Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-10-26
RepIy OF president Lincoln 10 the
Missouri Committee.
Executive MASsioN
WAsHISeToS. October , SCI

considered hope YOU ~lll regard the other du-
ties Ginning nv attention, together with the
great length and importance Of these documents.
as constituting Sufficient apology Tor my not
having responded sooner.
These papers fragsed for \ common otiect
consist of the things demanded and the reasons
for demanding them
The things demanded are
First-That Gen. Scbofed shall be relieved.
and Gen. Butler appointed COMMANDER Of The
Military Department of Missouri:
SecoBd-That the system of enrolled militia in
Missouri may be broken up, and national forces
be substituted Tor IL: and
Third-That at elections. persons may not be
allowed 10 vote who are not entitled by law to
do so.
Among the reasons given, enough Of suffering
and wrong 10 Union men, is certainly and sup
pose. truly stated. Yet the whole case. ~ pre-
sented, fails 10 convince me that General Scho-
field. or the enrolled militia, j. responsible for
that wrong. The whole can be explained on
a more charitable, and. as | think. more ra-
tonal hypothesis.
Weare in civil war. In such cases there always
IL main question; but 10 this case that question
is perplexing cOmpOund-Union and slavery.
Ii thus becomes question not OF two sides
merely, but OF at least four sides. among
those who are for the Union, saying nothing Of
those who are against IT, Thus those who are
for il without. but not with-those Tor it with or
without. but prefer it with. and those for it with
OF without, but prefer il without.
Among these again. is subdivision OF those
who for gradual. but not for immediate, and
those who for immediate, but not for gradual
extinction OF slavery.
IL is easy 10 conceive that all these shades of
opinion, and even more, NAV be sincerely enter
tanned by honest aud truthful men Yet. all
ketp 10 he. .bo
ces. each will prefer different way OF sustaining
the Union At once sincerity is questioned, and
motives are assailed. Actual coming. blood
grows hot, and blood is spilled Thought is
forced from old channels into confusion. Decep
ton breeds and thrives- Confidence dies. ana
universal suspicion regns. Each man feels AN
impulse to kill hisseighbor 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 10 confusion Strong measures deem
ed indispensable, but harsh at best. such men
make worse by NAL administration, Murders for
old grudges, and murders for pell proceed under
any cloak that will best cover for the occasion.
These causes amply account for what has oc-
CURED in Missouri, without ascribing il 10 the
weakness wckedness of any General. The
newspaper flies, those chronicers of current
events, will show that the evils now complained
of, were quite prevalent under Fremont, Hun
ter, HAlleck and Curtis, as under SchOfied. Ii
the former had greater force opposed to them
they also had greater force with which to meet
1t. When the organized rebel army left the State
the main Federal force had to go also, leaving
the Department omnander at home. relatively
no stronger than before Without diSparaging
any. | affirm with confidence, that no commander
of that Department has. in proportion to its
means, done better than Gen. Schoheld.
The first specific charge against Gen Schofeld
H. that the enrolled militia was placed under his
command, whereas il had not been placed under
the command OF Gen Curtis The fact believe.
Is true; but YOU do not point out, nor can | con
cake how that did. or could injure loyal men. or
jon cause.
~ Charge that upon Gen. Curtis being SUI
perseded by Gen. Scho6ed, Franklin A. Dick
was superseded by James o Broadhead, as Pro
vost Marshal General Ne very specific showing
is made To how this did or could iujure the
Union cause. lt recalls. however. the condition
of things, presented To which led to
change of commander for that Department
To restrain contraband intelligence and trade.
asystem of searches, permits and passes had been
introduced. | think, by Gen Fremont When
Gen Haleck came. he found and continued this
system, and added an order, applicable To some
parts of the State, 20 lew and collect cOntribu-
tons from noted rebels. to compensate losses and
relieve desttution caused bv the rebellion. The
action OF Gen. Fremont and Gen HaIleck "a
stated constituted sort of system which Gen
Curtis found in operation when he took command
ofthe Department. That there was necessity
tor something of the sort was clear; but that il
could only be justified by stern necessity. and
that il was liable % great abuse in administra-
ton. was equally clear Agents TO execute il.
contrary To the great prayer, were led into temp
tatiOn. Some might, while others would not re-
sst that temptation IL 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 the most. and
most readily for them: and would seize property
and collect levies in the aptest to fill their
own pockets. Money being the object the men
having money. whether loyal or disoyal. would
be victim This practice doubtless existed to
some extent, and il was a real additional evil,
that it could be, and was pausibly charged to ex
iSt H. greater extent than il did.
When Gen Curtis took command of the De
partment. Mr. Dick, against whom never knew
anything 10 alieEe, had general charge of the sys
tenn A controversy in regard TO il rapidly grew
into almost unmana geable proportions One side
ignored the necessity. and magnihed the evils of
the system while the other ignored the evils and
macni6ei the necessity; and each bitterly assaulted
the motives Of the other. | could not fail TO see
that the controversy enlarged in the same proper
ton as the proies>ed Union men there distinctly
took sides in two opposing political parties.
exhausted nv wits and very nearly nv patience
also in efforts convince both that the evils they
charged on each other were inherent in the case
and could not be cured by giving either party a
victory over the other.
Plainly the irritating system not to be per
petuated and it was plausibly urged that it could
be modified at once With advantage The case
could scarcely be worse. ami whether it could be
made better could only be determined BY a trial
In this view. and not TO ban or brand Gen Cur
It's, or tO give victory 10 any party, | made the
changeol commander Of the Department now
learn That soon after this change Mr. Dick was
removed, and that Mr.. Broadhesd, a gentleman
of no less good character. put in the place
The mere fact of this change Is more distinctly
complained Of than l. any conduc, Of the new
officer or other consequence of the change
gave the commander no instructions ~
To the administration OF the system mentioned
beyond what i contained in the private letter af-
forwards Surreptitiously published, in which d.
rectei him TO act solely for the public good aud
independently Of both p,rues Neither ything
YOU have presented me. nor anything have 9th
erwise learned. has convinced me that he has been
unfsithful To this charge
lmbecity Is alleged as one cause for removing
General Schoheld. and the late massacre at Law
renee Kansas. i pressed a evidence of that i'm
becihw To my mind, that fact scarcely tends
49,. a., ,r.,,.,..ts,, That unass.rra Il. On A.