The difference being that Lincoln won two consitutionally held elections to the office of President of the United States, despite the best efforts of a rotten group of southern slave hounds.
Oh yeah, and he beat a Democrat both times...
Washington, D. C., May 19, 1864.
Honorable E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.:
SIR: I have the honor to suggest that the ration as now issued to prisoners of war may be considerably reduced without depriving them of the food necessary to keep them in health, and I respectfully recommend that hereafter the ration be composed as follows, viz: [redacted]
I also recommend that ration of sugar and coffee, as above fixed, be issued only every other day.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. HOFFMAN,
Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.
[First indorsement.]
MAY 19, 1864.
The within recommendation is referred to the Chief of Staff, the Commissary-General and Commissary-General of Prisoners, and Surgeon-General for report.
EDWIN M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
[Second indorsement.]
MAY 19, 1864.
Respectfully referred as above directed. Why not dispense with tea, coffee, and sugar and reduce the ration to that issued by the rebel Government to their own troops?
H. W. HALLECK,
Major-General and Chief of Staff.
[Third indorsement.]
I concur with the views expressed by Major-General Halleck.
J. P. TAYLOR,
Commissary-General of Subsistence.
[Fourth indorsement.]
I respectfully approve of the reduction of the ration as suggested by Major-General Halleck.
W. HOFFMAN,
Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.
[Fifth indorsement.]
SURGEON-GENERAL'S OFFICE, May 19, 1864.
The reduction proposed by Major-General Halleck could be carried out with the exception of the ration for the sick and wounded, who would require that proposed by Colonel Hoffman or more than its equivalent in medicine and hospital items.
Very respectfully,
J. K. BARNES,
Acting Surgeon-General.
[Sixth indorsement.]
MAY 27, 1864.
Proposed ratio, except that sick and wounded are to have tea, coffee, and sugar, approved.
H. W. HALLECK,
Major-General and Chief of Staff.
[Seventh indorsement.]
The ration approved by the Chief of Staff and Surgeon-General approved.
EDWIN M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
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http://www.ehistory.com/uscw/library/or/120/0183.cfm
OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,
Washington, D. C., May 31, 1864.
Lieutenant Colonel MARTIN BURKE,
Commanding Fort Lafayette, New York Harbor, N. Y.:
COLONEL: In reply to your letter of the 10th instant I have the honor to inform you that the circular from this office of May 7, in relation to prisoners of war, cannot be departed from, as it is the order of the War Department. ... I inclose herewith a circular establishing a new scale for the rations to be issued to prisoners. *
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. HOFFMAN,
Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners.
CIRCULAR.] OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,
Washington, D. C., June 1, 1864.
I. By authority of the Secretary of War the ration to be issued to prisoners of war, as announced in the circular from this office dated April 20, 1864, is hereby modified as follows, to go into immediate effect, viz: [redacted]
* See next statement.
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http://www.ehistory.com/uscw/library/or/120/0184.cfm
II. The difference between the ration as above established and the ration allowed by law to soldiers of the U. S. Army constitutes the 'savings" from which is formed the "prison fund."
W. HOFFMAN,
Colonel Third U. S. Infantry. and Commissary-General of Prisoners.
free dixie,sw
And there weren't bloggers back then.
And he hardly acted like the kind of politician a Southerner would back. (Hint: South=solidly Republican today) Ever think that maybe the "old Democrats" were the original "current Republicans"?