Annotation
[1] ADfS, DLC-RTL. On September 30 delegations from Missouri and Kansas headed by Charles D. Drake waited upon the president to present a lengthy ``address'' alluding to various Radical conventions throughout Missouri which culminated in a state convention meeting in Jefferson City from which the delegation headed by Drake was appointed to visit Washington. All these conventions sustained the administration in the Emancipation Proclamation and the employment of Negro troops, but demanded immediate rather than gradual emancipation in Missouri, arraigned Governor Gamble, and demanded restoration of military control in Missouri. The substance of the nineteen-page ``address'' is so specifically covered in Lincoln's reply as to require no additional quotations.
Following presentation of the address, the conference continued for several hours. Lincoln's remarks as reported in the New York Tribune on October 1 are as follows:
``The President promised to consider carefully all the points urged, but left his auditory in doubt as to his intentions. He assured the delegation that he believed them to be the true friends of the Administration, whether the other `set,' not using the word `faction' this time, was so or not. As for Gen. Schofield, the President said that he had no reason to be dissatisfied with him, since he had not only obeyed orders, but had done so with unusual promptitude, had reenforced Grant, and sent troops elsewhere, when ordered to do so, without objection or delay. Thereupon Mr. Lincoln was asked whether, if he were satisfied that the removal of Schofield were the wish of the loyal people of Missouri and Kansas, he would remove him? The President answered that this circumstance, if proved beyond question, would go a great way with him. Of Gen. Butler, Mr. Lincoln said not a word. In the course of the interview, he remarked to the delegations, that their `set' was a little too fast for his policy, which favored gradual, rather than immediate emancipation in Missouri.'' A more complete report of this conference is given in John Hay's Diary and may be found in Abraham Lincoln: A History (VIII, 215-19).
Although the draft of Lincoln's reply is dated October 5, according to a Washington despatch of October 15 the communication was not sent until October 14: ``The President's reply to the address of the Missouri delegation, which was mailed to the Hon. C. D. Drake, Chairman . . . at St. Louis yesterday, will be published or not at the option of that gentleman. . . .'' (New York Tribune, October 17, 1863).
[2] Benjamin H. Grierson.
[3] Francis J. Herron.