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TO GENERAL G。 B。 McCLELLAN；
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON； February 3； 1862。
MAJOR…GENERAL MCCLELLAN。
DEAR SIR …You and I have distinct and different plans for a movement
of the Army of the Potomacyours to be down the Chesapeake； up the
Rappahannock to Urbana； and across land to the terminus of the
railroad on the York River； mine to move directly to a point on the
railroad southwest of Manassas。
If you will give me satisfactory answers to the following questions；
I shall gladly yield my plan to yours。
First。 Does not your plan involve a greatly larger expenditure of
time and money than mine？
Second。 Wherein is a victory more certain by your plan than mine？
Third。 Wherein is a victory more valuable by your plan than mine？
Fourth。 In fact； would it not be less valuable in this； that it
would break no great line of the enemy's communications； while mine
would？
Fifth。 In case of disaster； would not a retreat be more difficult by
your plan than mine？
Yours truly；
ABRAHAM LINCOLN。
Memorandum accompanying Letter of President Lincoln to General
McClellan； dated February 3；1862。
First。 Suppose the enemy should attack us in force before we reach
the Occoquan； what？
Second。 Suppose the enemy in force shall dispute the crossing of the
Occoquan； what？ In view of this； might it not be safest for us to
cross the Occoquan at Coichester； rather than at the village of
Occoquan？ This would cost the enemy two miles of travel to meet us；
but would； on the contrary； leave us two miles farther from our
ultimate
destination。
Third。 Suppose we reach Maple Valley without an attack； will we not
be attacked there in force by the enemy marching by the several roads
from Manassas； and if so； what？
TO WM。 H。 HERNDON。
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON；
February 3； 1862。
DEAR WILLIAM：Yours of January 30th just received。 Do just as you
say about the money matter。
As you well know； I have not time to write a letter of respectable
length。 God bless you； says
Your friend；
A。 LINCOLN。
RESPITE FOR NATHANIEL GORDON
February 4； 1862
ABRAHAM LINCOLN；
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA；
To all to whom these Presents shall come； Greeting：
Whereas it appears that at a term of the Circuit Court of the United
States of America for the Southern District of New York held in the
month of November； A。D。 1861； Nathaniel Gordon was indicted and
convicted for being engaged in the slave trade； and was by the said
court sentenced to be put to death by hanging by the neck； on Friday
the 7th day of February； AD。 1862：
And whereas a large number of respectable citizens have earnestly
besought me to commute the said sentence of the said Nathaniel Gordon
to a term of imprisonment for life； which application I have felt it
to be my duty to refuse：
And whereas it has seemed to me probable that the unsuccessful
application made for the commutation of his sentence may have
prevented the said Nathaniel Gordon from making the necessary
preparation for the awful change which awaits him；
Now； therefore； be it known； that I； Abraham Lincoln； President of
the United States of America； have granted and do hereby grant unto
him； the said Nathaniel Gordon； a respite of the above recited
sentence； until Friday the twenty…first day of February； A。D。 1862；
between the hours of twelve o'clock at noon and three o'clock in the
afternoon of the said day； when the said sentence shall be executed。
In granting this respite； it becomes my painful duty to admonish the
prisoner that； relinquishing all expectation of pardon by human
authority； he refer himself alone to the mercy of the common God and
Father of all men。
In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name and caused the
seal of the United States to be affixed。
Done at the City of Washington； this fourth day of February； 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。
MESSAGE TO THE SENATE。
WASHINGTON CITY； February 4。 1862
To THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES：
The third section of the 〃Act further to promote the efficiency of
the Navy；〃 approved December 21； 1862； provides：
〃That the President of the United States； by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate； shall have the authority to detail from the
retired list of the navy for the command of squadrons and single
ships such officers as he may believe that the good of the service
requires to be thus placed in command； and such officers may； if upon
the recommendation of the President of the United States they shall
receive a vote of thanks of Congress for their services and gallantry
in action against an enemy； be restored to the active list； and not
otherwise。〃
In conformity with this law； Captain Samuel F。 Du Pont； of the navy；
was nominated to the Senate for continuance as the flag…officer in
command of the squadron which recently rendered such important
service to the Union in the expedition to the coast of South
Carolina。
Believing that no occasion could arise which would more fully
correspond with the intention of the law； or be more pregnant with
happy influence as an example； I cordially recommend that Captain
Samuel F。 Du Pont receive a vote of thanks of Congress for his
services and gallantry displayed in the capture of Forts Walker and
Beauregard； commanding the entrance of Port Royal Harbor； on the 7th
of November； 1861。
ABRAHAM LINCOLN。
TO GENERALS D。 HUNTER AND J。 H。 LANE。
EXECUTIVE MANSION WASHINGTON； FEBRUARY 4； 1862。
MAJOR…GENERAL HUNTER AND BRIGADIER…GENERAL LANE；
Leavenworth； Kansas：
My wish has been and is to avail the government of the services of
both General Hunter and General Lane； and； so far as possible； to
personally oblige both。 General Hunter is the senior officer； and
must command when they serve together； though in so far as he can
consistently with the public service and his own honor oblige General
Lane； he will also oblige me。 If they cannot come to an amicable
understanding； General Lane must report to General Hunter for duty；
according to the rules； or decline the service。
A。 LINCOLN。
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO。 1； RELATING TO POLITICAL
PRISONERS。
WAR DEPARTMENT； WASHINGTON；
February 14；1862。
The breaking out of a formidable insurrection based on a conflict of
political ideas； being an event without precedent in the United
States； was necessarily attended by great confusion and perplexity of
the public mind。 Disloyalty before unsuspected suddenly became bold；
and treason astonished the world by bringing at once into the field
military forces superior in number to the standing army of the United
States。
Every de