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detention。
A。 LINCOLN。
Please send above； by order of the President。
JOHN HAY。
PROCLAMATION RECOMMENDING THANKSGIVING FOR VICTORIES；
APRIL 10； 1862。
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA：
A Proclamation
It has pleased Almighty God to vouchsafe signal victories to the land
and naval forces engaged in suppressing； an internal rebellion； and
at the same time to avert from our country the dangers of foreign
intervention and invasion。
It is therefore recommended to the people of the United States that
at their next weekly assemblages in their accustomed places of public
worship which shall occur after notice of this proclamation shall
have been received； they especially acknowledge and render thanks to
our Heavenly Father for these inestimable blessings； that they then
and there implore spiritual consolation in behalf of all who have
been brought into affliction by the casualties and calamities of
sedition and civil war； and that they reverently invoke the divine
guidance for our national counsels； to the end that they may speedily
result in the restoration of peace； harmony； and unity throughout our
borders and hasten the establishment of fraternal relations among all
the countries of the earth。
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of
the United States to be affixed。
Done at the city of Washington； this tenth day of April； A。D。 1862；
and of the independence of the United States the eighty…sixth。
ABRAHAM LINCOLN。
By the President：
WILLIAM H。 SEWARD； Secretary of State。
ABOLISHING SLAVERY IN WASHINGTON； D。C。
MESSAGE TO CONGRESS。
April 16； 1862。
FELLOW…CITIZENS OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES：
The act entitled 〃An act for the relief of certain persons held to
service or labor in the District of Columbia〃 has this day been
approved and signed。
I have never doubted the constitutional authority of Congress to
abolish slavery in this District； and I have ever desired to see the
national capital freed from the institution in some satisfactory way。
Hence there has never been in my mind any question on the subject
except the one of expediency； arising in view of all the
circumstances。 If there be matters within and about this act which
might have taken a course or shape more satisfactory to my judgment；
I do not attempt to specify them。 I am gratified that the two
principles of compensation and colonization are both recognized and
practically applied in the act。
In the matter of compensation； it is provided that claims may be
presented within ninety days from the passage of the act； 〃but not
thereafter〃； and there is no saving for minors； femmes covert； insane
or absent persons。 I presume this is an omission by mere oversight；
and I recommend that it be supplied by an amendatory or supplemental
act。
ABRAHAM LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL G。 B。 McCLELLAN。
WASHINGTON； April 21； 1862。
MAJOR…GENERAL McCLELLAN：
Your despatch of the 19th was received that day。 Fredericksburg is
evacuated and the bridges destroyed by the enemy； and a small part of
McDowell's command occupies this side of the Rappahannock； opposite
the town。 He purposes moving his whole force to that point。
A。 LINCOLN。
TO POSTMASTER…GENERAL
A。 LINCOLN。 EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON；
April 24； 1862。
Hon。 POSTMASTER…GENERAL。
MY DEAR SIR：The member of Congress from the district including
Tiffin； O。； calls on me about the postmaster at that place。
I believe I turned over a despatch to you from some persons there；
asking a suspension； so as for them to be heard； or something of the
sort。 If nothing； or nothing amounting to anything； has been done； I
think the suspension might now be suspended； and the commission go
forward。
Yours truly；
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL G。 B。 McCLELLAN。
WASHINGTON； April 29； 1862。
MAJOR…GENERAL McCLELLAN：
Would it derange or embarrass your operations if I were to appoint
Captain Charles Griffin a brigadier…general of volunteers？ Please
answer。
A。 LINCOLN。
MESSAGE TO THE SENATE； MAY 1； 1862。
TO THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES：
In answer to the resolution of the Senate ＇of April 22＇ in relation
to Brigadier…General Stone； I have the honor to state that he was
arrested and imprisoned under my general authority； and upon evidence
which whether he be guilty or innocent； required； as appears to me；
such proceedings to be had against him for the public safety。 I
deem it incompatible with the public interest； as also； perhaps；
unjust to General Stone； to make a more particular statement of the
evidence。
He has not been tried because； in the state of military operations at
the time of his arrest and since； the officers to constitute a court
martial and for witnesses could not be withdrawn from duty without
serious injury to the service。 He will be allowed a trial without
any unnecessary delay； the charges and specifications will be
furnished him in due season； and every facility for his defense will
be afforded him by the War Department。
ABRAHAM LINCOLN；
WASHINGTON； MAY 1； 1862
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL McCLELLAN
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON； MAY 1； 1862
MAJOR…GENERAL McCLELLAN：
Your call for Parrott guns from Washington alarms me； chiefly because
it argues indefinite procrastination。 Is anything to be done？
A LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL H。 W。 HALLECK。
WAR DEPARTMENT； MAY 1； 1862
MAJOR…GENERAL HALLECK； Pittsburgh Landing； Tennessee：
I am pressed by the Missouri members of Congress to give General
Schofield independent command in Missouri。 They insist that for want
of this their local troubles gradually grow worse。 I have forborne；
so far； for fear of interfering with and embarrassing your
operations。 Please answer telling me whether anything； and what； I
can do for them without injuriously interfering with you。
A。 LINCOLN。
RESPONSE TO EVANGELICAL LUTHERANS； MAY 6； 1862
GENTLEMEN：I welcome here the representatives of the Evangelical
Lutherans of the United States。 I accept with gratitude their
assurances of the sympathy and support of that enlightened；
influential； and loyal class of my fellow citizens in an important
crisis which involves； in my judgment； not only the civil and
religious liberties of our own dear land； but in a large degree the
civil and religious liberties of mankind in many countries and
through many ages。 You well know； gentlemen； and the world knows；
how reluctantly I accepted this issue of battle forced upon me on my
advent to this place by the internal enemies of our country。 You all
know； the world knows； the forces and the resources the public agents
have brought into employment to sustain a government against which
there has been brought not one complaint of real injury committed
against society at home or abroad。 You all may recollect that in
taking up the sword thus forced into our hands this government
appealed to the prayers of the pious and the good； and declared that
it placed its whole dependence on the favor of God。 I now humbly and
reverently； in your presence； reiterate the acknowledgment of that
dependence； not doubting that； if it shall please the Divine Being
who determines the destinies of nations； this shall remain a united
people； and that they will； humbly seeking the divine guidance； make
their prolonged national existence a source of new benefits to
themselves and their successors； and to all classes and conditions of
mankind。
TELEGRAM TO FLAG…OFFICER L。 M。 GOLDSBOROUGH。
FORT MONROE； VIRGINIA； MAY 7； 1862
FLAG…OFFICER GOLDSBOROUGH。
SIR：Major…General McClellan telegraphs that he has ascertained by a
reconnaissance that the battery at Jamestown has been abandoned； and
he again requests that gunboats may be sent up the James River。
If you have tolerable confidence that you can successfully contend
with the Merrimac without the help of the Galena and two accompanying
gunboats； send the Galena and two gunboats up the James River at
once。 Please report your action on this to me at once。 I shall be
found either at General Wool's headquarters or on board the Miami。
Your obedient servant；
A。 LINCOLN。
FURTHER REPRIMAND OF McCLELLAN
TO GENERAL G。 B。 McCLELLAN。
FORT MONROE； VIRGINIA； May 9； 1862
MAJOR…GENERAL McCLELLAN：
MY DEAR SIR：I have just assisted the Secretary of War in framing
part of a despatch to you relating to army corps； which despatch； of
course； will have reached you long before this will。 I wish to say a
few words to you privately on this subject。 I ordered the army corps
organization not only on the