to watch neutral vessels and then to dart out
and seize them on their departure.

NOTE.--Complaint is made that this has been practiced at the port of St
Thomas, which practice, if it exists, is disapproved and must cease.

Second. You will not in any case detain the crew of a captured neutral
vessel or any other subject of a neutral power on board such vessel,
as prisoners of war or otherwise, except the small number necessary as
witnesses in the prize court.

NOTE.-The practice here forbidden is also charged to exist, which, if
true, is disapproved and must cease.

My dear sir, it is not intended to be insinuated that you have been
remiss in the performance of the arduous and responsible duties of your
department, which, I take pleasure in affirming, has in your hands been
conducted with admirable success. Yet, while your subordinates are almost
of necessity brought into angry collision with the subjects of foreign
states, the representatives of those states and yourself do not come into
immediate contact for the purpose of keeping the peace, in spite of such
collisions. At that point there is an ultimate and heavy responsibility
upon me.

What I propose is in strict accordance with international law, and is
therefore unobjectionable; whilst, if it does no other good, it will
contribute to sustain a considerable portion of the present British
ministry in their places, who, if displaced, are sure to be replaced by
others more unfavorable to us.

Your obedient servant,

A. LINCOLN

LETTER TO GOVERNOR PARKER.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON,

July 25, 1863.

HIS EXCELLENCY GOVERNOR JOEL PARKER.

SIR:--Yours of the 21st is received, and I have taken time and considered
and discussed the subject with the Secretary of War and Provost-Marshal
General, in order, if possible, to make you a more favorable answer than I
finally find myself able to do.

It is a vital point with us to not have a special stipulation with the
governor of any one State, because it would breed trouble in many, if not
all, other States; and my idea was when I wrote you, as it still is, to
get a point of time to which we could wait, on the reason that we were not
ready ourselves to proceed, and which might enable you to raise the quota
of your State, in whole, or in large part, without the draft. The points
of time you fix are much farther off than I had hoped. We might have got
along in the way I have indicated for twenty, or p