Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-03-04
ONE OF LINcoLN's LErrKRs.
1t Was Short, but II Took II m Five Hours
TO WriieI'.
Ma, Vel c.,

I
birth, and especially in ths spe, ca cf Mr.
S ephen A. Douglas, the son of Lincoln't
antagonist.
Young Douglas has formed most cor.
ret estimate Of Liucoln's character. he
said that in the gener lly accepted view
theIe was tendency TO glofiiy Liucoln'c
heaft and to exait what msy be called the
child qualities OF mis- nature, while reduc.
ing 10 . minimum what may be called bic
man qualities. Politically he is described
as child Of destiny. creature OF cream
stances. We are told that be reyer sought
tor himself position, or fame or honor, but
simply sat and dreamed and driftsd, until,
almost despite himself, ne b cams the 50
viOur Of nation. But, said young Doug.
Las, in the proper sense Of tina word Abrs-
ham Lincoln was the clearsst- headed and
the shrewdest, os well as the cleanest
handed and the purest, poli.icon THU
country has ever produced.
my intimate acquaintance with Mr.
Lincoln leads me TO endorse this. Hi
shrewdness SIS a statesman led him to
weigh every word he spoke or put up)n
paper, and to lock at all his official utter
snces from all points of view and judge
of their prObsble effect in sll quarters
An ms ance in point is his permission for
tine rebsl Legislature OF Virginia TO meet
for the purpose Of recalling the rebel
troops from Lees army. That permission,
given in a note to General WeitZsl, occu-
pies but a dozen lines in Nicolsy and Hsy's
history in the Century, bat Mr.. Lincoln
himself told me that its composition occu-
pied five hours of intense meotsl activity.
| regard the letter as a literary curiosity.
| was the loyal Governor Of Virginia at the
time, and Mr.. Lincoln deemed il necessary
to say something to me ab)ut 30 extraor-
binary a measure as permitting the, rebel
Legislature TO assemble when loyal Leg
islature, with loyal Governor, was in ex-
istence and wac recognized by the Federal
Government.
"Mr. Lincoln's note to Gen. Weiizsl
read,
"'It hiss bsen intimated 20 me that the
gentlemen who have acted as the Legsls-
ture Of Virginia in support of the rebellion
may now desire to assemble at Richmond
AID tske measures II withdraw the Vir'
ginis troops and other support from resist
arcs 10 the general Government If they
attempt il give them permission and pro-
lection, until, if at all, they attempt some
action hostile TO the United States, in
which Case you will notify them, give
them reasonable time to leave, and at the
eld of which lime arrest any Who remain.
Allow Judge Campbell to see this, bat do
not make it public
There seems to be nothing very won
deIful about the competition of that Or
der" continued Gov. Pierpont, yet it
sock five hours to write it-five hours OF
uninterrupted stiffness, toe, for it was
written between 0 q. In. and a. m. You
see Mr. Lincoln's difficulty. He knew
that il the rebel Legislature recalled Vir-
vinia rebel soldiers the effect would be the
same as if thai number of men bad been
captured by General Grant. Vt he had
studiously to refrain from recognizing the
rs5el Legislature, and thus steer clear OF
the loyal Government of Virginia, and il
required five hours hard work to do this
20 his satisfaction and evolve az order
which he could defend 20 all critics. /
think no act OF his Administration shows
his political shire wdness more clearly.
"Mr. Lincoln also told me, what is not
mentioned by Nicolay and Hay, that he
sent private instructions to Gen. Weltz9l
20 dispense the gentlemen who have been
acting ss the Legislature Of Virginia in
support of the rebellion as coon as they
had Withdrawn the States support, thus
giving them 10 opportunity 10 attempt any
action hostile TO the United States; but
do not Think that this part Of the incident
has ever been made public.
The ssgacity OF Mr.. Liucoln is shown
in the events At Richmond after General
Wsiizsl had shown the letter to Judge
Campbell. The President knew the crafty
men he hsd to deal with, snd be fOresa v
that an attempt would be made 10 con-
ssrue his permission into a virtual recOg-
nitioa OF the authority OF The rebsl Lsgis-
lature. Such WAC the osse, for IN the call
fos the meeting of the rebel Leeisls
ture, published in the Richmond Wing,
.ne COMMITTEES announced that the mill
tary authorities Of the United States had
consented 10 the session of the Legislature
IN Richmond, and stated that TIE matters
to he discussed are the restoration OF peace
10 the State of Virginia and the aoJ ust-
ment OF the questions involving life, lib
eriy and property that have arisen In e
States as Consequence OF the war.
"This assumption of authority not CON
ferred by the President made Mr.. Lincoln
Justly indignant, and he sent 10 Gsu.
Weilzcl a telegram sisirg that Judge
Campbell evidently assumed thst he had
called the insurgsnt Lsgislature OF Vir-
cipis together ss the Tightful Legislature
% settle all diff renees with the Unlted
States. Il have done nc such thing,
SAID M. Lincoln. i spoke Of them
not as a Legislature, but as gentlemen
who have acted as the Legislature OF Vir-
pinia in support of the rebellion" did
this on purpose to exclude the assumption
that was recognizing them as rishtful
bodv. dealt with them as men having
ooEer de factO to do specific thing to wit,
ITO withdraw the Virginia troops ano
other support from resistance to the general
government
''Mr. Lincoln went on to say that IS
this rad been miscopstrued, and as ten
Grant had captured the Virginia troops
aud fl clually withdrawn them from re-
distance TO the United States, his former
order was countermanded, sind that the
gentlemen who have act as the Lesis-
Iature ofVmginia 10 support OF the rebsi-
lion be not allowed TO assemble, but be
instructed to return to their bones. ,
YES" said Gov. Pierpoint, rs ne closed
the interview, President Lincoln was
very shrewd politiciaa-verys 1re"a'