Beschreibung:

LINCOLN, Abraham. Autograph letter signed ("A Lincoln"), comprising an autograph copy of his letter to Major General Godfrey Weitzel, "Headquarters of the Armies of the United States," City Point, 6 April 1865 [copied by him between 6 and 14 April]. 1 page, 4to, lined stationery, integral blank docketed , fine. [With:] ORD, Edward O. His copy of a letter from Judge John Campbell Richmond, 14 April 1865. 3¼ pages, 4to . LINCOLN MOVES FORWARD ON RECONSTRUCTION: HELPING RESTORE VIRGINIA TO THE UNION As the conclusion of the war approached, Abraham Lincoln took steps towards restoration of the Union by establishing procedures for the reconstruction of former Confederate states, a process already begun in Tennessee and Louisiana, where Lincoln's ten percent plan was put into effect. Shortly after Grant's army smashed Lee's weakened lines at Petersburg, forcing the abandonment of Richmond, Lincoln endeavored to hasten Virginia's return to the fold. He and General Weitzel met with former Associate Justice John Campbell in the occupied Confederate capital on April 4 and 5, 1865. Charles Dana, present at the meetings, had afterwards telegraphed Stanton to report that "Judge Campbell...had an interview with the President...to consider how Virginia can be brought back to the Union. All they ask is an amnesty and a military convention, to cover appearances. Slavery they admit to be defunct." In a subsequent letter to Campbell, Lincoln spelled out his necessary conditions for peace: restoration of national authority, acceptance of the presidential position on the slavery question, and no cessation of hostilities short of an end to the war (see Basler, 8:386-387). But Lincoln remained uncertain of the outcome, and suspicious of the intentions of the politicians who now sought peace. The day after his meeting with Campbell, Lincoln wrote to Weitzel, Union military commander in Richmond on the matter, and sent this copy of that letter to General Ord, commander of the Department of Virginia, to clarify his position. He writes: "It has been intimated to me that the gentlemen who have acted as the Legislature of Virginia, in support of the rebellion, may now now [ sic ] desire to assemble 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, if at all, they attempt some action hostile to the United States, in which case you will notify them and give them reasonable time to leave; & at the end of which time arrest any who may remain. Allow Judge Campbell to see this, but do not make it public" (Basler, 8:389; ALS in the Library of Congress). Ord's knowledge of the contents of the letter to Weitzel was obviously necessary considering the potential impact upon the military situation. Before the Virginia legislature could take any further steps towards establishing peace, Lee's Army surrendered at Appomattox. In response, Campbell addressed a letter to General Ord referring to Lincoln's letter to Weitzel and the President's conditions for peace: "I addressed...a telegram to [Confederate] General Taylor, at Mobile yesterday acquainting the latter with the events that have occurred in Virginia, the contents of this paper, and advised a cessation of hostilities...I still think that the plan [the withdrawal of Virginia from the Confederacy] was judiciously selected & that the issue would have been most favorable. The events that have since occurred have removed some impediments to the action sought for, and preclude the possibility of its failure...if the same policy were pursued in North Carolina...the result would be beneficial. That the most prominent citizens of that state, were ready to act through the Legislature." Campbell's letter was sent on the day that Lincoln was fatally shot by John Wilkes Booth. His death had far-reaching impact upon the nature of the eventual peace. What had been a policy based upon