I do not remember hearing prayers spoken of while I was in Richmond; but I
have no doubt you have acted in what appeared to you to be the spirit
and temper manifested by me while there. Is there any sign of the rebel
legislature coming together on the understanding of my letter to you? If
there is any such sign, inform me what it is; if there is no such sign,
you may withdraw the offer.
A. LINCOLN.
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL G. WEITZEL. WASHINGTON, D.C., April 12, 1865.
MAJOR-GENERAL WEITZEL, Richmond, Va.:
I have just seen Judge Campbell's letter to you of the 7th. He assumes,
as appears to me, that I have called the insurgent legislature of
Virginia together, as the rightful legislature of the State, to settle all
differences with the United States. I have done no such thing. I spoke of
them, not as a legislature, but as "the gentlemen who have acted as
the legislature of Virginia in support of the rebellion." I did this
on purpose to exclude the assumption that I was recognizing them as a
rightful body. I deal with them as men having power de facto to do a
specific thing, to wit: "To withdraw the Virginia troops and other support
from resistance to the General Government," for which, in the paper handed
Judge Campbell, I promised a specific equivalent, to wit: a remission to
the people of the State, except in certain cases, of the confiscation of
their property. I meant this, and no more. Inasmuch, however, as Judge
Campbell misconstrues this, and is still pressing for an armistice,
contrary to the explicit statement of the paper I gave him, and
particularly as General Grant has since captured the Virginia troops, so
that giving a consideration for their withdrawal is no longer applicable,
let my letter to you and the paper to Judge Campbell both be withdrawn,
or countermanded, and he be notified of it. Do not now allow them to
assemble, but if any have come, allow them safe return to their homes.
A. LINCOLN.
INTERVIEW WITH SCHUYLER COLFAX ON THE MORNING OF APRIL 14, 1865.
Mr. Colfax, I want you to take a message from me to the miners whom you
visit. I have very large ideas of the mineral wealth of our nation. I
believe it practically inexhaustible. It abounds all over the Western
country, from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific, and its development
has scarcely commenced. During the war, when we were adding a couple of
millions of dollars every day to our national debt, I did not care about
encouraging the increase in the volume of our precious metals. We had the
country to save first. But now that the rebellion is overthrown, and we
know pretty nearly the amount of our national debt, the more gold and
silver we mine, we make the payment of that debt so much the easier.
"Now," said he, speaking with more emphasis, "I am going to encourage that
in every possible way. We shall have hundreds of thousands of disbanded
soldiers, and many have feared that their return home in such great
numbers might paralyze industry, by furnishing, suddenly, a greater supply
of labor than there will be demand for. I am going to try to attract them
to the hidden wealth of our mountain ranges, where there is room enough
for all. Immigration, which even the war has not stopped, will land upon
our shores hundreds of thousands more per year from overcrowded Europe.
I intend to point them to the gold and silver that wait for them in the
West. Tell the miners for me, that I shall promote their interests to the
utmost of my ability; because their prosperity is the prosperity of the
nation; and," said he, his eye kindling with enthusiasm, "we shall prove,
in a very few years, that we are indeed the treasury of the world."
TO GENERAL VAN ALLEN.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, April 14, 1865
GENERAL VAN ALLEN:
I intend to adopt the advice of my friends and use due precaution....
I thank you for the assurance you give me that I shall be supported by
conservative men like yourself, in the efforts I may make to restore the
Union, so as to make it, to use your language, a Union of hearts and hands
as well as of States.
Yours truly,
A. LINCOLN.
LINCOLN'S LAST WRITTEN WORDS
Allow Mr. Ashmer and friend to come in at 9 A.M. to-morrow.
A. LINCOLN. April 14, 1865