despatches from Grant abated my anxiety for him, and in proportion abated my anxiety about any movement of yours.  When afterward, however, I saw a despatch of yours arguing that the right time for you to attack Bragg was not before, but would be after, the fall of Vicksburg, it impressed me very strangely, and I think I so stated to the Secretary of War and General Halleck.  It seemed no other than the proposition that you could better fight Bragg when Johnston should be at liberty to return and assist him than you could before he could so return to his assistance.

Since Grant has been entirely relieved by the fall of Vicksburg, by which Johnston is also relieved, it has seemed to me that your chance for a stroke has been considerably diminished, and I have not been pressing you directly or indirectly.  True, I am very anxious for East Tennessee to be occupied by us; but I see and appreciate the difficulties you mention.  The question occurs, Can the thing be done at all?  Does preparation advance at all?  Do you not consume supplies as fast as you get them forward?  Have you more animals to-day than you had at the battle of Stone’s River?  And yet have not more been furnished you since then than your entire present stock?  I ask the same questions as to your mounted force.

Do not misunderstand:  I am not casting blame upon you; I rather think by great exertion you can get to East Tennessee; but a very important question is, Can you stay there?  I make no order in the case—­that I leave to General Halleck and yourself.

And now be assured once more that I think of you in all kindness and confidence, and that I am not watching you with an evil eye.

Yours very truly,

A. Lincoln.

TO GOVERNOR SEYMOUR.

Executive Mansion Washington,
August 11.1863.

His excellency Horatio Seymour,
Governor of New York: 

Yours of the 8th, with Judge-Advocate-General Waterbury’s report, was received to-day.

Asking you to remember that I consider time as being very important, both to the general cause of the country and to the soldiers in the field, I beg to remind you that I waited, at your request, from the 1st until the 6th inst., to receive your communication dated the 3d.  In view of its great length, and the known time and apparent care taken in its preparation, I did not doubt that it contained your full case as you desired to present it.  It contained the figures for twelve districts, omitting the other nineteen, as I suppose, because you found nothing to complain of as to them.  I answered accordingly.  In doing so I laid down the principle to which I purpose adhering, which is to proceed with the draft, at the same time employing infallible means to avoid any great wrong.  With the communication received to-day you send figures for twenty-eight districts,