October 31, 1864: Andrew Johnson to Abraham Lincoln

Transcript:

State of Tennessee, Executive Department

Nashville, Tenn. Oct. 31st 1864.

Sir:

Allow me to introduce to Your Excellency’s kind notice Mrs. Mary A. Stevens a lady with whom I have had an acquaintance of a few years past.

She solicits an interview with Your Excellency, with the hope that she will be able to secure permission to go to Houston, Texas, where she has considerable land and other interests, simply for the purpose of disposing of the same, a course rendered necessary, as she states and as I have reason to believe, by the embarrassment under which she is now laboring. I am fully satisfied of her loyalty to the Gov’t, and personally know that when residing at Lexington , Ky. She manifested the same in the kindness and hospitality she was pleased to extend to distressed Union Refugees of East Tennessee driven over the mountains into the state of Kentucky.

I respectfully commend her to Your Excellency’s kind consideration, and I beg to express the hope that, if such favor as she asks can be consistently granted, her application may receive favorable action.

I have the honor to be,

With great respect,

You Excy’s Ob.t Serv.t

Andrew Johnson

Unt. Gov.r

His Excellency

The President of the United States

Citation: Andrew Johnson, letter signed to Abraham Lincoln. Nashville, 31 Oct. 1864. AMs 354/11.1