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until further orders from the department； to operate at or in the
direction of Manassas Junction； or otherwise； as occasion may
require； that the other Corps not so ordered to remain go forward to
General McClellan as speedily as possible； that General McClellan
commence his forward movements from his new base at once； and that
such incidental modifications as the foregoing may render proper be
also made。
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL McCLELLAN。
WASHINGTON； April 6； 1862。
GENERAL G。 B。 McCLELLAN：
Yours of 11 A。 M。 today received。 Secretary of War informs me that
the forwarding of transportation； ammunition； and Woodbury's brigade；
under your orders； is not； and will not be； interfered with。 You now
have over one hundred thousand troops with you； independent of
General Wool's command。 I think you better break the enemy's line
from Yorktown to Warwick River at once。 This will probably use time
as advantageously as you can。
A。 LINCOLN； President
TO GENERAL G。 B。 McCLELLAN。
WASHINGTON； April 9； 1862
MAJOR…GENERAL McCLELLAN。
MY DEAR SIR＋Your despatches； complaining that you are not properly
sustained； while they do not offend me； do pain me very much。
Blenker's division was withdrawn from you before you left here； and
you knew the pressure under which I did it； and； as I thought；
acquiesced in it certainly not without reluctance。
After you left I ascertained that less than 20；000 unorganized men；
without a single field battery； were all you designed to be left for
the defense of Washington and Manassas Junction； and part of this
even to go to General Hooker's old position； General Banks's corps；
once designed for Manassas Junction； was divided and tied up on the
line of Winchester and Strasburg； and could not leave it without
again exposing the upper Potomac and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad。
This presented （or would present when McDowell and Sumner should be
gone） a great temptation to the enemy to turn back from the
Rappahannock and sack Washington。 My explicit order that Washington
should； by the judgment of all the Commanders of corps； be left
entirely secure； had been neglected。 It was precisely this that
drove me to detain McDowell。
I do not forget that I was satisfied with your arrangement to leave
Banks at Manassas Junction； but when that arrangement was broken up
and nothing substituted for it； of course I was not satisfied。 I was
constrained to substitute something for it myself。
And now allow me to ask； do you really think I should permit the line
from Richmond via Manaasas Junction to this city to be entirely open；
except what resistance could be presented by less than 20；000
unorganized troops？ This is a question which the country will not
allow me to evade。
There is a curious mystery about the number of the troops now with
you。 When I telegraphed you on the 6th； saying you had over 100；000
with you； I had just obtained from the Secretary of War a statement；
taken as he said from your own returns； making 108；000 then with you
and en route to you。 You now say you will have but 85；000 when all
enroute to you shall have reached you。 How can this discrepancy of
23；000 be accounted for？
As to General Wool's command； I understand it is doing for you
precisely what a like number of your own would have to do if that
command was away。 I suppose the whole force which has gone forward
to you is with you by this time； and if so； I think it is the precise
time for you to strike a blow。 By delay the enemy will relatively
gain upon youthat is； he will gain faster by fortifications and
reinforcements than you can by reinforcements alone。
And once more let me tell you it is indispensable to you that you
strike a blow。 I am powerless to help this。 You will do me the
justice to remember I always insisted that going down the bay in
search of a field； instead of fighting at or near Manassas； was only
shifting and not surmounting a difficulty； that we would find the
same enemy and the same or equal entrenchments at either place。 The
country will not fail to noteis noting nowthat the present
hesitation to move upon an entrenched enemy is but the story of
Manassas repeated。
I beg to assure you that I have never written you or spoken to you in
greater kindness of feeling than now； nor with a fuller purpose to
sustain you； so far as in my most anxious judgment I consistently
can； but you must act。
Yours very truly；
A。 LINCOLN。
TO GENERAL H。 W。 HALLECK。
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON；
April 9； 1862。
MAJOR…GENERAL HALLECK； Saint Louis； Mo。：
If the rigor of the confinement of Magoffin （Governor of Kentucky） at
Alton is endangering his life； or materially impairing his health； I
wish it mitigated as far as it can be consistently with his safe
detention。
A。 LINCOLN。
Please send above； by order of the President。
JOHN HAY。
PROCLAMATION RECOMMENDING THANKSGIVING FOR VICTORIES；
APRIL 10； 1862。
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA：
A Proclamation
It has pleased Almighty God to vouchsafe signal victories to the land
and naval forces engaged in suppressing； an internal rebellion； and
at the same time to avert from our country the dangers of foreign
intervention and invasion。
It is therefore recommended to the people of the United States that
at their next weekly assemblages in their accustomed places of public
worship which shall occur after notice of this proclamation shall
have been received； they especially acknowledge and render thanks to
our Heavenly Father for these inestimable blessings； that they then
and there implore spiritual consolation in behalf of all who have
been brought into affliction by the casualties and calamities of
sedition and civil war； and that they reverently invoke the divine
guidance for our national counsels； to the end that they may speedily
result in the restoration of peace； harmony； and unity throughout our
borders and hasten the establishment of fraternal relations among all
the countries of the earth。
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of
the United States to be affixed。
Done at the city of Washington； this tenth day of April； A。D。 1862；
and of the independence of the United States the eighty…sixth。
ABRAHAM LINCOLN。
By the President：
WILLIAM H。 SEWARD； Secretary of State。
ABOLISHING SLAVERY IN WASHINGTON； D。C。
MESSAGE TO CONGRESS。
April 16； 1862。
FELLOW…CITIZENS OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES：
The act entitled 〃An act for the relief of certain persons held to
service or labor in the District of Columbia〃 has this day been
approved and signed。
I have never doubted the constitutional authority of Congress to
abolish slavery in this District； and I have ever desired to see the
national capital freed from the institution in some satisfactory way。
Hence there has never been in my mind any question on the subject
except the one of expediency； arising in view of all the
circumstances。 If there be matters within and about this act which
might have taken a course or shape more satisfactory to my judgment；
I do not attempt to specify them。 I am gratified that the two
principles of compensation and colonization are both recognized and
practically applied in the act。
In the matter of compensation； it is provided that claims may be
presented within ninety days from the passage of the act； 〃but not
thereafter〃； and there is no saving for minors； femmes covert； insane
or absent persons。 I presume this is an omission by mere oversight；
and I recommend that it be supplied by an amendatory or supplemental
act。
ABRAHAM LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL G。 B。 McCLELLAN。
WASHINGTON； April 21； 1862。
MAJOR…GENERAL McCLELLAN：