To James W. White, Robert H. McCurdy, and Frederick S. Winston1Jump to section
Robert H. McCurdy & Washington,
F. S. Winston---Committee. July 14. 1862.
Gentlemen: Your letter conveying to me the invitation of several loyal and patriotic bodies in New-York, to attend a mass meeting in that city, on Tuesday the 15th. Inst. is received. While it would be very agreeable to me to thus meet the friends of the country, I am sure I could add nothing to the purpose, or the wisdom with which they will perform their duty; and the near adjournment of Congress makes it indispensable for me to remain here. Thanking you, and those you represent, for the invitation, and the kind terms in which you have communicated it, I remain Your obt. Servt. A. LINCOLN
Annotation
[1] ADfS, DLC-RTL. Following White's letter of July 7 (DLC-RTL) extending the invitation, the committee went to Washington to present their request in person. On July 14 White and McCurdy addressed a further letter to Lincoln, reading in part as follows: ``Upon leaving for New York we called to pay our respects and to say one word more upon the all engrossing subjects of the hour. . . . You put the question to us then, `Who should I appoint if I displace McClellan?' We made no definite reply. . . . But we will say now that it appears to us clear that one of the older generals who have been distinguished---Sumner, or Heintzelman, should be appointed. We have heard it intimated that Halleck was to be appointed. Permit us to say that this would be in our judgment a deplorable mistake. . . .'' (DLC-RTL).