time for reinaugurating
a loyal State government. Not a moment should be lost. You and the
co-operating friends there can better judge of the ways and means than can
be judged by any here. I only offer a few suggestions. The reinauguration
must not be such as to give control of the State and its representation
in Congress to the enemies of the Union, driving its friends there
into political exile. The whole struggle for Tennessee will have been
profitless to both State and nation if it so ends that Governor Johnson is
put down and Governor Harris put up. It must not be so. You must have it
otherwise. Let the reconstruction be the work of such men only as can be
trusted for the Union. Exclude all others, and trust that your government
so organized will be recognized here as being the one of republican form
to be guaranteed to the State, and to be protected against invasion and
domestic violence. It is something on the question of time to remember
that it cannot be known who is next to occupy the position I now hold, nor
what he will do. I see that you have declared in favor of emancipation
in Tennessee, for which may God bless you. Get emancipation into your new
State government constitution and there will be no such word as fail for
your cause. The raising of colored troops, I think, will greatly help
every way.

Yours very truly,

A. LINCOLN.

TELEGRAM TO GENERAL A. E. BURNSIDE.

WASHINGTON, September 11, 1863.

MAJOR-GENERAL BURNSIDE, Cumberland Gap:

Yours received. A thousand thanks for the late successes you have given
us. We cannot allow you to resign until things shall be a little more
settled in East Tennessee. If then, purely on your own account, you wish
to resign, we will not further refuse you.

A. LINCOLN

TELEGRAM TO GENERAL MEADE.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, September 11, 1863.

MAJOR-GENERAL MEADE, Warrenton, Va.:

It is represented to me that Thomas Edds, in your army, is under sentence
of death for desertion, to be executed next Monday. It is also said his
supposed desertion is comprised in an absence commencing with his falling
behind last winter, being captured and paroled by the enemy, and then
going home. If this be near the truth, please suspend the execution till
further order and send in the record of the trial.

A. LINCOLN

TELEGRAM TO GENERAL MEADE.

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 12, 1863.

MAJOR-GENERAL MEAD, Warrenton, Va.:

The name is "Thomas