Under date of October 4, I wrote in my journal:
"The address presented to the President by the radical delegation from Missouri was published in the 'Democrat' last evening. I telegraphed the President last night that 'so much of it as relates to me is not only untrue in spirit, but most of it is literally false. If an answer or explanation is on any account desirable, I shall be glad to make it.' To-day I received from the President a despatch saying: 'Think you will not have just cause to complain of my action. . . . '"
THE PRESIDENT'S REPLY TO THE RADICAL DELEGATION
The next day the President made this reply to the radical delegation:
"Executive Mansion, Washington, D. C., October 5, 1863.
"Hon. Charles D. Drake and Others, Committee.
"Gentlemen: Your original address, presented on the 30th ultimo, and the four supplementary ones, presented on the 3d inst., have been carefully considered. I hope you will regard the other duties claiming my attention, together with the great length and importance of the documents, as constituting a sufficient apology for my not having responded sooner.
"These papers, framed for a common object, consist of the things demanded, and the reasons for demanding them.
"The things demanded are:
"First. That General Schofield shall be relieved and General Butler be appointed as commander of the Military Department of Missouri.
"Second. That the system of enrolled militia in Missouri may be broken up, and national forces be substituted for it; and,