To Edward L. Baker1Jump to section
My dear Sir: Washington. March 31. 1862.
Your note to Mr. Edwards, together with that from the War Department to yourself, has been handed to me by your brother John.2Jump to section For me to appoint ``Joe''3Jump to section to the Army, and then let him resign his present position is what is objectionable, because it is a substantial transfer. The objection is the setting of examples by which every body in all arms of the service, are set to studying whether they can not squirm round into a position more satisfactory to themselves. A rule, to cut off this, is a necessity. Yours truly A. LINCOLN
Annotation
[1] ALS, owned by Philip R. Baker, Pasadena, California. The correspondence mentioned by Lincoln has not been found. ``Mr. Edwards'' may have been Ninian W. Edwards, Baker's father-in-law.
[2] First Lieutenant John P. Baker of the First Cavalry, who was promoted to captain July 17 and appointed aide-de-camp to Major General William B. Franklin on August 20, 1862.
[3] Probably Joseph F. Baker whom Lincoln had just nominated as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps on March 19.