matter than I intended. If you can by any possibility have s top put to this slave enlistment, let me beg to do it. I sat down to write you chiefly about a supplemental matter. These gentlemen whom I saw last evening said to me: "We have come to you, Governor, at this time not so much to get pay for our slaves - if the Government stands in need of them let it have them - but we have come earnestly to entreat that a negro regiment which they threaten to bring down from Baltimore and quarter in our neighborhood may not be allowed to come. Our people are in a state of utter consternation at the prospect of such a thing. Whilst we are willing that the Government shall take from us anything it needs, for God's sake let it not suffer us to be pillaged by a regiment of negroes."

I give you, judge, the language, as nearly as I can, of one of this committee - a plain, straightforward, sensible, loyal farmer. I wish you could have heard him. And cannot this poor boon, at least, be granted? Cannot this regiment be kept here where it is; or must it, without the shadow of necessity, be sent across the bay, only further to inflame, terrify, and disgust our citizens? Truly, this would seem to be adding insult to injury. Will you, my dear sir, see the President, and if you can do nothing else, keep, at least, this negro regiment at home.

Yours, very truly,

A. W. BRADFORD.

[Indorsement.]

SEPTEMBER 25, 1863.

Submitted to the Secretary of War.

A. LINCOLN.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, September 11, 1863.

Hon. ANDREW JOHNSON:

MY DEAR SIR: All Tennessee is now clear of armed insurrectionists. You need not to be reminded that it is the nick of time for reinaugurating a loyal State Government. Not a moment should be lost. You and the co-operating friends there can better judge of the ways and means than can be judged by any here. I only offer a few suggestions. The reinauguration must not be such as to give control of the State and its representation in Congress to the enemies of the Union, driving its friends there into political exile. The whole struggle for Tennessee will have been profitless to both State and Nation if it so ends that Governor Johnson is put down and Governor Harris is put up. It must not be so. You must have it otherwise. Let the reconstruction be the work of such men only as can be trusted for the Union. Exclude all others, and trust that your government so organized will be recognized here as being the one of republican form to be guaranteed to the State, and to be protected against invasion and domestic violence. It is something on the question of time to remember that it cannot be known who is next to occupy the position I now hold, nor what he will do. I see that you have declared in favor of emancipation in Tennessee, for which may God bless you. Get emancipation into you new State government constitution and there will be no such word as fail for your case. The raising of colored troops, I think, will greatly help every way.

Yours, very truly,

A. LINCOLN.