Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Volume 7 [Nov. 5, 1863-Sept. 12, 1864].

To Frederick Steele1Jump to section

Major General Steele Washington, D.C.,
Little-Rock, Ark. March 3. 1864

Yours including Address to People of Arkansas, is received. I approve the address and thank you for it. Yours in relation to Willard M. Randolph also received.2Jump to section Let him take the oath of Dec. 8 and go to work for the new constitution, and on your notifying me of it, I will immediately issue the special pardon for him.

A. LINCOLN

Annotation

[1]   ALS, RPB. The text of Steele's address contained in his telegram of March 2 is as follows:

``To the People of Arkansas:

``It affords the Genl commanding the highest gratification to be able to say that, by the conduct of the army under his command, in connection with the Administration of the Government by its officers at Washington, peace has, so far been restored in your midst as to enable you to institute proceedings for the restoration of the civil government, by which order may be firmly established and the rights of persons and property secured against violence and the dangers of anarchy.

``The convention of your citizens held at Little Rock during the last month, has adopted a constitution and submitted it to you for your approval or rejection. That constitution is based upon the principles of freedom and it is for you now to say by your voluntary and unbiased action whether it shall be your fundamental law, while it may have deficits in the main in accordance with the views of that portion of the people who have been resisting the fratricidal war which has been made during the last three years to overthrow the government of our country.

``The convention has fixed the 14th day of March next on which to decide this great question and the General commanding is only following the instructions of his government when he says to you that every facility will be affixed for the expression of your sentiments uninfluenced by any considerations save those which effect your own interests and those of your posterity. If you will now institute a government of your own, he feels great confidence in assuring you that quiet and security will soon be restored to your Eastern borders. Those who have been unwisely led by the counsel of bad men to engage in the unjustifiable and wicked rebellion will speedily return and acknowledge

keyboard_returnReturn

the rightful sovereignty of the state as well as the supremacy of the national Govt. over the whole dominion and peace will prevail. . . . The election will be held and the returns made in accordance with the Schedule adopted by the convention interference from any quarter will be allowed to prevent free expression of the loyal men of the state on that day. The schedule will be hereto appended. To render the election valid there must be cast five thousand four hundred & six (5406) votes.'' (DLC-RTL).

[2]   Steele's telegram, received at 9:20 P.M. on March 2, recommended that ``Willard M Randolph late Attorney Genl of the Confederate states for the Eastern district of Ark be pardoned, he only accepted office to keep out the rebel army. He is a man of talent---will be true to the U.S. He will assist in the election.'' (Ibid.). See Lincoln's endorsement to Bates concerning Randolph, March 7, infra.

keyboard_returnReturn