I am constantly pressed by those who scold before they think, or without thinking at all, to give commands respectively to Fremont, McClellan, Butler, Sigel, Curtis, Hunter, Hooker, and perhaps others, when, all else out of the way, I have no commands to give them.  This is now your case; which, as I have said, pains me not less than it does you.  My belief is that the permanent estimate of what a general does in the field is fixed by the “cloud of witnesses” who have been with him in the field, and that, relying on these, he who has the right needs not to fear.

Your friend as ever,

A. Lincoln.

TELEGRAM TO GOVERNOR SEYMOUR.

Executive Mansion, Washington, August 16, 1863.

Governor Seymour, New York: 

Your despatch of this morning is just received, and I fear I do not perfectly understand it.

My view of the principle is that every soldier obtained voluntarily leaves one less to be obtained by draft.  The only difficulty is in applying the principle properly.  Looking to time, as heretofore, I am unwilling to give up a drafted man now, even for the certainty, much less for the mere chance, of getting a volunteer hereafter.  Again, after the draft in any district, would it not make trouble to take any drafted man out and put a volunteer in—­for how shall it be determined which drafted man is to have the privilege of thus going out, to the exclusion of all the others?  And even before the draft in any district the quota must be fixed; and the draft must be postponed indefinitely if every time a volunteer is offered the officers must stop and reconstruct the quota.  At least I fear there might be this difficulty; but, at all events, let credits for volunteers be given up to the last moment which will not produce confusion or delay.  That the principle of giving credits for volunteers shall be applied by districts seems fair and proper, though I do not know how far by present statistics it is practicable.  When for any cause a fair credit is not given at one time, it should be given as soon thereafter as practicable.  My purpose is to be just and fair, and yet to not lose time.

A. LINCOLN

To J. H. Hackett.

Executive Mansion, Washington
August 17, 1863.

James H. Hackett, Esq.

My dear sir:—­Months ago I should have acknowledged the receipt of your book and accompanying kind note; and I now have to beg your pardon for not having done so.

For one of my age I have seen very little of the drama.  The first presentation of Falstaff I ever saw was yours here, last winter or spring.  Perhaps the best compliment I can pay is to say, as I truly can, I am very anxious to see it again.  Some of Shakespeare’s plays I have never read, while others I have gone over perhaps as frequently as any un-professional reader.  Among the latter are Lear, Richard III., Henry VIII., Hamlet, and especially Macbeth.  I think nothing equals Macbeth.  It is wonderful.