New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-26
Lincoln. rs said. returned TO Washington This fact
appears from letter which reads follows:

LIEUrENASr-GRsgRAL GRANT, IN tie field
day and seriously injured. This. with other matters
Tll take Inc to Washington soon was at Richmond
Campbell who was with Messrs Hunter aud Stephens
IN February. called me. and made such representa-
paper repeating the propositions my letter OF nstruc
lions to Mr.. Seward which you remember, and adding
conscatcd property shall the least bear the additional
cost and that congcaton shall be RENTED to the people
OF any state which will now promptly and In good faith
us troops and other support from tine resist
Judge Campbell Thought 1t not impossible that the
rebel legislature Of Virginia would do the latter per
General Weitze with permission Judge Campbell to
soc IT, telling him General W. that II they attempt this
thing hostile to the United States In when to give
them notice and time TO leave. and to arrest any reain
do not think very probable that ANYTHING will come
You should see signs, you may understand them.
IRON your recent dispatches seems taat you are
opposition to the Government. Nothing that have
9r q, pronaoy snail no. Is 10 aeiay huer UT
Now from this IL appears that Mr. Lincoln was not in
Richmond after be wrote that letter. authorizing the
rebel Legislature to meet refer TO the letter OF the
9th to General weitzel All that part, therefore, OF
Admiral Portcrs statement referring to the fruit
wagon. and to the three minute horse going at rapid
gait AMI oyertakng Judge Campbell and General
Weze, and demanding return OF that letter. Is pure
fcton Tho records In Colonel scotts Office, show
beyond all doubt that there is no truth in It.
Mr. c. A. DANA who then Assistant Secretary OF
War. the letter which bore from Mr.. Lincoln to
General weiizcl on the 9TH OF April. 1865, appears
from his dipatch to the Hon. f. M. Stanton Secretary
OF War; and he also saw the paper givento Judge
Campbell.
This cipher dispatch OF Mr. Dana to Mr. Stanton is
dated Richmond, Va. April 7, 1865, p. M, and reads
IA follows:
Honorable +. NJ STANTON. Secretary Of Var.
Meclns OF i've members VI the virginia LEGISLATURE
judge CsmpTe TP e Prestept sSo We'd me the papers
conidentally to-day. They two in numbor one
without address, the other letter to General Wezc
The one states sine qua OF reunion but does not
diner essentially fOm previous statements The second
claiming to be the Legislature Of virginia here
for purpose OF recalling Virginia sol liers from rebel
aud do nothing hostile to the United states
Judge Campbell laid these papers before the I'VE men
VINO met twice, but not advised that tey look any
action. The President told this morning that sher
dan seemed 10 be getting the Virginia soldiers out OF the
war faster than this Legislature could think - -,
6 the way The troops eagtq5ed by General csh
| They formed Lees rear guard. Weitze has not yet
begun issuing rations. Io acts under General Ords
rgtons by selling captured property: Before teglnnns
he IS to register the people and give no one anything
| who does not take the oath
| lie has authorized tho churches to be opened next
sunday on condition that no disloyal sermons ~. no
preached. Episcopal ministers required to read tue
Railroad from here to Petersburg opened to day lava.
| and one burnt here
At Petersburg ali saved. C. A. DANA
From my recollection OF the facts, and II am correct
them aud think from these papers there con be no
mistake about that Mr.. Dana must have seen MT
Lincoln either tho boat City Point on the morn
ing Of the 9TH: and aftcrward he must have gone to
| headquarters ut Richmond. Va. where he saw the
| papers described in his dispatch To Mr. stanton
As further evidence that Admiral Porter Is entirely
mistaken in saying this, tho order permitting the Legs-
ature meet Withdrawn at city Point "a described
by him In his article referred TO- will state that have
| found cipher dispatch from Mr.. Lincoln to General
Weltzc datod April II. 1868
That dispatch IA as follows:
| MlJoR-GLSgRAL wErTzEL. Riehmond. Va.
have your dispatch To Colonel liarde about
the matter Of prayers | do not remember hearing airing
doubt you have acted IN what appears to you to be
| the spirit aud temper manlescd by N" while there.
together ON tho understanding Of my letter you II
there Is such sign inforIh me what 1t H. there Is
| no such sign. you may withdraw the oher' ,.,
In reply this General weItzel sends. in cipher the
following dispatch;
| RICHMOND Va Noon April 10. 1868.
| his EIc,lieney A. LINcoLS, President Of the U"fed
would not order me. but II you w.Ie IN my pave you
would not press them Tho passports nave gone OUT TOT
the Legislative. aud 1t Il common talk thar they VIII
come together.
| GODFREY WErrzrI, Major General Commanding.
Then comes n cipher dispatch from Mr.. Lincoln to
General wczel on the 18th OF April six days after the
original letter. In which he recalls tho authority to
permit the Legislature OF Virginia TO meet II Is lo3g
dispatch relating several different subjects and
only quote portions OF 1t bear upon this point;
WASHINGTON April IL, 1865.
Major GENERAL wEITzRG, Richmond IA.
have Just read Judge Carpoelis letter to you lie
Virginia together AZ the rghttu Legislature OF the state
to settle all differences with the United states haIe
but "a the gentlemen Who have the Legislature
| OF Virginia in support OF the rebellion"
Inasmuch a. Judge Campbell misconsrucs this. and is
stll pressing for aristce contrary to The explicit
Genera" Grant has since captured the Virginia troops 50
that their giving instruction Tor the withdrawal Is no
longer applicable lot letter 10 you. and Tie paper TO
Judge Campbell both lie withdrawn couutCrmanded
and ho bo notified Of Don't allow them to assemble
A. LINCOLN
Mr. Lincoln II would appear from this last dispatch,
makes al distinction between the letter written To Cen
eral woltze authorizing tho converting Of the Logisa-
| ture. md the paper gison to Judge Campbell IL
nowhere distinctly appears what the contents OF mat
letter Judge Campbell were but from those dispatches
It appear very clearly that they were not with
drawn oontermanded until the IL OF April lSbo, III
tho dispatch last referred TO- which was sent from
| Washington to weitzel. in Richmond
In Raymond's Life and Public Services aud state
Papers OF Abraham Lincoln. page 3d. 1t Is stated As
Leo surrendered the remains Of his army To General
Grant Sunday April o. that reason no Longer existed
and on the 18th General wezel received telegram
from tho President In Washington to annu the CALL as
| the necessity for II had passed"
| think that 1t pretty conclusirely appears That
Admiral Porter Is entirely mistaken In the romantic
account which he has given OF this matter In his article
| above referred 10.
My attention called TO this matter recently Nv
| letter forwarded to from my home IN MINNESOTA
written by BEN f. Green son of General Dun Green.
| The letter Ii as follows:
| DALTON WHITFIELD CO., GA, eth March, 1899
| Hon MoKTIS :. WILKINSON, Mdnkdfo, Hinn $500,
DEAR SR lind among the papers lett by my father,
General Dan Green. one purpOrilng 10 DO u COPY Ol
him TO convene the Legislature dated 9th April, 1853,
| and on 10 an Endorsement as follows: liahueu 10
Senator Wilkinson, at city Point, VINO delivered IL 10
| General WctZel ut Richmond. on the 7h. ~
Please inform whether you are the senator WISH
son mentioned In this Endorsement and II So whether
the facts and dates are correctly stated therein An
| Immediate reply will greatly oblige' ,,, u on,yv