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MESSAGE TO CONGRESS, January 23, 1863

To the Senate and House of Representatives: I transmit for the consideration of Congress a report from the Secretary of State, transmitting the regulations, decrees, and orders for the government of the United States consular courts in Turkey.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

LETTER TO SECRETARY STANTON

EXECUTIVE MANSION,

WASHINGTON, D. C., January 23, 1863.

Sir: I think General Butler should go to New Orleans again. He is unwilling to go unless he is restored to the command of the department. He should start by the 1st of February, and should take some force with him. The whole must be so managed as to not wrong or wound the feelings of General Banks. His original wish was to go to Texas; and it must be arranged for him to do this now with a substantial force; and yet he must not go to the endangering the opening of the Mississippi. I hope this may be done by the time General Butler shall arrive there; but whether or not, I think we cannot longer dispense with General Butler's services.

Yours truly,

A. LINCOLN.

ORDER RELIEVING GENERAL A. E. BURNSIDE AND MAKING OTHER CHANGES

(General Orders No. 20.)

WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S Office, WASHINGTON, D. C., January 25, 1863.

I. The President of the United States has directed:

Ist. That Major-General A. E. Burnside, at his own request, be relieved from the command of the Army of the Potomac.

2d. That Major-General E. V. Sumner, at his own request, be relieved from duty in the Army of the Potomac.

3d. That Major-General W. B. Franklin be relieved from duty in the Army of the Potomac.

4th. That Major-General J. Hooker be assigned to the command of the Army of the Po

tomac.

II. The officers relieved as above will report in person to the adjutant-general of the army. By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General.

MESSAGE TO THE SENATE, January 26, 1863

To the Senate of the United States: In compliance with the resolution of the Senate on the 13th instant, requesting a copy of certain cor

respondence respecting the capture of British vessels sailing from one British port to another, having on board contraband of war intended for the use of the insurgents, I have the honor to transmit a report from the Secretary of State, and the documents by which it was accompanied. ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

G

LETTER TO GENERAL J. HOOKER1

EXECUTIVE MANSION,

WASHINGTON, D. C., January 26, 1863. ENERAL: I have placed you at the head of the Army of the Potomac. Of course I have done this upon what appear to me to be sufficient reasons, and yet I think it best for you to know that there are some things in regard to which I am not quite satisfied with you. I believe you to be a brave and skilful soldier, which of course I like. I also believe you do not mix politics with your profession, in which you are right. You have confidence in yourself, which is a valuable if not an indispensable quality. You are ambitious, which, within reasonable bounds, does good rather than harm; but I think that during General Burnside's command of the army you have taken

1Upon General Burnside's resignation, Lincoln selected General Hooker to fill his place as Commander of the Army of the Potomac. Both Stanton and Halleck were dissatisfied with the choice. They had set their hearts upon General Rosecrans. Of Lincoln's letter addressed to General Hooker, Nicolay and Hay state that perhaps the most remarkable thing . . . is the evidence it gives how completely the genius of President Lincoln had by this, the middle of his presidential term, risen to the full height of his great national duties and responsibility."

counsel of your ambition and thwarted him as much as you could, in which you did a great wrong to the country and to a most meritorious and honorable brother officer. I have heard, in such a way as to believe it, of your recently saying that both the army and the government needed a dictator. Of course it was not for this, but in spite of it, that I have given you the command. Only those generals who gain successes can set up dictators. What I now ask of you is military success, and I will risk the dictatorship. The government will support you to the utmost of its ability, which is neither more nor less than it has done and will do for all commanders. I much fear that the spirit which you have aided to infuse into the army, of criticising their commander and withholding confidence from him, will now turn upon you. I shall assist you as far as I can to put it down. Neither you nor Napoleon, if he were alive again, could get any good out of an army while such a spirit prevails in it; and now beware of rashness. Beware of rashness, but with energy and sleepless vigilance go forward and give us victories.

Yours very truly,

A. LINCOLN.

MESSAGE TO CONGRESS, January 28, 1863

To the Senate and House of Representatives: In conformity to the law of July 16, 1862, I most

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