SAN FRANCISCO, April 5, 1865

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

Dispatch announcing fall of Richmond received. The whole population wild with excitement. Rejoicing in every direction.

IRVIN McDOWELL,

Major-General, Commanding Department.

HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES.

City Point, April 6, 1865-12 m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT,
In the Field:

Secretary Seward was thrown from his carriage yesterday and seriously injured. This, with other matters, will take me to Washington soon. I was at Richmond yesterday and the day before, when and where Judge Campbell, who was with Messrs. Hunter and Stephens in February, called on me and made such representations as induced me to put in his hands an informal paper, repeating the propositions in my letter of instructions to Mr. Seward, which you remember, and adding that if the war be now further persisted in by the rebels confiscated property shall, at the least, bear the additional cost: and that confiscations shall be remitted to the people of any State which will now, promptly and in good faith, withdraw its troops and other support from resistance to the Government. Judge Campbell thought it not impossible that the rebel legislature of Virginia would do the latter if permitted, and accordingly I addressed a private letter to General Weitzel with permission for Judge Campbell to see it, telling him (General W.) that if they attempt this to permit and protect them, unless they attempt something hostile to the United States, in which case to give them notice and time to leave and to arrest any remaining after such time.

I do not think it very probable that anything will come of this, but I have thought best to notify you so that if you should see signs you may understand them. From your recent dispatches it seems that you are pretty effectually withdrawing the Virginia troops from opposition to the Government. Nothing I have done, or probably shall do, is to delay, hinder or interfere with you in your work.

Yours, truly,

A. LINCOLN

RICHMOND, VA., April 6, 1865-12 m.

(Received 4 p.m.)

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

Your telegram respecting public documents and correspondence received. I had already directed General Shepley to have all these papers collected and forwarded to the Department. A great number of mail-bags all ready to be sent out were seized at the post-office, and I think were forwarded yesterday from City Point. The records and papers of the Department and of Congress were removed before the evacuation, and during the firing the capitol was ransacked and the documents there were scattered. The letter of Lee which I telegraphed

38 R R-VOL XLVI, PT III