Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1863-11-04

and be assures me 1t IS almost certain that vlO-
Ienee will be used at some OF the voting places
on election day unless prevented hy his pro
! Yost guards lie says thai at scme OF those
places The Union voters will not attend at all
or run ticket, unless they have some assu-
| rance Of protection This makes the Missouri
Gaze of NY action, in regard 10 which you ex
press your approval,
The remaining point Of your letter is pro
rest against any person offering to vote being
put to any test not found In the laws Of Mary
land. This brings rs to a difference between
VI '<souri and Maryland. With lhe same reason
in bUth States, Missouri has, By law, provid-
ed a test for the voter with reference to the
present rebellion, while Maryland has hot
For example, General Trimbie, captured, fight
ing Us at Hettysonrg5 IS, without rocanhng his
treason, legal voter By the laws OF Maryland
Even Gen. Schenck' s order admits hin to
vote, # he recants upon oath, thlnk
chat is cheap enough. Ny order 70 Missouri,
which YOU Approve and General NchencS 5 or
der here, reach precisely the same ED. Each
assures the right of voting to all loyal men,
and whether AMMAN is loyal each allows that
man to fix By his own oath Your suggestion
that nearly all the candidates are loyal, do
not think quite meets the case. In this stTug-
gle for the nations life / cannot so confidently
rely on'those whose election may have depended
upon disloyal votes. Such men, when elected,
may prove true, but such votes are given
them Ia the expectation that they Will prove
false Nor do think that to keep the peace
at the polls, and TO prevent the perslstently
dlsIoya from voting, constitutes just cause OF
offence to Maryland I think she has her own
example for it. If mistake not, is is precise
ly what General Dix did when your Excellency
was elected Governor. | revoke the first ofthe
three propositions in General Schenck 5 Gene
raj Order No. IS, not that it is wrong II prln
ciple, but because the military being, Of neces-
sity, exclusive judges as to who shall be arrest
ed, the provision is liable to abuse. For the.
revoked part | substitute the following:
That all provost marshals and other military
officers do prevent all disturbance and violence
at Or about the polls whether offered by such
persons as above described, Or by any other
person Or persons Whatever
The other two propositions Of the order
allow 70 stand General Schenck IS fully de.
termined, and has my strict order besides, that
all loyal men may vote, and vote for whom
they please.
Your obedient servant,
A. LINCOLN,
President Of the United States
The Washington Chronicle in COM
planning of Gov. Bradford, says that his let
ter does not show him to be, what he was
elected for an Unconditional Union man with
Republican tendencies; and it adds, that late
on Monday night, apparently after he bad re-
ceived the President reply, he issued proc
lamation addressed to the Judges Of election,
which vas promptly suppressed by General
Schenck; and is described by him az designed
TO produce collision between the military power
and citizens assenbl at the polls 70 vote at
10 o]oction +" The document must have been