Page 317
To Samuel P. Lee2Open page
Rear-Admiral S. P. Lee: The request of A. H. Stephens is inadmissible. The customary agents and channels are adequate for all needful communication and conference between the United States forces and the insurgents. A. LINCOLN.
Annotation
[1] NH, IX, 16. The editors include this telegram as reproduced by Nicolay and Hay. In the absence of the original, it is not certain that Lincoln composed or signed it, and that it was prepared on July 4 may be questioned. As printed in the Official Records (II, VI, 84), over the signature of Gideon Welles, the text of this telegram is dated July 6, and Welles' Diary on this date records:
``There was a special Cabinet-meeting at 9 A.M. on the subject of A. H. Stephens's mission. Seward came prepared with a brief telegram, which the President had advised, to the effect that Stephens's request to come to W. was inadmissible, but any military communication should be made through the prescribed military channel. A copy of this answer was to be sent to the military officer . . . at Fortress Monroe by the Secretary of War, and the Secretary of the Navy was to send a copy to Admiral Lee. The President directed Mr. Seward to go to the telegraph office and see that they were correctly transmitted. . . .''