Year: 1863

state Or intimate that in your opinion an
army is q constitutional means Of saving
the Union against rebellion, or even
of an existing rebellion being in pro-
gress, with the avowed object of de-
stroying that very Union. At the
same time your nominee for Governor,
in whose behalf you appeal, is known
to you and to the world to declare against
the use OF an army to suppress the rebel
lion. Your own attitude, therefore, encour-
ages desertion, resistance to the draft and
the like, because it teaches those who in
cline to desert and escape the draft to be-
lieve it is your purpose to protect them,
and TO hope that you will become strong
enough to do so. After a short personal
intercourse with you, gentlemen of the
Committee, l cannot say think you de-
sire this effect to follow your attitude, but
l assure you that both friends and enemies
ofthe Union look upon it in this light. 1t
is substantial hope, and by consequence,
real strength to the enemy. tits false
hope, and one which you would willingly
dispel. l will make the way exceedingly
easy. | send you duplicates of this letter
in order that you, Or a majority, may, if
you choose, endorse your names upon one
OF them, apd return it thus endorsed to
me, with the understanding that those
signing are thereby committed to the fol-
lowing propositions, and to nothing else


!. That there is now rebellion in the Unit
ed States, the object and tendency Of which is
20 destroy the National Union; and that in
your opinion an army and navy are constitu-
tional means for suppressng that rebellion.


2. That no one OF you will do any thing
which, in his own Judgment, will tend to him
der the Increase or favor the decrease, or les
sen the efficiency Of the army or navy while
engaged in the effort to suppress that rebel
lion and,


3. That each of you will, in his sphere, do
all he can to have the officers, soldiers and sea-
men OF the army and navy, while engaged in
the effort to suppress the rebellion, paid, fed,
clad, and otherwise well provided and support
ed.


And with the further understanding that.
upon receiving the letters and names thus
endorsed, I will cause them to be publish
el, which publication shall be, within itself
q revocation of the order in relation to
Mr. Vallandigham


Il will not escape observations that l
consent to the release Of Ir Vallandig-
ham upon terms, not embracing any
pledge from him or from others, as to what
ne Will or will not do. l do this because
he is not present to speak for himself,
Or to authorize others to speak for
him; and hence, l shall expect, that
on returning, he would not put him
self practically in antagonism with
the position Of his friends. But I do
it chiefly because I hereby prevail on 9th
er influential gentlemen of Ohio to so de-
tinetheir position as to be of immense val
ue to the army-thus more than compen-
sating for the consequences of any mistake
in allowing Mr.. Vallandigham to return,
so that on the whole the public safety will
not have suffered by it. Still, in regard to
Mr.. Vallandigham and all others, I must
hereafter, as heretofore, do so much as the
public safety may seem to require.


have the honor to be respectfully yours. etc


\ LINCOLN.