Page 219
To James Guthrie1Jump to section
Louisville, Ky. May 16 1863 [8:35 P.M.]
Your despatch of to-day is received. I personally know nothing of Col. Churchill; but months ago;2Jump to section and more than once, he has been represented to me as exerting a mischievous influence at St. Louis, for which reason I am unwilling to force his continuance there against the judgment of our friends on the ground. But if it will oblige you, he may come to, and remain at Louisville, upon taking the oath of allegiance, and your pledge for his good behavior. A. LINCOLN.
Annotation
[1] ALS, RPB. See Lincoln to Stanton, infra. Guthrie telegraphed Lincoln on May 16 as follows: ``Col. Samuel B. Churchill, of Saint Louis, formerly of this city, has been banished South with his wife and seven children, five of them very small. Colonel Churchill is a man of intelligence and high character, of moderate fortune. It will utterly ruin him to have to go South. I respectfully request that his sentence be commuted. He will take the oath and give bond if allowed. I ask this because I know him and rely on his honor, and he is a cousin of my children.'' (OR, II, V, 627).
[2] See Lincoln to Lazarus W. Powell, February 4, 1862, supra.