Page 208
To Edwin M. Stanton1Jump to section
My dear Sir--- Washington, May 9. 1863.
I wish you would make out the appointment of Lilley at once. He has my word in writing, and I can not afford to break it. I appreciate your opposition to him; but you can better afford to let him be appointed, than I can afford to break my word with him. Yours as ever A. LINCOLN
Annotation
[1] ALS (copy?), DLC-RTL. See Lincoln to Stanton, April 20, supra. On May 11, Montgomery C. Meigs transmitted the papers in the case of William Lilley to Stanton, and cited the following statement from General Rufus Saxton:
``With regard to the treatment of the poor, defenceless blacks . . . I can only say that W. Lilly's course was such as to outrage all the common feelings of humanity, characterised by the most cowardly and brutal treatment, and apparently in one or two instances by criminal indecency. Habitually in a state of partial intoxication, he grossly insulted the wife of the only loyal white man in South Carolina who claimed our protection, while her husband and herself were in his house.
``Unanimously rejected by the Senate as an Assistant Quartermaster, a Court Martial held on the spot where he performed his `efficient service,' after a long and impartial trial, justly sentenced him to be cashiered.'' (DLC-RTL).
On May 15, Senator Henry Wilson wrote Lincoln, ``I am constrained by a sense of duty, after reading papers in the War office, to withdraw my letter in favor of Mr Lilley for Quarter Master. I had not examined the matter, and relied . . . upon the opinion of Mr. King, but I find I have made a mistake, and desire to right it.'' (Ibid.).
Presumably Lincoln dropped the matter, although Lilley wrote a further plea on June 8.