The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1864-09-30
The Case of Col. Wolford
HIS LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT.

On tne Zitu vi ia5l OuHe Ooi. chANh
WoLFoRD, of Kentucky, was arrested, by
order of President LINCOLN, and sent un-
der guard to Washington. The charges
against him were: "The public expression
of disleyal sentiments and "Discouraging,
denouncing and opposing the enlistment OF
coIored troops" After the lapse Of week
during which he was confined by parole to
the limits of Washington city, he was per-
mitted to return to Louisville under a pa
role of honor to remain there until a court
for his trial should arrive and to which he
should report. A speedy trial had been
promised him by the President, but after
waiting about two weeks, in vain, for the
promised court, he received letter from
the President proposing to him that be
should be discharged from arrest upon sign
ing the following parole: ..5 n.,.
81 hereby pledge my honor that ] will
neither do nor say any thing which will di-
rectly or Indirectly tend TO hinder, delay,
Or embarrass the employment and use OF
colored persons as soldiers, seamen, or oth>
erwise, in the suppression of the existing
rebellion so long as the United States Gov
ernment chooses to so employ and use
them" !I t....
To this proposition, Col. WoLFoRp re.
pied in the following letter:
LOUISVILLE, (Kv.D July 80, 1864.
To ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President OF the
United States ...
SIR: have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt Of your letter, proposing to me
q discharge from an arrest in many ways
yexatious and inconvenicnt, upon my sign
ing parole, whereby l IN to pledge my
honor that will neither do nor say any
thing which will either directly or indirectly
tend to hinder, delay, or embarrass the em
ployment and use Of colored persons as sol
diers, seamen, or otherwise, in the suppress
sion of the rebellion, so long as the United
States Government chooses so to employ
and use them.
In answer to this proposal, | have frank
ly to say that cannot bargain for my lib
erty and the exercise of my rights as
freeman on any such terms. have COM
mitted no crime. have broken no law oi
my country or of my State. / have not
violated any military order or any OF the
usages of war. No act or word Of mine has
ever given encouragement to the enemy.
/ have no sympathy with the rebellion
All my sympathies are with and all my
hopes are for my country.
The triumph of the national arms, the pre-
servation of the Union, the maintenance o
the Constitution, the restoration of the su
premacy of the law over all the States
and the perpetuation of civil and religious
liberty, are the objects most dear to my
heart. l may say without presumption
that have done more to enlist white mer
in the army of the Union thaa any Other
man in the State of Kentucky. I have done
nothing to hinder the enlistment even O
negroes, because did not associate with
them, and have no influence over them.
You, Mr.. President, if you will excuse
the bluntness OF a soldier, by an exercise
of arbitrary power, have caused me to b.
arrested and held in confinement contrary
to law-not for the good Of our con moi
country, but to increase the chances Of you
election to the Presidency and otherwis'
to serve the purposes of the political part.
whose candidate you are-and now yol
ask me to stultify myself, by signing
pledge whereby shall virtually admit you
right to arrest me, and virtually supper
you in deterring other men from criticisinI
the policy of your Administration. No, sir
much IS love liberty, will tester in
prison, or die on a gibbet; before vii
agree to any terms that do not abandon al
charges against me, and fully acknowledg
tmy innocence. Since you have taken IN
lease into your own hands, Mr.. President
let me appeal to your sense OF justice, ami
ask that you will give to what I have t
! say in my defence candid hearing, an
do what you shall see ft. Andhe tras
I I,sball be pardonsd if Ispeak of myse
somewhat more largely than the canons {
good taste might seem to warrant; for, .
/ my acts are the subject of the accusatio
agsinst me, so they are my sole defenc,