General L. Thomas: 

This introduces Mr. Lewis, mentioned in my despatch sent you at Louisville some days ago.  I have but little personal acquaintance with him; but he has the confidence of several members of Congress here who seem to know him well.  He hopes to be useful, without charge to the government, in facilitating the introduction of the free-labor system 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 exportation of which application Was originally made by the French government.