The President promptly followed up this warning by removing General Curtis, and appointing in his place General Schofield, to whom he soon after addressed the following letter: 

     EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON,
     May 27, 1863.

     GENERAL J.M.  SCHOFIELD.

DEAR SIR:  Having removed General Curtis and assigned you to the command of the Department of the Missouri, I think it may be of some advantage to me to state to you why I did it.  I did not remove General Curtis because of my full conviction that he had done wrong by commission or omission.  I did it because of a conviction in my mind that the Union men of Missouri, constituting, when united, a vast majority of the people, have entered into a pestilent, factious quarrel among themselves; General Curtis, perhaps not of choice, being the head of one faction, and Governor Gamble that of the other.  After months of labor to reconcile the difficulty, it seemed to grow worse and worse, until I felt it my duty to break it up somehow, and as I could not remove Governor Gamble, I had to remove General Curtis.  Now that you are in the position, I wish you to undo nothing merely because General Curtis or Governor Gamble did it, but to exercise your own judgment, and do right for the public interest.  Let your military measures be strong enough to repel the invaders and keep the peace, and not so strong as to unnecessarily harass and persecute the people.  It is a difficult role, and so much greater will be the honor if you perform it well.  If both factions, or neither, shall abuse you, you will probably be about right.  Beware of being assailed by one and praised by the other.

     Yours truly, A. LINCOLN.

Firm and unyielding as he was when necessity compelled him to be, Lincoln was by nature a peace-maker, and was ever anxious that personal differences be adjusted happily.  In his efforts to this end he never failed to show tact and shrewdness, and would if necessary sacrifice his own preferences in the interests of peace and harmony.  A characteristic instance of the exercise of these traits occurred in connection with the Missouri troubles just referred to.  General Schofield’s course in command of his department proved satisfactory, and he had been nominated for a Major-General’s commission.  He was, however, a somewhat conservative man, and in spite of his efforts to carry out the President’s injunctions of impartiality, he had given offense to certain Missouri radicals, who now opposed his promotion, and were able to exert sufficient influence in the Senate to prevent the confirmation of his appointment as a Major-General.  The Missouri delegation appealed to the more radical Senators, and the nomination was “hung up” for about six weeks.  Lincoln was very desirous that it should be confirmed, and the Missouri Congressmen were equally bent on its defeat.  In this dilemma, Lincoln sent for Senator Zack Chandler of Michigan, and proposed a compromise.