The Writings of Carl Schurz/To Charles Sumner, November 13th, 1865

by Carl Schurz and others

 

TO CHARLES SUMNER

Bethlehem, Nov. 13, 1865. 

Your note of the 9th inst., together with the enclosed papers, reached me to-day. My report is ready and is being copied. It is quite voluminous, very full in the discussion of all the important points and has cost me considerable labor. I shall go to Washington to present it to the President probably before the end of the week. I intend to ask his permission to publish it at once so that it may be before the country when Congress meets. I consider it somewhat doubtful whether he will give that permission. If he does not, it will have to be asked for by Congress.^[1] But if he does, it will be important to have it out without delay. The question arises [as to] how to publish it. For the newspapers it is too long. With the accompanying documents, of which there are a considerable number, it will fill a volume of nearly 300 pages, and the accompanying documents are as interesting and instructive as the report itself. In fact, they form the strength of the report as far as the establishment of facts is concerned. I shall try to induce Lippincott in Philadelphia to publish it in the ordinary way. But if he should refuse, can it be published in some other way? What do you think? It is a strong document and will, I hope, exercise an influence upon the attitude of Congress and of the country.

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1. As President Johnson ignored the request, Sumner introduced a resolution in the Senate calling for the report.