第44章

OFFICERINCOMMANDatNashville，Tenn。：

SuspendexecutionofJamesR。Mallory，forsixweeksfromFridaythethirtiethofthismonth，whichtimeIhavegivenhisfriendstomakeproof，iftheycan，uponcertainpoints。

A。LINCOLN，TELEGRAMTOGENERALU。S。GRANT。

WASHINGTON，D。C。，December28，1864。5。30p。m。

LIEUTENANT—GENERALGRANT，CityPoint，Va。：

Iftherebenoobjection，pleasetellmewhatyounowunderstandoftheWilmingtonexpedition，presentandprospective。

A。LINCOLN。

TELEGRAMTOGENERALBUTLER。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，December29，1864。，MAJOR—GENERALBUTLER：

ThereisamaninCompanyI，EleventhConnecticutVolunteers，FirstBrigade，ThirdDivision，Twenty—fourthArmyCorps，atChapin’sFarm，Va。；undertheassumednameofWilliamStanley，butwhoserealnameisFrankR。Judd，andwhoisunderarrest，andprobablyabouttobetriedfordesertion。HeisthesonofourpresentministertoPrussia，whoisaclosepersonalfriendofSenatorTrumbullandmyself。Wearenotwillingfortheboytobeshot，butwethinkitaswellthathistrialgoregularlyon，suspendingexecutionuntilfurtherorderfrommeandreportingtome。

A。LINCOLN。

TELEGRAMTOCOLONELWARNER。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，December30，1864。

COLONELWARNER，Indianapolis，Ind。：

Itissaidthatyouwereonthecourt—martialthattriedJohnLennon，andthatyouaredisposedtoadvisehisbeingpardonedandsenttohisregiment。Ifthisbetrue，telegraphmetothateffectatonce。

A。LINCOLN。

TELEGRAMTOJ。WILLIAMS。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，January4，1865。

JOHNWILLIAMS，Springfield，Ill。：

LetTrumbo’ssubstituteberegularlymusteredin，sendmetheevidencethatitisdoneandIwillthendischargeTrumbo。

A。LINCOLN。

MESSAGETOTHEHOUSEOFREPRESENTATIVES。

WASHINGTON，January5，1865。

TOTHEHOUSEOFREPRESENTATIVESOFTHEUNITEDSTATES：

Iherewithreturntoyourhonorablebody，inwhichitoriginated，a"jointresolutiontocorrectcertainclericalerrorsintheinternalrevenueact，"withoutmyapproval。

MyreasonforsodoingisthatIaminformedthatthisjointresolutionwaspreparedduringthelastmomentsofthelastsessionofCongressforthepurposeofcorrectingcertainerrorsofreferenceintheinternalrevenueact，whichwerediscoveredonanexaminationofanofficialcopyprocuredfromtheStateDepartmentafewhoursonlybeforetheadjournment。ItpassedtheHouseandwenttotheSenate，whereavotewastakenuponit，butbysomeaccidentitwasnotpresentedtothePresidentoftheSenateforhissignature。

SincetheadjournmentofthelastsessionofCongress，othererrorsofakindsimilartothosewhichthisresolutionwasdesignedtocorrect，havebeendiscoveredinthelaw，anditisnowthoughtmostexpedienttoincludeallthenecessarycorrectionsinoneactorresolution。

TheattentionofthepropercommitteeoftheHousehas，Iaminformed，beenalreadydirectedtothepreparationofabillforthispurpose。

ABRAHAMLINCOLN。

TOGENERALU。S。GRANT。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，January5，1865。

LIEUTENANT—GENERALGRANT，CityPoint，Va。：

RichardT。Jacob，Lieutenant—GovernorofKentucky，isattheSpotswoodHouse，inRichmond，underanorderofGeneralBurbridgenottoreturntoKentucky。Pleasecommunicateleavetohimtopassourlines，andcometomehereatWashington。

A。LINCOLN。

TELEGRAMTOGENERALGRANT。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，January6，1865，LIEUTENANT—GENERALGRANT，CityPoint：

IfthereisamanatCityPointbythenameofWatermanThorntonwhoisintroubleaboutdesertion，pleasehavehiscasebrieflystatedtomeanddonotlethimbeexecutedmeantime。

A。LINCOLN。

MESSAGETOCONGRESS，WASHINGTON，January9，1865。

TOTHESENATEANDHOUSEOFREPRESENTATIVES：ItransmittoCongressacopyoftwotreatiesbetweentheUnitedStatesandBelgium，fortheextinguishmentoftheScheldtdues，etc。，concludedonthetwentiethofMay，1863，andtwentiethofJuly，1863，respectively，theratificationsofwhichwereexchangedatBrusselsonthetwenty—

fourthofJunelast；andIrecommendanappropriationtocarryintoeffecttheprovisionsthereofrelativetothepaymentoftheproportionoftheUnitedStatestowardthecapitalizationofthesaiddues。

ABRAHAMLINCOLN。

TOSCHUYLERCOLFAX。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，January9，1865。

HON。SCHUYLERCOLFAX，SpeakeroftheHouseofRepresentatives。

SIR：——ItransmitherewiththeletteroftheSecretaryofWar，withaccompanyingreportoftheAdjutant—General，inreplytotheresolutionoftheHouseofRepresentatives，datedDecember7，1864，requestingme"tocommunicatetotheHousethereportmadebyCol。

ThomasM。KeyofaninterviewbetweenhimselfandGeneralHowellCobbonthefourteenth[15th]dayofJune，1862，onthebanksoftheChickahominy，onthesubjectoftheexchangeofprisonersofwar。"

Iam，sir，veryrespectfully，yourobedientservant，ABRAHAMLINCOLN。

PROCLAMATIONCONCERNINGCOMMERCE，JANUARY10，1865。

BYTHEPRESIDENTOFTHEUNITEDSTATESOFAMERICA：

AProclamation。

WhereastheactofCongressofthetwenty—eighthofSeptember，1850，entitled"AnacttocreateadditionalcollectiondistrictsintheStateofCalifornia，andtochangetheexistingdistrictstherein，andtomodifytheexistingcollectiondistrictsintheUnitedStates，"extendstomerchandisewarehousedunderbondtheprivilegeofbeingexportedtotheBritishNorthAmericanprovincesadjoiningtheUnitedStates，inthemannerprescribedintheactofCongressofthethirdofMarch，1845，whichdesignatescertainfrontierportsthroughwhichmerchandisemaybeexported，andfurtherprovides"thatsuchotherportssituatedonthefrontiersoftheUnitedStates，adjoiningtheBritishNorthAmericanprovinces，asmayhereafterbefoundexpedient，mayhaveextendedtothemthelikeprivilegesontherecommendationoftheSecretaryoftheTreasury，andproclamationdulymadebythePresidentoftheUnitedStates，speciallydesignatingtheportstowhichtheaforesaidprivilegesaretobeextended；"

Now，therefore，I，AbrahamLincoln，PresidentoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica，inaccordancewiththerecommendationoftheSecretaryoftheTreasury，doherebydeclareandproclaimthattheportofSt。

Albans，intheStateofVermont，is，andshallbe，entitledtoalltheprivilegesinregardtotheexportationofmerchandiseinbondtotheBritishNorthAmericanprovincesadjoiningtheUnitedStates，whichareextendedtotheportsenumeratedintheseventhsectionoftheactofCongressofthethirdofMarch，1845，aforesaid，fromandafterthedateofthisproclamation。

Inwitnesswhereof，Ihavehereuntosetmyhand，andcausedthesealoftheUnitedStatestobeaffixed。

DoneatthecityofWashington，thistenthdayofJanuary，intheyearofourLordonethousandeighthundred—andsixty—five，andoftheindependenceoftheUnitedStatesofAmericatheeighty—ninth。

ABRAHAMLINCOLN。

BythePresident：

WILLIAMH。SEWARD，SecretaryofState。

TELEGRAMTOGENERALB。F。BUTLER。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，January10，1865。

MAJOR—GENERALBUTLER，FortMonroe，Va。：

NoprincipalreportofyoursontheWilmingtonexpeditionhaseverreachedtheWarDepartment，asIaminformedthere。Apreliminaryreportdidreachhere，butwasreturnedtoGeneralGrantathisrequest。Ofcourse，leavetopublishcannotbegivenwithoutinspectionofthepaper，andnotthenifitshouldbedeemedtobedetrimentaltothepublicservice。

A。LINCOLN。

TELEGRAMTOGENERALB。F。BUTLER。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，January13，1865。

MAJOR—GENERALBUTLER，FortMonroe，Va。：

YoursaskingleavetocometoWashingtonisreceived。YouhavebeensummonedbytheCommitteeontheConductoftheWartoattendhere，which，ofcourse，youwilldo。

A。LINCOLN。

TELEGRAMTOGOVERNORJOHNSON。

WASHINGTON，D。C。，January15，1865。

GOVERNORJOHNSON，Nashville，Tennessee：

Yoursannouncingordinanceofemancipationreceived。Thankstotheconventionandtoyou。Whendoyouexpecttobehere？Wouldbegladtohaveyoursuggestionastosupplyingyourplaceofmilitarygovernor。

A。LINCOLN。

TELEGRAMTOGENERALG。M。DODGE。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，January15，1865。

MAJOR—GENERALDODGE，St。Louis，Missouri：

ItisrepresentedtomethatthereissomuchirregularviolenceinnorthernMissouriastobedrivingawaythepeopleandalmostdepopulatingit。Pleasegatherinformation，andconsiderwhetheranappealtothepeopletheretogototheirhomesandletoneanotheralonerecognizingasafullrightofprotectionforeachthatheletsothersalone，andbanningonlyhimwhorefusestoletothersalonemaynotenableyoutowithdrawthetroops，theirpresenceitself[being]acauseofirritationandconstantapprehension，andthusrestorepeaceandquiet，andreturningprosperity。Pleaseconsiderthisandtelegraphorwriteme。

A。LINCOLN。

FIRSTOVERTURESFORSURRENDERFROMDAVIS

TOP。P。BLAIR，SR。

WASHINGTON，January18，1865。

F。P。BLAIR，ESQ。

SIR：—YouhavingshownmeMr。Davis’slettertoyouofthetwelfthinstant，youmaysaytohimthatIhaveconstantlybeen，amnow，andshallcontinue，readytoreceiveanyagentwhomheoranyotherinfluentialpersonnowresistingthenationalauthoritymayinformallysendtomewiththeviewofsecuringpeacetothepeopleofouronecommoncountry。

Yours，etc。，A。LINCOLN。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，January19，1865。

LIEUTENANT—GENERALGRANT：

PleasereadandanswerthisletterasthoughIwasnotPresident，butonlyafriend。Myson，nowinhistwenty—secondyear，havinggraduatedatHarvard，wishestoseesomethingofthewarbeforeitends。Idonotwishtoputhimintheranks，noryettogivehimacommission，towhichthosewhohavealreadyservedlongarebetterentitledandbetterqualifiedtohold。Couldhe，withoutembarrassmenttoyou，ordetrimenttotheservice，gointoyourmilitaryfamilywithsomenominalrank，I，andnotthepublic，furnishinghisnecessarymeans？Ifno，saysowithouttheleasthesitation，becauseIamasanxiousandasdeeplyinterestedthatyoushallnotbeencumberedasyoucanbeyourself。

Yourstruly，A。LINCOLN。

TELEGRAMTOGENERALDODGE。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，January19，1865。

MAJOR—GENERALDODGE，SaintLouis，Mo。：

IfMrs。Beattie，aliasMrs。Wolff，shallbesentencedtodeath，notifyme，andpostponetheexecutiontillfurtherorder。

A。LINCOLN。

TELEGRAMTOGENERALORD。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，January19，1864

MAJOR—GENERALORD：

YouhaveamaninarrestfordesertionpassingbythenameofStanley。WilliamStanley，Ithink，butwhoserealnameisdifferent。

HeisthesonofsocloseafriendofminethatImustnotlethimbeexecuted。Pleaseletmeknowwhatishispresentandprospectivecondition。

A。LINCOLN。

TELEGRAMTOGENERALG。M。DODGE。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，January24，1865。

MAJOR—GENERALDODGE，St。Louis，Mo。：

ItissaidanoldladyinClayCounty，Missouri，bynameMrs。

WinifredB。Price，isaboutbeingsentSouth。Ifsheisnotmisbehavingletherremain。

A。LINCOLN。

TELEGRAMTOGOVERNORJOHNSON。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，January2￠，1865。

HON。ANDREWJOHNSON，Nashville，Tennessee：

SeveralmembersoftheCabinet，withmyself，consideredthequestion，to—day，astothetimeofyourcomingonhere。WhilewefullyappreciateyourwishtoremaininTennesseeuntilherStategovernmentshallbecompletelyreinaugurated，itisourunanimousconclusionthatitisunsafeforyoutonotbehereonthe4thofMarch。Besuretoreachherebythattime。

A。LINCOLN。

REPLYTOACOMMITTEE，JANUARY24，1865。

REVERENDSIR，ANDLADIESANDGENTLEMEN：

Iacceptwithemotionsofprofoundestgratitude，thebeautifulgiftyouhavebeenpleasedtopresenttome。Youwill，ofcourse，expectthatIacknowledgeit。SomuchhasbeensaidaboutGettysburgandsowell，thatformetoattempttosaymoremayperhapsonlyservetoweakentheforceofthatwhichhasalreadybeensaid。Amostgracefulandeloquenttributewaspaidtothepatriotismandself—

denyinglaborsoftheAmericanladies，ontheoccasionoftheconsecrationoftheNationalCemeteryatGettysburg，byourillustriousfriend，EdwardEverett，now，alas！departedfromearth。

Hislifewasatrulygreatone，andIthinkthegreatestpartofitwasthatwhichcrowneditsclosingyears，Iwishyoutoread，ifyouhavenotalreadydoneso，theeloquentandtruthfulwordswhichhethenspokeofthewomenofAmerica。Truly，theservicestheyhaverenderedtothedefendersofourcountryinthisperiloustime，andareyetrendering，canneverbeestimatedastheyoughttobe。Foryourkindwishestomepersonally，Ibegleavetorenderyoulikewisemysincerestthanks。Iassureyoutheyarereciprocated。Andnow，gentlemenandladies，mayGodblessyouall。

TELEGRAMTOGENERALGRANT。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，January25，1865。

LIEUTENANT—GENERALGRANT，CityPointIfNewellW。Root，ofFirstConnecticutHeavyArtillery，isundersentenceofdeath，pleasetelegraphmebrieflythecircumstances。

A。LINCOLN。

TELEGRAMTOGENERALGRANT。

WARDEPARTMENT，WASHINGTON，D。C。，January25，1865。

LIEUTENANT—GENERALGRANT，CityPoint，Va。：

HavingreceivedthereportinthecaseofNewellW。Root，Idonotinterferefurtherinthecase。

A。LINCOLN。

EARLYCONSULTATIONSWITHREBELS

INSTRUCTIONSTOMAJORECKERT。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，January30，1865。

MAJORT。T。ECKERT。

SIR：—Youwillproceedwiththedocumentsplacedinyourhands，andonreachingGeneralOrdwilldeliverhimtheletteraddressedtohimbytheSecretaryofWar。Then，byGeneralOrd’sassistanceprocureaninterviewwithMessrs。Stephens，Hunter，andCampbell，oranyofthem，delivertohimorthemthepaperonwhichyourownletteriswritten。Noteonthecopywhichyouretainthetimeofdeliveryandtowhomdelivered。Receivetheiranswerinwriting，waitingareasonabletimeforit，andwhich，ifitcontaintheirdecisiontocomethroughwithoutfurthercondition，willbeyourwarranttoaskGeneralOrdtopassthemthroughasdirectedintheletteroftheSecretaryofWartohim。Ifbytheiranswertheydeclinetocome，orproposeotherterms，donothavethempassthrough。Andthisbeingyourwholeduty，returnandreporttome。

Yourstruly，A。LINCOLN。

TELEGRAMFROMSECRETARYOFWARTOGENERALORD。

(Cipher。)

WARDEPARTMENT，WASHINGTON，D。C。，January30，1865。

MAJOR—GENERALORD，HeadquartersArmyoftheJames：

BydirectionofthePresidentyouareinstructedtoinformthethreegentlemen，Messrs。Stephens，Hunter，andCampbell，thatamessengerwillbedispatchedtothematornearwheretheynoware，withoutunnecessarydelay。

EDWINM。STANTON，SecretaryofWar。

INDORSEMENTONALETTERFROMJ。M。ASHLEY。

HOUSEOFREPRESENTATIVES，January31，1865。

DEARSIR：——ThereportisincirculationintheHousethatPeaceCommissionersareontheirwayorinthecity，andisbeingusedagainstus。Ifitistrue，Ifearweshalllosethebill。Pleaseauthorizemetocontradictit，ifitisnottrue。

Respectfully，J。M。ASHLEY。

TothePresident。

(Indorsement。)

SofarasIknowtherearenoPeaceCommissionersinthecityorlikelytobeinit。

A。LINCOLN。

January31，1865

TELEGRAMTOGENERALU。S。GRANT。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，January31，1865

LIEUTENANT—GENERALGRANT，CityPoint，Va。：

Amessengeriscomingtoyouonthebusinesscontainedinyourdespatch。Detainthegentlemenincomfortablequartersuntilhearrives，andthenactuponthemessagehebrings，asfarasapplicable，ithavingbeenmadeuptopassthroughGeneralOrd’shands，andwhenthegentlemenweresupposedtobebeyondourlines。

A。LINCOLN。

INSTRUCTIONSTOSECRETARYSEWARD。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTON，January31，1865。

HON。WILLIAMH。SEWARD，SecretaryofStateYouwillproceedtoFortressMonroe，Virginia，theretomeetandinformallyconferwithMessrs。Stephens，Hunter，andCampbell，onthebasisofmylettertoF。P。Blair，Esq。，ofJanuary18，1865，acopyofwhichyouhave。Youwillmakeknowntothemthatthreethingsareindispensabletowit：

1。TherestorationofthenationalauthoritythroughoutalltheStates。

2。NorecedingbytheExecutiveoftheUnitedStatesontheslaveryquestionfromthepositionassumedthereoninthelateannualmessagetoCongress，andinprecedingdocuments。

3。NocessationofhostilitiesshortofanendofthewarandthedisbandingofallforceshostiletotheGovernment。

Youwillinformthemthatallpropositionsoftheirs，notinconsistentwiththeabove，willbeconsideredandpasseduponinaspiritofsincereliberality。Youwillhearalltheymaychoosetosayandreportittome。Youwillnotassumetodefinitelyconsummateanything。

Yours，etc。，ABRAHAMLINCOLN。

PASSAGETHROUGHCONGRESSOFTHECONSTITUTIONALAMENDMENTFORTHE

ABOLISHINGOFSLAVERY

RESPONSETOASERENADE，JANUARY31，1865。

HesupposedthepassagethroughCongressoftheConstitutionalamendmentfortheabolishingofslaverythroughouttheUnitedStateswastheoccasiontowhichhewasindebtedforthehonorofthiscall。

Theoccasionwasoneofcongratulationtothecountry，andtothewholeworld。Butthereisataskyetbeforeus——togoforwardandconsummatebythevotesoftheStatesthatwhichCongresssonoblybeganyesterday。HehadthehonortoinformthosepresentthatIllinoishadalreadydonethework。Marylandwasabouthalfthrough，buthefeltproudthatIllinoiswasalittleahead。

Hethoughtthismeasurewasaveryfittingifnotanindispensableadjuncttothewindingupofthegreatdifficulty。HewishedthereunionofalltheStatesperfected，andsoeffectedastoremoveallcausesofdisturbanceinthefuture；and，toattainthisend，itwasnecessarythattheoriginaldisturbingcauseshould，ifpossible，berootedout。Hethoughtallwouldbearhimwitnessthathehadnevershirkedfromdoingallthathecouldtoeradicateslavery，byissuinganEmancipationProclamation。Butthatproclamationfallsshortofwhattheamendmentwillbewhenfullyconsummated。Aquestionmightberaisedwhethertheproclamationwaslegallyvalid。Itmightbeadded，thatitonlyaidedthosewhocameintoourlines，andthatitwasinoperativeastothosewhodidnotgivethemselvesup；orthatitwouldhavenoeffectuponthechildrenoftheslavesbornhereafter；infact，itwouldbeurgedthatitdidnotmeettheevil。

Butthisamendmentisaking’scureforallevils。Itwindsthewholethingup。Hewouldrepeat，thatitwasthefittingifnottheindispensableadjuncttotheconsummationofthegreatgameweareplaying。Hecouldnotbutcongratulateallpresent——himself，thecountry，andthewholeworlduponthisgreatmoralvictory。

TELEGRAMTOGENERALU。S。GRANT。

WASHINGTON，February1，1865

LIEUTENANT—GENERALGRANT，CityPoint：

Letnothingwhichistranspiringchange，hinder，ordelayyourmilitarymovementsorplans。

A。LINCOLN。

TELEGRAMTOMAJORECKERT。

WASHINGTON，D。C。，February1，1865。

MAJORT。T。ECKERT，CareofGeneralGrant，CityPoint，Va。：

CallatFortressMonroe，andputyourselfunderdirectionofMr。

Seward，whomyouwillfindthere。

A。LINCOLN。

TELEGRAMTOGENERALU。S。GRANT。

WASHINGTON，D。C。，February2，1865

LIEUTENANT—GENERALGRANT，CityPoint，Va。：

SaytothegentlemenIwillmeetthempersonallyatFortressMonroeassoonasIcangetthere。

A。LINCOLN。

TELEGRAMTOSECRETARYSEWARD，WASHINGTON，D。C。，February2，1865。

HON。WILLIAMH。SEWARD，FortressMonroe，Va。

InducedbyadespatchofGeneralGrant，IjoinyouatFortMonroe，assoonasIcancome。

A。LINCOLN。

ORDERTOMAKECORRECTIONSINTHEDRAFT。

EXECUTIVEMANSION，WASHINGTONCITY，February6，1865

Whereascomplaintsaremadeinsomelocalitiesrespectingtheassignmentsofquotasandcreditsallowedforthependingcalloftroopstofillupthearmies：Now，inordertodetermineallcontroversiesinrespectthereto，andtoavoidanydelayinfillingupthearmies，itisordered，ThattheAttorney—General，Brigadier—

GeneralRichardDelafield，andColonelC。W。Foster，be，andtheyareherebyconstituted，aboardtoexamineintotheproperquotasandcreditsof。therespectiveStatesanddistrictsunderthecallofDecember19，1864，withdir