Burlington, May 12,1861.
I have just received your note of the 9th inst., inclosing
one to your son, which I reinclose to you. I returned from Washington last
Monday in the night, whither I went at the instance of our State authorities,
and found that Frank had been here and left, remaining but one day, and that he
spent at the tavern. Mrs. G. says she tried to induce him to remain, and to
make our house his home, but he had his head full of the army, and was in a great
hurry to get away. I am sorry that he did not remain a little longer, that we
might have seen more of him.
It is quite evident to my mind that this great rebellion is
to be suppressed; but, in the effort, it occurs to me that we are about to
encourage precedents that will be very dangerous to the rights of the States,
and to the liberties of the people. This attempt of Mr. Lincoln to add ten
legions to the regular standing army, each legion to equal in size three
regiments, without any authority of law, and against law, is the most
extraordinary assumption of power that any President has attempted to exercise.
Our ancestors were so jealous of executive power that they refused to allow the
President to call even the militia into service for a period exceeding thirty
days after the assembling of the next ensuing session of Congress. Mr. Lincoln
is not content with violating that law, and calling for volunteers for three
years, making them in effect a standing army subject to his will, but he goes
away beyond that, and more than doubles the standing army, and issues
commissions to officers which are not authorized by law. Where is this to
stop? Will he be content with ten legions? If so, will the next President? What
do you think of this thing? I do not wish to oppose the Administration, but I
will not support such a measure.
SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes,
p. 140
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