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WILLIAM H。 SEWARD；
Secretary of State
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL J。 M。 SCHOFIELD。
WASHINGTON D。C。； OCTOBER 4； 1863
MAJOR…GENERAL SCHOFIELD； St。 Louis； Mo。：
I think you will not have just cause to complain of my action。
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL W。 S。 ROSECRANS。
WAR DEPARTMENT； October 4； 1863。 11。30 A。M。
MAJOR…GENERAL ROSECRANS； Chattanooga； Tenn。：
Yours of yesterday received。 If we can hold Chattanooga and East
Tennessee； I think the rebellion must dwindle and die。 I think you
and Burnside can do this； and hence doing so is your main object。 Of
course to greatly damage or destroy the enemy in your front would be
a greater object； because it would include the former and more； but
it is not so certainly within your power。 I understand the main body
of the enemy is very near you； so near that you could 〃board at
home；〃 so to speak； and menace or attack him any day。 Would not the
doing of this be your best mode of counteracting his raid on your
communications？ But this is not an order。 I intend doing something
like what you suggest whenever the case shall appear ripe enough to
have it accepted in the true understanding rather than as a
confession of weakness and fear。
A。 LINCOLN。
TO C。 D。 DRAKE AND OTHERS。
EXECUTIVE MANSION ；WASHINGTON；
October 5； 1863。
HON。 CHARLES D。 DRAKE AND OTHERS； Committee。
GENTLEMEN：…Your original address； presented on the 30th ult。； and the
four supplementary ones presented on the 3d inst。； have been
carefully considered。 I hope you will regard the other duties
claiming my attention； together with the great length and importance
of these documents； as constituting a sufficient apology for not
having responded sooner。
These papers； framed for a common object； consist of the things
demanded and the reasons for demanding them。
The things demanded are
First。 That General Schofield shall be relieved； and General Butler
be appointed as Commander of the Military Department of Missouri。
Second。 That the system of enrolled militia in Missouri may be
broken up； and national forces he substituted for it； and
Third。 That at elections persons may not be allowed to vote who are
not entitled by law to do so。
Among the reasons given； enough of suffering and wrong to Union men
is certainly； and I suppose truly； stated。 Yet the whole case； as
presented； fails to convince me that General Schofield； or the
enrolled militia； is responsible for that suffering and wrong。 The
whole can be explained on a more charitable； and； as I think； a more
rational hypothesis。
We are in a civil war。 In such cases there always is a main
question； but in this case that question is a perplexing compound
Union and slavery。 It thus becomes a question not of two sides
merely； but of at least four sides； even among those who are for the
Union； saying nothing of those who are against it。 Thus； those who
are for the Union with； but not without slavery； those for it
without； but not with； those for it with or without； but prefer it
with； and those for it with or without； but prefer it without。
Among these； again； is a subdivision of those who are for gradual；
but not for immediate； and those who are for immediate； but not for
gradual extinction of slavery。
It is easy to conceive that all these 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 coining； 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 passes； had been introduced； I think； by
General Fremont。 When General Halleck came； he found and continued
the system； and added an order； applicable to some parts of the
State； to levy and collect contributions from noted rebels； to
compensate losses and relieve destitution caused by the rebellion。
The action of General Fremont and General Halleck； as stated；
constituted a sort of system which General Curtis found in full
operation when he took command of the department。 That there was a
necessity for something of the sort was clear； but that it could only
be justified by stern necessity； and that it was liable to great
abuse in administration； was equally clear。 Agents to execute it；
contrary to the great prayer； were led into temptation。 Some might；
while others would not； resist that temptation。 It was not possible
to hold any to a very strict accountability； and those yielding to
the temptation would sell permits and passes to those who would pay
most and most readily for them； and would seize property and collect
levies in the aptes