stem on the Mississippi
plantations. He is acquainted with, and has access to, many of the
planters who wish to adopt the system. He will show you two letters of
mine on this subject, one somewhat General, and the other relating to
named persons; they are not different in principle. He will also show you
some suggestions coming from some of the planters themselves. I desire
that all I promise in these letters, so far as practicable, may be in good
faith carried out, and that suggestions from the planters may be heard
and adopted, so far as they may not contravene the principles stated, nor
justice, nor fairness, to laborers. I do not herein intend to overrule
your own mature judgment on any point.

Yours truly,

A. LINCOLN.

TELEGRAM TO GENERAL STEELE.

WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, D. C., March 3, 1864.

MAJOR-GENERAL STEELE, Little Rock, Ark.:

Yours including address to people of Arkansas is received. I approve the
address and thank you for it. Yours in relation to William M. Randolph
also received. Let him take the oath of December 8, and go to work for the
new constitution, and on your notifying me of it, I will immediately issue
the special pardon for him.

A. LINCOLN.

TELEGRAM TO GENERAL BUTLER.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, March 4,1864. MAJOR-GENERAL BUTLER, Fort
Monroe, Va.:

Admiral Dahlgren is here, and of course is very anxious about his son.
Please send me at once all you know or can learn of his fate.

A. LINCOLN.

ORDER IN REGARD TO THE EXPORTATION OF TOBACCO BELONGING TO THE FRENCH
GOVERNMENT.

EXECUTIVE MANSION,

WASHINGTON, March 7, 1864.

Whereas, by an Executive order of the 10th of November last permission was
given to export certain tobacco belonging to the French government from
insurgent territory, which tobacco was supposed to have been purchased
and paid for prior to the 4th day of March, 1861; but whereas it was
subsequently ascertained that a part at least of the said tobacco had
been purchased subsequently to that date, which fact made it necessary to
suspend the carrying into effect of the said order; but whereas, pursuant
to mutual explanations, a satisfactory understanding upon the subject has
now been reached, it is directed that the order aforesaid may be carried
into effect, it being understood that the quantity of French tobacco so to
be exported shall not exceed seven thousand hogsheads, and that it is
the same tobacco respecting the exp