The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-07-04

4
by handsome majority.
u O-
4 Henderson and BrOdhea d VS.. Gen.
| Curtis.
During discussion in the Missouri State
| Convention, one day last week, John b.
| Henderson and Mr. Brodhead travelled out
! of their way to make malignant and SLAM
derous attack upon Maj-Gen. Curtis. =
These two gentlemen, both much younger
than Gen. Curtis, have remained in the
walks of peace and have been busy plot
promotion, while Gen. Curtis has been de-
tending the loyal men Of their State from
home traitors, and driving the Confederate
army beyond its borders. And it seems
that in the performance of this duty, and
especially in the manner in which
he has seen proper to deal with the
peculiar institution" Gen. Curtis has
failed to please these gentlemen. Had the
General returned all fugitives to their mas
ters, dealt kindly with our erring brethren
| of reasonable proclivities, and arrested
the editors Of the radical papers of MiSsou-
ri, as the Gamble faction demanded at his
hands, there would have been no COM
plants. He would not obey their behests
in this respect, and hereupon widespread
conspiracy of conservative politicians as
piring Brigadiers and sympathizine secesh
sufferers was organized to assail his char
| acter and procure his removal from COM
| mand in Missouri.
First the Brigadiers and their subs, de-
tailed before an erpaTte military commits
sion, by way of surmise and hearsay, all
the reports they could gather to the Gener-
ais prejudice from disappointed cotton
spectators and gossiping old secesh wo-
| men, of both sexes, in Arkansas and else
! where. And while matters were progress
sing thus before the military commission,
the conservative politicians of Missouri
were making pilgrimages in pairs to Wash
ington to poison the mind Of the President
against the General who had driven the
enemy from Missouri, and whose policy
was rapidly reducing the home traitors to
subsection.
Finally, General Curtis was removed,
and therupon those plotting politicians
claimed it as great triumph, and each one
plumed himself upon the proud achieve
nent. Austin King, in a most chiavlric
speech to his constituents, boosted that the
removal was under his personal applica-
ton to the President, and as q special ia
yor to him. Other politicians, who were
! anxious to curry favor with half baked
traitors in Missouri followed Kings exam
pie. But at last the borrowed plumes
were stripped from these petty dollhouse
politicians, and the Immaculate Nender-
son, in set speech before the Convention.
proclaimed that he did the deed. That it
was upon charges of fraud, population and
Tyranny, and other matters too horrible
for the public ear, preferred by him in
person to the President, that this high
functionary drove Genera! Curtis igno-
miniously from the command of the De-
partment of the Missouri.
In reply to this Mr.. Drake read an ex-
tract, from letter of the President to
Gen. Curtis, expressing his appreciation of
him. AS the material portion of the let
ter has already been made public, We are
permitted to publish it in full: ~
EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, June
5, ls6S:-Afajo' General Curtis Ny Dear
ST. have scarcely supposed itpossible
that you would entirely understand my
feelings and motives in making the
late change in the Department of the Mis-
souri,. l inclose you a copy of a letter
which / recently addressed to General
Schotield, and which will explain the mat
ter in part.
It became almost matter Of personal
self-defense to somehow break up the state
OF things in Missouri. ! did not mean TO
cast any censure upon you, nor to endorse
any OF the charges made against you by
others. With me the presumption is still
In your favor; that you are honest, capable.
faithful, and patriotic.
Yours very truly, a. LINCOLN. a
We publish also the letter from the Pres
foregoing:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON.
May u, lS63.-Gen. j. Nj iSchofeid: Dear
Sir: Having removed Genera! Curtis and
assigned you to the command of the De
partment OF the Missouri, / think it may
be OF some advantage for meto state to you
why l did it. I did not 1'elieue General
Curtis because Of ray JuU contraction that he
haa done ar7ong 6y commission o.? omission
L did it because of a conviction in my
mind that the Union men of Missouri,
constituting, when united, a vast majority
of the whole people, have entered into q
pestilent factional quarrel among them
selves, General Curtis, perhaps not of
choice, being the head of one faction, and
Gov. Gamble that of tie other. After
months OF labor to reconcile the difficulty,
it seemed to grow worse and worse, and i
1eit 1t my duty TO break it up somehow;
ana as could not remove Govs Gamble.
1 had to remove Geo. Curtis. Now that
you are in the position, wish you to undo
nothing merely because Gen. Curtis OF
Gov. Gamble did it, but to exercise your
own Judgment and do right for the public
interest. Let your military measures be
strong enough to repel the invaders and
keep the peace and not SO strong as to IN
necessarily harrass and prosecute the peo-
pie. 1t is a difficult role, and so much
greater Will be the honor if you perform
l. wen. IL both factions, or mother, shall
ABUSE you, you will probably be about
llght. Beware OF being assaiIod by one
ana praised by the other.
Yours, truly, a. LINCOLN.
II anything more were needed on this
point we have just seen q letter from a
friend OF Gen. Curtis who had an inter
view with the President, several DAYS srb-
sequent to the date of the Presidents latter
TO zen; Curtis. THAI friend saws in his lot
\
dent: VI WIG 1851
he sad he was very much afraid that
he wouldn't be understood in this n,a u.,or
by you, that he knew no reason WIN tha
friendship between himselfand Won sE,nid
be weakened in the least; that he was ponr
friend; that your renewal was NOT nrfarad
because he doubted your ability. your nat
riotsm or honesty, but as NECESSITY sn DE de-
manded, by condition of things who'll
beyond your control, az il seemed Ia
then stepped across the room,to his private
drawer and took ont letter which he
wrote TO Schotield after your removal. and
read it, giving bis reasons, &c. He then
read letter of tran initial, with which he
said he had sent IA copy OF Schrio'd's letter
10 you. He had talked SO carr estly about
the matter and so soicitously, too fearing
Won might pniSponStrpp him and spernai