Daily Republican., 1879-05-28
ppesl dont Lincoln to General
Hacker.

In the Providence "Journal' Of May
6. ia printed o letter from Lincoln to
General Hooker, written just after the
latter had taken command Of the Army
Of the Potomac. The letter was penned
in January, 1868, AID while tho presl-
dent vet retained it in his possession,
an intimate friend CHANGED to be in his
cabinet one night, and the President
read IL to him, remarking, ~ shall not
read this TO anybody else, but | want
to know how it strikes you" During
the following April or May, while tne
Army of the Potomac lay opposite Fred
ericksburg, this friend accompanied the
President to General Hooker's head
quarters on a visit. One night General
Hooker. alone in his tent with this
gentleman said: "The President says
that he showed you this letter." ana
then took out that document, wnion
was closely written on sheet OF letter
The tears stood in the Generals
brig ht blue eyes as he added: ut IS
such a letter as a father might have
written to his son. And yet it hurt
me-" Then dashing the water from
his ewes, he said: "When | have osen
to Richmond, l shall have this letter
printed, ,"-This was more than sixteen
years ago, and the letter has just now
seen the light of day. There are in 1t
certain sharp passages which, alter
this long lapse Of time, cannot oe veri
fed by the memory OF any who heard
It read in 1868. There are others which
seem missing. Nevertheless, the letter
which is herewith reprinted, must have
been written by Lincoln:
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, D. G. Jan rs, 1868 )
Major General Hooker:
General Il have placed you at the
head of the army Of the Potomac. VI
course. l have done this upon what ap'
naars to me to be sufficient reasons,
and vet think it best for you to know
that there are some things i'll regard te
which | am not quite satisfied with you
belieye YOU to be brave and skllliu
soldier, which, Of course, like. alst
! beli.ye YOU do not mix Politics witt
3 vonr profession, in which you are RI isht
. You have confidence in yourself, whlcf
: is a valuable, if not an indispensaol
f onality. You are ambitious, which
t within reasonable bounds, ooes goot
$ rather than harm; but | think ina
: during Gen. Burnside's command
s the army you have taken counsel o
a your ambition and thwarted him a
q much as you could, in which you dld
:, great wrong to the country and TO
g most m-rtorious and honorable orothe
C officer. have heard, in such way as
8 believe it, of your recently saying tina
j. both the army and the Government
e needed a dictator. -.
= Ofcourse, it was not for this, but l
Il spite of it, that have given you com
II maud. Only those Generals VINO ga
le successes can set up dictators. VIVA
10 I now ask of you is military success
is and will risk the dictatorship. In
e. Government will support you to the u
le most of it's ability, which IS nei'ht
m more nor less than it has done ana WI
e. do for all commanders. | much Lea
le that the spirit which you have aioe
is TO ipfuse into the army, OF CRITICISM
lie their commander and Withholding COY
~ fdeuce from him, will now turn upo
g YOU, shall assist you as far as l ca
is to nut it down. Neither you nor M
in poleon, if he were alive again, coul
IN yet any good out OF an army while sue
no a spirit prevailed in it. And now o'
at ware of rashness. Beware OF rashn's
oy but with energy and slespiess vlg'lanc
a 20 forward and give us victories.
he Yours very truly, A. LINCOLN