Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-07-04
ONE OF LlNcoLNs LETTERS.
n Was short, but IL took Him Five Hours
to Write IL.

W
Francis II. Pierpont of Fairmont, w.
Va, who is in Pittsburg on private
business. is the well-known war COVER
nor of Virginia. In the course of an
interview he said to N. Y. Sun cor
respondent: "Mr. Lincoln's shrewd-
ness as statesman led him to careful
" weigh every word lie spoke or put
ipon paper, aud TO look at all his
official utterances from all points OF
view and Judge of their probable eff
feet in all quarters An instance in
point is his permission for the rebel
legislature of Virginia to meet for the
purpose of recalling the state troops
from Lees army. That permission.
given in a note to Gen. WeitZel, occu-
pies but dozen lines in Nicolay and
Hays history in the Century, but Mr..
Lincoln himself told me that its COM
position occupied five hours OF intense
mental activity. ! regard the letter as
literary curiosity. | was the loyal
governor of Virginia mt the time, and
Mr.. Lincoln deemed it necessary to say
something to me about so extraordinary
measure as permitting the rebel legis-
Iature to assemble when a loyal lcgis-
lature, with loyal governor, was in
existence and was recognized by the
federal government.
MIR. Lincoln's note to Gen. Weitzel
read:
alt has been intimated to me that
the gentlemen who have acted as the
legislature of Virginia in support of
the rebellion may now desire to assem-
BILE at Richmond, and take measures to
withdraw the Virginia troops and other
support from resistance TO the general
government. If they attempt it give
them permission and protection, until,
ii 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 ut the end
of which time arrest any who remain.
Allow Judge Campbell to see this, but
do not make it public
There seems to be nothing very
wonderful about the composition or
that order" continued Gov. Pierpont,
''yet it took five hours to write it-hye
hours of uninterrupted stiffness, too,
for it was written between p. m. and
a. m. You see Mr.. Lincoln's diff
Guilty. He knew that if the rebel legis-
lature recalled Virginia rebel soldiers
the effect would be the same as if that
number of men had been captured by
Gen. Grant. Yet he had studiously TO
refrain from recognizing the rebel
legislature, and thus steer clear of the
loyal government of Virginia, and it
required five hours hard work to- do
this to his satisfaction and evolve an
order which he could defend to- all
critics. | think no act of his admins
tration shows his political shrewdness
more clearly.
Mr.. Lincoln also told me, what is
not mentioned by Nicolay and Hay,
that he sent private instructions to
Gen. WeitZcl to dispense the gentle
men who have been acting as the legis-
lature of Virginia in support of the re-
belion' as soon rs they had withdrawn
the states support, thus giving them no
opportunity to attempt any action
hostile to the United States. but | do not
think that this part of the incident has
ever been made public.
The sagacity of Mr.. Lincoln is
shown in the events ut Richmond after
Gen. Weitzel had shown the letter to
Judge Campbell. The president knew
the crafty men he had to deal with, and
he foresaw that an attempt would be
made TO construe his permission into
virtual recognition OF the authority of
the rebel Legislature. Such was the
case, for III the call for the meeting of
the rebel legislature, published in the
Richmond Wing. the committee an
nounced that the military authorities
of the United States had consented to
the session of the Legislature in Rich
mond. and stated that the matters TO
be discussed are the restoration of
peace To the state % Virginia and the
adjustment OF the questions involving
life liberty, and property that have
arisen in the states Us consequence OF
the war.
The Great Forests OF Africa.