Washington, D. C. Sep.
11. 1861.
Major General John C. Fremont.
Sir: Yours of the 8th in answer to mine of 2nd Inst. is just
received. Assuming that you, upon the ground, could better judge of the necessities
of your position than I could at this distance, on seeing your proclamation of
August 30th I saw perceived no general objection to it.
The particular clause, however, in relation to the
confiscation of property and the liberation of slaves, appeared to me to be
objectionable, in it's non-conformity to the Act of Congress passed the 6th of
last August upon the same subjects; and hence I wrote you expressing my wish
that that clause should be modified accordingly. Your answer, just received, expresses the
preference on your part, that I should make an open order for the modification,
which I very cheerfully do. It is
therefore ordered that the said clause of said proclamation mentioned be so
modified, held, and construed, as to conform to, and not to transcend, the
provisions on the same subject contained in the Act of Congress entitled “An
Act to confiscate property used for insurrectionary purposes” Approved, August
6. 1861; and that said act be published at length with this order.
Your Obt. Servt
A. Lincoln
SOURCE: Roy P. Basler, editor, Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln,
Volume 4, p. 517-8;
A copy of this letter can be found in The Abraham Lincoln
Papers at the Library of Congress
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