Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Volume 8 [ Sept. 12, 1864-Apr. 14, 1865, undated, appendices].

To Henry W. Hoffman1Jump to section

Cypher Office U.S. Military Telegraph,
Hon. H. W. Hoffman War Department,
Baltimore, Md. Washington, D.C., Oct 15. 1864.

Come over to-night and see me. A. LINCOLN

Annotation

[1]   ALS, DNA WR RG 107, Presidential Telegrams, I, 205. Hoffman's telegram received at 11:20 A.M. on October 15 is as follows: ``Returns from State come in slowly Probable maj. against the Constitution on the home vote of about one thousand It is believed that the soldiers vote may overcome this & give a small majority for the Constitution It is reported that in some of the rebel strongholds the oath was not administered & the Govr will consequently reject the returns'' (DLC-RTL).

On October 17 Hoffman telegraphed again: ``Allagheny official majority eight hundred and eighty five (885) for the Constitution Dorchester one thousand

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and forty (1040) against. Worcester eleven hundred and ninety (1190) against Soldiers vote actually returned fourteen hundred and eighty (1480) majority for. Its estimated that at least one thousand further majority will be obtained from the soldiers. Our friends are still confident that the constitution will have a small majority on the total official vote'' (ibid.).

On the back of the telegram appears the following tabulation in Lincoln's autograph:

``885 1092

100

650

[1]   650

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[54]   1040

120

488

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958

[87]   940

1237

1404

1650

[94]   978

590

1190

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[71]   13087

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12894

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193''