Congressman Rutherford B. Hayes to Brevet Major-General Manning F. Force, March 17, 1866

WASHINGTON, D. C., March 17, 1866.

DEAR FORCE:— Thanks for the items from Mississippi. I had heard before of the intention to try to make you a candidate for judge. I trust it will be done. If the chances are fair, no doubt it will.

I could argue with you on the wisdom and justice of what Congress is doing with our erring sisters if I knew exactly your points. The truth is, Congress has done next to nothing yet on that subject, and can give good reasons for not having yet done anything. The position held by the majority is this: The Rebel States having gone into insurrection and lost their lawful State Governments, it is for the law-making power of the Nation to say when (or whether) such new State Governments have been set up as ought to be recognized. Is not this sound? Granting this, ought we to recognize any State Government which does not undertake, at least, to afford adequate protection to Union people and freedmen? And further, is there evidence showing such State Governments except in Tennessee and possibly Arkansas?

The practice will come to you, no fear of that.

Sincerely,

R. B. HAYES.

GENERAL M. F. FORCE,
        Cincinnati.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 3, p. 20