out it. One class of
friends believe in greater severity and another in greater leniency in
regard to arrests, banishments, and assessments. As usual in such cases,
each questions the other's motives. On the one hand, it is insisted that
Governor Gamble's unionism, at most, is not better than a secondary spring
of action; that hunkerism and a wish for political influence stand
before Unionism with him. On the other hand, it is urged that arrests,
banishments, and assessments are made more for private malice, revenge,
and pecuniary interest than for the public good. This morning I was told,
by a gentleman who I have no doubt believes what he says, that in one
case of assessments for $10,000 the different persons who paid compared
receipts, and found they had paid $30,000. If this be true, the inference
is that the collecting agents pocketed the odd $20,000. And true or not
in the instance, nothing but the sternest necessity can justify the
making and maintaining of a system so liable to such abuses. Doubtless the
necessity for the making of the system in Missouri did exist, and whether
it continues for the maintenance of it is now a practical and very
important question. Some days ago Governor Gamble telegraphed me, asking
that the assessments outside of St. Louis County might be suspended, as
they already have been within it, and this morning all the members of
Congress here from Missouri but one laid a paper before me asking the same
thing. Now, my belief is that Governor Gamble is an honest and true man,
not less so than yourself; that you and he could confer together on this
and other Missouri questions with great advantage to the public; that each
knows something which the other does not; and that acting together you
could about double your stock of pertinent information. May I not hope
that you and he will attempt this? I could at once safely do (or you could
safely do without me) whatever you and he agree upon. There is absolutely
no reason why you should not agree.

Yours as ever,

A. LINCOLN.

P. S.--I forgot to say that Hon. James S. Rollins, member of Congress
from one of the Missouri districts, wishes that, upon his personal
responsibility, Rev. John M. Robinson, of Columbia, Missouri; James L.
Matthews, of Boone County, Missouri; and James L. Stephens, also of Boone
County, Missouri, may be allowed to return to their respective homes.
Major Rollins leaves with me very strong papers from the neighbors of