TELEGRAM TO GENERAL H. G. WRIGHT WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, D. C., September 14, 1862. General Wright, Cincinnati, Ohio: Thanks for your despatch. Can you not pursue the retreating enemy, and relieve Cumberland Gap? A. LINCOLN. TELEGRAM TO GENERAL G. B. MCCLELLAN WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, September 15, 1862. 2:45 P. M. Major-General McClellan: Your despatch of to-day received. God bless you, and all with you. Destroy the rebel army if possible. A. LINCOLN. TELEGRAM TO J. K. DUBOIS WASHINGTON, D. C., September 15, 1862. 3 P. M. Hon. J. K. Dubois, Springfield, Illinois: I now consider it safe to say that General McClellan has gained a great victory over the great rebel army in Maryland, between Fredericktown and Hagerstown.' He is now pursuing the flying foe. A. LINCOLN. 1 The "great victory" to which the President referred was the battle of Antietam, the results of which were important, but which could not then nor ever justly be characterized as a "great victory." TELEGRAM TO GOVERNOR ANDREW G. CURTIN WASHINGTON, D. C., September 16, 1862. Noon. Governor Curtin, Harrisburg: What do you hear from General McClellan's army. We have nothing from him to-day. A. LINCOLN. TELEGRAM TO GOVERNOR ANDREW G. CURTIN WASHINGTON, D. C., September 16, 1862. 2:35 P. M. Governor Curtin: Since telegraphing you, despatch came from General McClellan, dated seven o'clock this morning. Nothing of importance happened with him yesterday. This morning he was up with the enemy at Sharpsburg, and was waiting for heavy fog to rise. A. LINCOLN. * TELEGRAM TO GOVERNOR MORTON WASHINGTON, D. C., September 17, 1862. Governor O. P. Morton, Indianapolis, Ind.: I have received your dispatch in regard to recommendations of General Wright. I have received no such dispatch from him, at least not that I can remember. I refer yours for General Halleck's consideration. A. LINCOLN. Telegraph office please transmit as above and oblige the President. JOHN HAY, * TELEGRAM TO GENERAL KETCHUM EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, September 20, 1862. General Ketchum, Springfield, Ill.: How many regiments are there in Illinois, ready for service but for the want of arms? How many arms have you there ready for distribution? A. LINCOLN. PRELIMINARY EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION, September 22, 18621 BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: A Proclamation. I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States of America, and commander-in-chief of the army and navy thereof, do hereby proclaim and declare that hereafter, as heretofore, the war will be prosecuted for the object of practically restoring the constitutional relation between the United States and each of the States, 'On July 22 the President assembled his Cabinet and declared it his belief that emancipation of slaves had become a military necessity. During Lee's invasion of Maryland Lincoln decided to issue a proclamation upon his repulse, which was forthcoming at the bloody battle of Antietam, September 17th. A most interesting account of Lincoln's words to his Cabinet on September 22, when he submitted the second draft of the Emancipation Proclamation can be found in the diary of Secretary Chase. and the people thereof, in which States that relation is or may be suspended or disturbed. That it is my purpose, upon the next meeting of Congress, to again recommend the adoption of a practical measure tendering pecuniary aid to the free acceptance or rejection of all slave States, so called, the people whereof may not then be in rebellion against the United States, and which States may then have voluntarily adopted, or thereafter may voluntarily adopt, immediate or gradual abolishment of slavery within their respective limits; and that the effort to colonize persons of African descent with their consent upon this continent or elsewhere, with the previously obtained consent of the governments existing there, will be continued. That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom, That the Executive will, on the first day of January aforesaid, by proclamation designate the States and parts of States, if any, in which the people thereof, respectively shall then be in rebellion against the United States; and the fact that any State or the people thereof, shall on that day be in good faith represented in the Congress of the United States by members chosen thereto at elections wherein a majority of the qualified voters of such State shall have participated, shall, in the absence of strong countervailing testimony, be deemed conclusive evi'dence that such State, and the people thereof, are not then in rebellion against the United States. That attention is hereby called to an act of Congress entitled "An act to make an additional article of war," approved March 13, 1862, and which act is in the words and figure following: Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That hereafter the following shall be promulgated as an additional article of war, for the government of the army of the United States, and shall be obeyed and observed as such: ARTICLE. All officers or persons in the military or naval service of the United States are prohibited from employing any of the forces under their respective commands for the pur |