Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Volume 6 [Dec. 13, 1862-Nov. 3, 1863].

Annotation

[1]   ADfS, DLC-RTL; LS, DNA WR NB RG 45, Executive Letters, No. 79. Welles' Diary on April 27 states that he delivered his thirty-one page reply, as did Seward on that day. Neither of the replies has been located. The questions concerning the Peterhoff were a major issue between Welles and Seward---Welles insisting that opening the mails was the only way to get concrete evidence of the intentions of the vessel, and Seward dissenting from that view. The problem was settled before the secretaries rendered their arguments, however, when on April 23, U.S. District Attorney E. Delafield Smith asked the

court to release the mails to the British government. Editorials from the Chicago Tribune and Boston Transcript of April 24, attacking Smith's action, are filed in the Lincoln Papers along with the autograph draft of Lincoln's letter of April 21.