The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-08-28
The Presidents Answer to Greeley.
EXECUTIVE MANSIUNI
WASHINGTON, August %, 1862.

WASHINGTON, August %, 1862.
To Hon. Horace Greeleu -
DEAR SIR II have just received yours of
the 18th instant, addressed to myself through
the New York Tribune. If there be in it any
statements assumptions Of facts which
may know to be erroneous, do not now and
here controvert them. If there be any infer
ence which l may believe to be falsely drawn, l
do not now and here argue against them. If
there be perceptible in it an impatient and die
tatorial tone, l waive it in Difference to an old
friend whose heart have always supposed to
be right
| AS to the policy / seem to be pursuing, as
| you say, | have not meant to leave any one of
you in doubt. would save the Union;
would save it in the shortest way under the
Constitution. The sooner national authority
can be restored the nearer the Union will be
the Union as it was. If there be those who
would not save the Union unless they could at
the same time save slavery, l do not agree
, with them. Ii there be those who would not
save the Union, unless they could at the same
! time destroy slavery, | do not agree with
them.
| My paramount object is to save the Union,
and not either to save or destroy slavery. i'll
could save the Union without freeing any
slaves, l would do it; and if could save it by
| freeing all the slaves would do it and if l
could save it by freeing some and leaving 9TH
ers alone, would also do that. What I do
about slavery and the colored race, do be-
cause l believe it helps save this Union and
what tOrbear, forbear because l do not be-
lieve it would help save the Union. l shall do
less whenever l shall believe what am doing
hurts the cause, aud l shall do more whenever
l believe doing more will help the cause. 1
shall try to correct errors when shown to be
errors, and shall adopt new views so fast as
they shall appear to be true views.
have here stated my purpose, according to
my view of official duty, and L intend no mod
ification of my oft-expressed personal wish
that all men, everywhere, could be free.
Yours, A. LINCOLN.
-~@~-
Escape of w. N. HurIOurt from the
Rebels.
| The we'll known literateur, VIM. II. Hurlburt,
whose detention by the rebels caused no little
stir nearly year ago. has escaped from Rich
mond and reached this city i'll safety. He speaks
freely in conversation respecting his personal adj
ventures and the results of his observation. He
says that he weat South on the invitation of Ben.
iamin, to talk over matters, but soon found that
| he disagreed with that eminent Jew, not being
willing to go quite as far as he
After his conference with Benjamin he went to
Charleston, his native place, and on his return
thence was detected and seized by mob, who
refused to deliver him on Benz amin 8 order. FL
nalIy he reached Richmond under arrest, and was
handed over to Gov. Letcher, who dsliked him
and induced Benjamin to withhold his objection
to his further detention.
He confined in prison by Letcher's order
until last January, when he was released, and
| kept under surveillance. Since January he has
/ been residing in Union family, and acquainted
with officials whose loyalty to the Union was
sufficient to induce them to wish that they could
accompany him on his fight, and give him facili-
| ties therefor
| He escaped by way of Hanover Court House
into the Shenandoah Valley. His desire t" con-
cilitate has been effectually destroyed by the
treatment he has received, and he Is ready to EN-
Ploy all the weapons known to civilized warfare
against the rebels. He believes the Rebellion to
be in its last days, and says that this opinion is
shared by those with whom he conversed in Rich
mOnd
He confirms previously well auth enticated
statements as to the number of rebel troops in
the Richmond army at the time Gen. Mcclellan
made his famous movement from the Chickahom-
| my to the James River. He reckons the forces
at that time at between &c, 900 and 80 ,0G0, and
says that almost all of it preciritated upon
the corps of Fitz John Porter the first and
second days, and that had Gen. Mcclellan push
ed on toward Richmond he would have found it
almost unoccupied.
| He says that since the seven days fighting the
rebels have been inforced to the extent of Al,
600 or 81, 900 men at least, as he believes.
-S0-S