Looking back at Lincoln: On May 13, 1864

On this day in 1864, Lincoln came to the rescue of a church in Memphis, Tennessee -- apparently for the second time-- from Union Army occupation.

May 13, 1864

I believe it is true that with reference to the church within named I wrote as follows:

"If [2] the Military have Military need of the church building, let them keep it; otherwise let them get out of it, and leave it and it's owners alone, except for causes that justify the arrest of any one.''

March 4. 1864. A. LINCOLN"

I am now told that the Military were not in possession of the building; and yet that in pretended execution of the above they, the Military put one set of men out of and another set into the building. This, if true, is most extraordinary. I say again, if there be no military need for the building, leave it alone, neither putting any one in or out, of it, except on finding some one preaching or practicing treason, in which case lay hands upon him just as if he were doing the same thing in any other building, or in the streets or highways. A. LINCOLN

May 13 1864

Annotation

[1] ADfS, DLC-RTL. The envelope containing this draft is endorsed by Lincoln "Church at Memphis.'' See the memorandum of March 4, supra. Apparently the endorsement of May 13, of which Lincoln retained his first draft, was written on a statement or petition of the loyal church members who had been turned out by the secessionist trustees (see note to Lincoln's communication to Cadwallader C. Washburn, July 5, infra). A portion of the endorsement has been preserved as noted below, but the remainder, as well as the document on which it was written, has not been located.

[2] An autograph fragment comprising the quoted portion of the endorsement, which appears to have been cut out of Lincoln's original endorsement written on the petition from the loyal church members, is in the Illinois State Historical Library.