnitedStatesSupremeCourt，orofthejudgesthereof，ontheconstitutionalityofthedraftlaw。Infact，Ishouldbewillingtofacilitatetheobtainingofit。ButIcannotconsenttolosethetimewhileitisbeingobtained。Wearecontendingwithanenemywho，asIunderstand，driveseveryable—bodiedmanhecanreachintohisranks，verymuchasabutcherdrivesbullocksintotheslaughter—pen。Notimeiswasted，noargumentisused。Thisproducesanarmywhichwillsoonturnuponournowvictorioussoldiersalreadyinthefield，iftheyshallnotbesustainedbyrecruitsastheyshouldbe。Itproducesanarmywitharapiditynottobematchedonoursideifwefirstwastetimetore—experimentwiththevolunteersystem，alreadydeemedbyCongress，andpalpably，infact，sofarexhaustedastobeinadequate；andthenmoretimetoobtainacourtdecisionastowhetheralawisconstitutional，whichrequiresapartofthosenotnowintheservicetogototheaidofthosewhoarealreadyinit；

andstillmoretimetodeterminewithabsolutecertaintythatwegetthosewhoaretogointhepreciselylegalproportiontothosewhoarenottogo。Mypurposeistobeinmyactionjustandconstitutional，andyetpractical，inperformingtheimportantdutywithwhichIamcharged，ofmaintainingtheunityandthefreeprinciplesofourcommoncountry。

Yourobedientservant，A。LINCOLN。

TOGENERALU。S。GRANT。

EXECUTIVEMANSIONWASHINGTON，August9，1863。

MYDEARGENERALGRANT：

IseebyadespatchofyoursthatyouinclinequitestronglytowardanexpeditionagainstMobile。Thiswouldappeartemptingtomealso，wereitnotthatinviewofrecenteventsinMexicoIamgreatlyimpressedwiththeimportanceofre—establishingthenationalauthorityinwesternTexasassoonaspossible。Iamnotmakinganorder，however；thatIleave，forthepresentatleast，tothegeneral—in—chief。

Aworduponanothersubject：GeneralThomashasgoneagaintotheMississippiValley，withtheviewofraisingcoloredtroops。Ihavenoreasontodoubtthatyouaredoingwhatyoureasonablycanuponthesamesubject。Ibelieveitisaresourcewhichifvigorouslyappliednowwillsoonclosethecontest。Itworksdoubly，weakeningtheenemyandstrengtheningus。Wewerenotfullyripeforituntiltheriverwasopened。Now，Ithinkatleastonehundredthousandcanandoughttoberapidlyorganizedalongitsshores，relievingallwhitetroopstoserveelsewhere。Mr。DanaunderstandsyouasbelievingthattheEmancipationProclamationhashelpedsomeinyourmilitaryoperations。Iamverygladifthisisso。

Didyoureceiveashortletterfrommedatedthe13thofJuly？

Yoursverytruly，A。LINCOLN。

TOGENERALW。S。ROSECRANS。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，August10，1863。

MYDEARGENERALROSECRANS：

Yoursofthe1stwasreceivedtwodaysago。IthinkyoumusthaveinferredmorethanGeneralHalleckhasintended，astoanydissatisfactionofminewithyou。Iamsureyou，asareasonableman，wouldnothavebeenwoundedcouldyouhaveheardallmywordsandseenallmythoughtsinregardtoyou。Ihavenotabatedinmykindfeelingforandconfidenceinyou。IhaveseenmostofyourdespatchestoGeneralHalleck——probablyallofthem。AfterGrantinvestedVicksburgIwasveryanxiouslestJohnstonshouldoverwhelmhimfromtheoutside，andwhenitappearedcertainthatpartofBragg’sforcehadgoneandwasgoingtoJohnston，itdidseemtomeitwasexactlythepropertimeforyoutoattackBraggwithwhatforcehehadleft。Inallkindnessletmesayitsoseemstomeyet。

FindingfromyourdespatchestoGeneralHalleckthatyourjudgmentwasdifferent，andbeingveryanxiousforGrant，I，ononeoccasion，toldGeneralHalleckIthoughtheshoulddirectyoutodecideatoncetoimmediatelyattackBraggortostandonthedefensiveandsendpartofyourforcetoGrant。Herepliedhehadalreadysodirectedinsubstance。Soonafter，despatchesfromGrantabatedmyanxietyforhim，andinproportionabatedmyanxietyaboutanymovementofyours。Whenafterward，however，IsawadespatchofyoursarguingthattherighttimeforyoutoattackBraggwasnotbefore，butwouldbeafter，thefallofVicksburg，itimpressedmeverystrangely，andIthinkIsostatedtotheSecretaryofWarandGeneralHalleck。ItseemednootherthanthepropositionthatyoucouldbetterfightBraggwhenJohnstonshouldbeatlibertytoreturnandassisthimthanyoucouldbeforehecouldsoreturntohisassistance。

SinceGranthasbeenentirelyrelievedbythefallofVicksburg，bywhichJohnstonisalsorelieved，ithasseemedtomethatyourchanceforastrokehasbeenconsiderablydiminished，andIhavenotbeenpressingyoudirectlyorindirectly。True，IamveryanxiousforEastTennesseetobeoccupiedbyus；butIseeandappreciatethedifficultiesyoumention。Thequestionoccurs，Canthethingbedoneatall？Doespreparationadvanceatall？Doyounotconsumesuppliesasfastasyougetthemforward？Haveyoumoreanimalsto—

daythanyouhadatthebattleofStone’sRiver？Andyethavenotmorebeenfurnishedyousincethenthanyourentirepresentstock？I

askthesamequestionsastoyourmountedforce。

Donotmisunderstand：Iamnotcastingblameuponyou；IratherthinkbygreatexertionyoucangettoEastTennessee；butaveryimportantquestionis，Canyoustaythere？Imakenoorderinthecase——thatI

leavetoGeneralHalleckandyourself。

AndnowbeassuredoncemorethatIthinkofyouinallkindnessandconfidence，andthatIamnotwatchingyouwithanevileye。

Yoursverytruly，A。LINCOLN。

TOGOVERNORSEYMOUR。

EXECUTIVEMANSIONWASHINGTON，August11。1863。

HISEXCELLENCYHORATIOSEYMOUR，GovernorofNewYork：

Yoursofthe8th，withJudge—Advocate—Genera1Waterbury’sreport，wasreceivedto—day。

AskingyoutorememberthatIconsidertimeasbeingveryimportant，bothtothegeneralcauseofthecountryandtothesoldiersinthefield，IbegtoremindyouthatIwaited，atyourrequest，fromthe1stuntilthe6thinst。，toreceiveyourcommunicationdatedthe3d。

Inviewofitsgreatlength，andtheknowntimeandapparentcaretakeninitspreparation，Ididnotdoubtthatitcontainedyourfullcaseasyoudesiredtopresentit。Itcontainedthefiguresfortwelvedistricts，omittingtheothernineteen，asIsuppose，becauseyoufoundnothingtocomplainofastothem。Iansweredaccordingly。

IndoingsoIlaiddowntheprincipletowhichIpurposeadhering，whichistoproceedwiththedraft，atthesametimeemployinginfalliblemeanstoavoidanygreatwrong。Withthecommunicationreceivedto—dayyousendfiguresfortwenty—eightdistricts，includingthetwelvesentbefore，andstillomittingthree，forwhichIsupposetheenrolmentsarenotyetreceived。Inlookingoverthefullerlistoftwenty—eightdistricts，Ifindthatthequotasforsixteenofthemareabove2000andbelow2700，while，oftherest，sixareabove2700andsixarebelow2000。Applyingtheprincipletothesenewfacts，theFifthandSeventhdistrictsmustbeaddedtothefourinwhichthequotashavealreadybeenreducedto2200forthefirstdraft；andwiththesefourothersjustbeaddedtothosetobere—enrolled。Thecorrectcasewillthenstand：thequotasoftheSecond，Fourth，Fifth，Sixth，Seventh，andEighthdistrictsfixedat2200forthefirstdraft。TheProvost—Marshal—GeneralinformsmethatthedrawingisalreadycompletedintheSixteenth，Seventeenth，Eighteenth，Twenty—second，Twenty—fourth，Twenty—sixth，Twenty—

seventh，Twenty—eighth，Twenty—ninth，andThirtiethdistricts。Intheothers，exceptthethreeoutstanding，thedrawingwillbemadeuponthequotasasnowfixed。Afterthefirstdraft，theSecond，Fourth，Fifth，Sixth，Seventh，Eighth，Sixteenth，Seventeenth，Twenty—first，Twenty—fifth，Twenty—ninth，andThirty—firstwillbeenrolledforthepurposeandinthemannerstatedinmyletterofthe7thinst。Thesameprinciplewillbeappliedtothenowoutstandingdistrictswhentheyshallcomein。Nopartofmyformerletterisrepudiatedbyreasonofnotbeingrestatedinthis，orforanyothercause。

Yourobedientservant，A。LINCOLN。

TOGENERALJ。A。McCLERNAND。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，August12，1863。

MAJOR—GENERALMcCLERNAND。

MYDEARSIR：——OurfriendWilliamG。Greenehasjustpresentedakindletterinregardtoyourself，addressedtomebyourotherfriendsYates，Hatch，andDubois。

Idoubtwhetheryourpresentpositionismorepainfultoyouthantomyself。Gratefulforthepatrioticstandsoearlytakenbyyouinthislife—and—deathstruggleofthenation，Ihavedonewhateverhasappearedpracticabletoadvanceyouandthepublicinteresttogether。

Nocharges，withaviewtoatrial，havebeenpreferredagainstyoubyanyone；nordoIsupposeanywillbe。Allthereis，sofarasI

haveheard，isGeneralGrant’sstatementofhisreasonsforrelievingyou。AndeventhisIhavenotseenorsoughttosee；becauseitisacase，asappearstome，inwhichIcoulddonothingwithoutdoingharm。GeneralGrantandyourselfhavebeenconspicuousinourmostimportantsuccesses；andformetointerfereandthusmagnifyabreachbetweenyoucouldnotbutbeofevileffect。Betterleaveitwherethelawofthecasehasplacedit。FormetoforceyoubackuponGeneralGrantwouldbeforcinghimtoresign。Icannotgiveyouanewcommand，becausewehavenoforcesexceptsuchasalreadyhavecommanders。

Iamconstantlypressedbythosewhoscoldbeforetheythink，orwithoutthinkingatall，togivecommandsrespectivelytoFremont，McClellan，Butler，Sigel，Curtis，Hunter，Hooker，andperhapsothers，when，allelseoutoftheway，Ihavenocommandstogivethem。Thisisnowyourcase；which，asIhavesaid，painsmenotlessthanitdoesyou。Mybeliefisthatthepermanentestimateofwhatageneraldoesinthefieldi