I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours, to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of Freedom.

One section of our country believes slavery is right, and ought to be extended, while the other believes it is wrong, and ought not to be extended.

We live in the midst of alarms; anxiety beclouds the future; we expect some new disaster with each newspaper we read.

Submitted to the Sec. of War. On principle I dislike an oath which requires a man to swear he has not done wrong. It rejects the Christian principle of forgiveness on terms of repentance. I think it is enough if the man does no wrong hereafter.

I confess I hate to see the poor creatures hunted down but I bite my lip and keep quiet.

We shall yet acknowledge His wisdom and our own error therein.

I claim not to have controlled events, but confess plainly that events have controlled me.