the writings-6-第38章
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disposed of in reward or compliment of military service； I think
General Butler is entitled to the first consideration。 A copy of the
General's letter to me accompanying the swords is herewith
transmitted。
ABRAHAM LINCOLN。
TO FERNANDO WOOD。
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON
DECEMBER 12； 1862。
HON。 FERNANDO WOOD。
MY DEAR SIR：Your letter of the 8th； with the accompanying note of
same date； was received yesterday。 The most important paragraph in
the letter； as I consider； is in these words：
〃On the 25th of November last I was advised by an authority which I
deemed likely to be well informed； as well as reliable and truthful；
that the Southern States would send representatives to the next
Congress； provided that a full and general amnesty should permit them
to do so。 No guarantee or terms were asked for other than the
amnesty referred to。〃
I strongly suspect your information will prove to be groundless；
nevertheless； I thank you for communicating it to me。 Understanding
the phrase in the paragraph just quoted〃the Southern States would
send representatives to the next Congress〃to be substantially the
same as that 〃the people of the Southern States would cease
resistance； and would reinaugurate； submit to； and maintain the
national authority within the limits of such States； under the
Constitution of the United States；〃 I say that in such case the war
would cease on the part of the United States； and that if within a
reasonable time 〃a full and general amnesty〃 were necessary to such
end； it would not be withheld。
I do not think it would be proper now to communicate this； formally
or informally； to the people of the Southern States。 My belief is
that they already know it； and when they choose； if ever； they can
communicate with me unequivocally。 Nor do I think it proper now to
suspend military operations to try any experiment of negotiation
I should nevertheless receive with great pleasure the exact
information you now have； and also such other as you may in any way
obtain。 Such information might be more valuable before the 1st of
January than afterwards。
While there is nothing in this letter which I shall dread to see in
history； it is； perhaps； better for the present that its existence
should not become public。 I therefore have to request that you will
regard it as confidential。
Your obedient servant；
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL CURTIS。
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON； December 14； 1862
MAJOR…GENERAL CURTIS； St。 Louis； Missouri：
If my friend Dr。 William Fithian； of Danville； Ill。； should call on
YOU； please give him such facilities as you consistently can about
recovering the remains of a step…son； and matters connected
therewith。
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL H。 H。 SIBLEY。
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON； December 16； 1862。
BRIG。 GEN。 H。 H。 SIBLEY； Saint Paul； Minn。：
As you suggest； let the executions fixed for Friday the 19th instant
be postponed to； and be done on； Friday the 26th instant。
A。 LINCOLN。
（Private。）
Operator please send this very carefully and accurately。 A。 L。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL CURTIS。
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON； December 16； 1862。
MAJOR…GENERAL CURTIS； Saint Louis； Missouri：
N。 W。 Watkins； of Jackson； Mo。； （who is half brother to Henry Clay）；
writes me that a colonel of ours has driven him from his home at
Jackson。 Will you please look into the case and restore the old man
to his home if the public interest will admit？
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL BURNSIDE。
WAR DEPARTMENT； WASHINGTON CITY； D。 C。；
December 16； 1862。
MAJOR…GENERAL BURNSIDE； Falmouth：
Your despatch about General Stahel is received。 Please ascertain from
General Sigel and his old corps whether Stahel or Schurz is
preferable and telegraph the result； and I will act immediately。
After all I shall be governed by your preference。
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL CURTIS。
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON；
December 17； 1862。
MAJOR…GENERAL CURTIS：
Could the civil authority be reintroduced into Missouri in lieu of
the military to any extent； with advantage and safety？
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL BURNSIDE。
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON；
December 17； 1862。
MAJOR…GENERAL BURNSIDE
George Patten says he was a classmate of yours and was in the same
regiment of artillery。 Have you a place you would like to put him
in？ And if so what is it？
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GOVERNOR GAMBLE。
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON；
December 18； 1862。
GOVERNOR GAMBLE； Saint Louis； MO。：
It is represented to me that the enrolled militia alone would now
maintain law and order in all the counties of your State north of the
Missouri River。 If so all other forces there might be removed south
of the river； or out of the State。 Please post yourself and give me
your opinion upon the subject。
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL CURTIS。
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON；
December 19； 1862。
MAJOR…GENERAL CURTIS； Saint Louis； Mo。：
Hon。 W。 A。 Hall； member of Congress here； tells me； and Governor
Gamble telegraphs me； that quiet can be maintained in all the
counties north of the Missouri River by the enrolled militia。 Confer
with Governor Gamble and telegraph me。
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL A。 E。 BURNSIDE。
WASHINGTON； December 19； 1862。
MAJOR…GENERAL BURNSIDE：
Come； of course； if in your own judgment it is safe to do so。
A。 LINCOLN。
TO SECRETARIES SEWARD AND CHASE。
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON；
December 20； 1862。
HON。 WILLIAM H。 SEWARD AND HON。 SALMON P。 CHASE。
GENTLEMEN：You have respectively tendered me your resignations as
Secretary of State and Secretary of the Treasury of the United
States。 I am apprised of the circumstances which may render this
course personally desirable to each of you； but after most anxious
consideration my deliberate judgment is that the public interest does
not admit of it。 I therefore have to request that you will resume
the duties of your departments respectively。
Your obedient servant；
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GOVERNOR ANDREW。
WASHINGTON； D。 C。； December 20； 1862。
GOVERNOR ANDREW； Boston； Mass。：
Neither the Secretary of War nor I know anything except what you tell
us about the 〃published official document〃 you mention。
A。 LINCOLN。
TO T。 J。 HENDERSON。
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON； December 20； 1862。
HON。 T。 J。 HENDERSON。
DEAR SIR：…Your letter of the 8th to Hon。 William Kellogg has just
been shown me。 You can scarcely overestimate the pleasure it would
give me to oblige you； but nothing is operating so ruinously upon us
everywhere as 〃absenteeism。〃 It positively will not do for me to
grant leaves of absence in cases not sufficient to procure them under
the regular rules。
It would astonish you to know the extent of the evil of
〃absenteeism。〃 We scarcely have more than half the men we are paying
on the spot for service anywhere。
Yours very truly；
A。 LINCOLN。
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON；
December 22； 1862。
TO THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC：
I have just read your general's report of the battle of
Fredericksburg。 Although you were not successful； the attempt was
not an error； nor the failure other than accident。 The courage with
which you； in an open field； maintained the contest against an
intrenched foe； and the consummate skill and success with which you
crossed and recrossed the river in the face of the enemy； show that
you possess all the qualities of a great army； which will yet
