The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-04-22
ONE OF LuNcoLN's LETTERS.
m " ns short, Hut II Took Him Five Hours
10 Write II.

ONE OF LINCOLN'S LETTERS
N wns short. Hut II Took Him Five Hours
To Write II.
Francis II. Pierpont of fairmont, w.
Va, who is in Pittsburg on private busi.
mess, is the wcll-known war governor OF
Virginia. In the course of an interview
lsr said 10 a New York Sun correspondent:
sAr. Lincoln's shrcwdness as n states
man led him To carefully weigh every
word he spoke or put upon paper. n TO
Bppk al all his official uttcrances from all
puints Of view and judge OF their probable
effect in all quarters. An instance IN
point is his permission for Tho rebel iegis-
nature of Virginia 10 meet for the purpose
af recalling the state troops from Lees
ARMY. That permission, given IN q
note 10 General Weitzcl, occupies but q
doscn lines In Nicolay and Hays history
m the Century, but Mr.. Lincoln himself
sold me that its composition occupied 1--WE
hpuns Of intense mental activity. ! regard
the letter as n literary curiosity. was
alc loyal governor OF Virginia nj the time,
and Mr.. lincoln deemed IL necessary TO
a.ss something 10 me about so e~xtraordi.
Navy a measure as permitting the rebel
legislature TO assemble when q loyal legls-
Anture, with a loyal governor, was ~ cx.
asscnce and was recognized by the federal
AMr. Lincoln's note TO General Wcitzel
Rad:
",It has been intimatcd to me that the
gentlemen who nave acted as the legisla-
ssre Of Virginia in support OF the rebel
lion may now desire to assemble at Rich
mond. and a measures TO withdraw
the Virginia troops and other sup,
port from resistance 10 the general
government. If they attempt it give
thein permission and protection, until,
II Mt all, they attempt some action hostile
40 the United States, in which case you
will notify them, give them reasonable
lime to leave, and at the end OF
which time arrest any who remain
Allow Judge Campbell To see this,
Rxt do not make il public.
,'rhere seems To he nothing very won
dcrful about the composition OF that
ORDER continued Governor Pierpont,
yet il took five hours To write it-flve
hours of uninterrupted stiffness, too, for
!, was written between ep. ~; u 2 a. ~.
You see Mr.. Lincoln's difficulty. He
knew that il the rebel legislature recalled
Virginia rebel soldiers the effect
would be the same as IL that number OF
men had been captured by Gen. Grant.
Yet he had studiously To refrain from rec
ogniking the rebel legislature, and thus
aiecr clear OF the loyal government OF
y lFvlIlll, AMI IL TttlulEtu hNc ttputS ~
xork To do this to his satisfaction and
syolve an order which he could defend To
AL critics. I think no act Of his admins
fration shows his political shrewdness
more clearly.
"Mr. Lincoln also told me, what is not
mentioned by Nicolay and Hay, that he
nent private instructions Ia Gen. Weitzei
M dispense the gentlemen who have been
arting as the legislature of Virginia I'm
Support Of the rebellion, as soon rs they
tnd Withdrawn the states support, thus
giving them no opportunity to attempt
ANY action hostile to the United States,
hut | do not think that this part Of the In
eident has ever been made public.
The sagacity of Mr.. Lincoln is shown
IN the events at Richmond after Gen.
Ueitzcl had shown the letter To Judge
Campbell. The president knew the crafty
cpcn he had to deal with, and he foresaw
ahat an attempt would he made To con-
sxruc his permission into a virtual
Hcognition of the authority Of the
.asl Legislature. such was the case,
for in the call for the meeting of
abe rebel Legislature, published in the
Richmond Wing, the committee an
Bounced that the military authorities of
isc United States had consented 10 the
session II the legislature in Richmond,
and stated that the matters To he dis
eusscd are restoration of peace Ia the
~ VI hhgthit aih WV a'lbSttii'ht VI
ihe questions involving life. liberty and
property that have arisen in the states as
q consequence of the "A
this assumption of authority not rom
ferrnl by the president made Mr.. Lincoln
Justly indignant aud he sent To- General
Weitzcl a telegram stating that Judge
Campbell evidently assumed that he had
rallied the insurgent legislature of Vir-
giDia together as the rightful legislature
IA settle all differences with the United
States. 4 have done no such
fiing,' said Mr.. Lincoln. Il spoke of
Them not as a legislature but as Tho gen.
hcfnen who ave acted as the Legislature
~ Virginia in support Of the rebellion"
l did this on purpose Ia exclude the as
sumption that ! vas recognizing them as
a rightful body. l dealt with them ms
MN having power lie facto Ia do "a spec
Ale thing-to-wit, 10 withdraw the Nir-
ginia troops u other support from re-
xistancc la d general government. Mr..
lincoln then went ON 10 say that. ms this
hal been misconstrued, and as General
Grant had captured the Virginia troops
istanc To the United States, his former
EaSlcr was countermanded, and that ''thc
gtntlcm,n who have acted as the legisla-
inv OF Virginia in support of the rebel
bon. be not allowed to assemble, but he
instructed To return la their homes.
~Ncs," said Governor picrpont, as lie
asoecd the interview. president Lincoln
.as yer. shrcwd politician very
shrrwd."