issouri, three
communications, all similar in import and identical in object.
One of them, addressed to nobody, and without place or date, but
having the signature of (apparently) the writer, is a letter of
eight closely written foolscap pages. The other two are written
by a different person at St. Joseph, Mo., and of the date,
respectively, October 12th and 13th, and each inclosing a large
number of affidavits.

"The general statements of the whole are that the Federal and State
authorities are arming the disloyal and disarming the loyal, and
that the latter will all be killed or driven out of the State unless
there should be a change.

"In particular, no loyal man who has been disarmed is named, but
the affidavits show, by name, forty-two persons as disloyal who
have been armed. They are as follows: [Names omitted.]

"A majority of these are shown to have been in the rebel service.
I believe it could be shown that the government here has deliberately
armed more than ten times as many captured at Gettysburg, to say
nothing of similar operations in East Tennessee. These papers
contain altogether thirty-one manuscript pages, and one newspaper
in extenso; and yet I do not find it anywhere charged in them that
any loyal man has been harmed by reason of being disarmed, or that
any disloyal one has harmed anybody by reason of being armed by
the Federal or State government.

"Of course I have not had time to carefully examine all; but I have
had most of them examined and briefed by others, and the result is
as stated. The remarkable fact that the actual evil is yet only
anticipated--inferred--induces me to suppose that I understand the
case. But I do not state my impression, because I might be mistaken,
and because your duty and mine is plain in any event.

"The locality of nearly all this seems to be St. Joseph and Buchanan
County. I wish you to give special attention to this region,
particularly on Election day. Prevent violence, from whatever
quarter, and see that the soldiers themselves do no wrong.

"Yours truly,
"A. Lincoln."

"Hdqrs., Dept. of the Missouri.
"St. Louis, Nov. 9th, 1863.
"Mr. President: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of
your confidential letter dated Oct. 28th, and containing the names
of men enlisted in the militia of northwest Missouri who are said
to have been disloyal.

"On my visit to Kansas and northwest Missouri during the troubles
there in September last