A. Lincoln.

Washington, D.C., November 10, 1864. 
Governor Bramlette, Frankfort, Ky.: 

Yours of yesterday received.  I can scarcely believe that General John B. Houston has been arrested “for no other offense than opposition to my re-election;” for, if that had been deemed sufficient cause of arrest, I should have heard of more than one arrest in Kentucky on election day.  If, however, General Houston has been arrested for no other cause than opposition to my re-election, General Burbridge will discharge him at once, I sending him a copy of this as an order to that effect.

A. Lincoln.

To general S. A. Hurlbut. 
(Private.)
Executive Mansion, Washington, November 14, 1864.

Major-general Hurlbut: 

Few things since I have been here have impressed me more painfully than what, for four or five months past, has appeared a bitter military opposition to the new State government of Louisiana.  I still indulged some hope that I was mistaken in the fact; but copies of a correspondence on the subject between General Canby and yourself, and shown me to-day, dispel that hope.  A very fair proportion of the people of Louisiana have inaugurated a new State government, making an excellent new constitution—­better for the poor black man than we have in Illinois.  This was done under military protection, directed by me, in the belief, still sincerely entertained, that with such a nucleus around which to build we could get the State into position again sooner than otherwise.  In this belief a general promise of protection and support, applicable alike to Louisiana and other States, was given in the last annual message.  During the formation of the new government and constitution they were supported by nearly every loyal person, and opposed by every secessionist.  And this support and this opposition, from the respective standpoints of the parties, was perfectly consistent and logical.  Every Unionist ought to wish the new government to succeed; and every disunionist must desire it to fail.  Its failure would gladden the heart of Slidell in Europe, and of every enemy of the old flag in the world.  Every advocate of slavery naturally desires to see blasted and crushed the liberty promised the black man by the new constitution.  But why General Canby and General Hurlbut should join on the same side is to me incomprehensible.

Of course, in the condition of things at New Orleans, the military must not be thwarted by the civil authority; but when the Constitutional Convention, for what it deems a breach of privilege, arrests an editor in no way connected with the military, the military necessity for insulting the convention and forcibly discharging the editor is difficult to perceive.  Neither is the military necessity for protecting the people against paying large salaries fixed by a legislature