To Thomas Carney1Jump to section
Topeka, Kansas. Washington, July 21. 1863.
Yours dated Pittsburgh, the 19 Inst. is received. The day after you were with me I wrote a note to the Sec. of War, asking him to place you on the same ground, with all other governors of loyal States as to the appointment of military officers. In reply to this he verbally told me, when I next met him, that he had never placed you on any other ground---that the forces in regard to which you and Gen. Blunt have a controversy, were raised on special authority from the War Department, given before you were governor, and that the officers were commissioned by him (the Sec. of War) according to the original authority; and that he never had required you to commission officers nominated by Gen. Blunt. The like of this has been done in some other States, as I remember. As to leaving no part of Kansas in Blunt's Department, the thing should not be hastily done. He, with his command, is now in the field South of Kansas; and while I do not know how much what you now desire, might interfere with his supplies, it is very certain that he can not now be interfering with you.
It is my purpose to take care that he shall not any more, take persons charged with civil crimes, out of the custody of the courts and turn them over to mobs to be hanged. Your Obt. Servt.
A. LINCOLN
Annotation
[1] ALS, IHi. See Lincoln's letters to Stanton and to Lane, July 17, supra. Carney's letter of July 19 is as follows:
``I called to see you on Saturday morning last, and was informed . . . that you would see me at 4 o'clk. I . . . waited until half past 5 . . . but did not have the pleas[ur]e of an interview with you, therefore, hope I shall be pardoned for again calling your attention to the papers submitted . . . by me, in which the people of . . . Kansas, naturally feel a deep interest in, because the State of Kansas has never yet been treated as other loyal States. . . .
``You will remember that I asked that Kansas be placed under one military commander instead of two, as is now the case. . . . I gave you my reasons fully . . . why I wished Maj Genl Blunt's military authority to be absolutely