If he is worthy of scorn, which seems doubtful, he will receive that for his own dispatch.

The first letter from MR. TINKER, then the manager of the telegraph at the War Department, fully explains the telegrams which follow it:

WASHINGTON, D. C., May 27, 1867.

MAJOR-GENERAL GEORGE H. THOMAS, U. S. A.:

General:-I have had in my possession, since the day it was

, written, a telegram penned by our late loved President. Its history is this:

ROBERT A. MAXWELL, a Quixotic individual, resident of Philadelphia, has, during the war and since, humored a propensity for addressing numerous dictatorial and sensational dispatches to the President, his Cabinet, and prominent officers of the government. By those who are familiar with his character, no consideration is accorded to these dispatches. On receipt of one of these dispatches-a copy of which I inclose, also-PRESIDENT LINCOLN came to the Department, and handed me his reply, marked "Cipher." He lingered in the office while I was preparing it for transmission, and, when nearly ready, he remarked: "I guess, on the whole, MR. TINKER, you need not send that; I will pay no attention to the crazy fellow." I put it into my pocket, and have preserved it as a precious autograph, hoping, some time, to be honored with an opportunity to present it to you in person, to whom I feel it justly belongs-a priceless tribute to a noble hero whose dauntless courage on that fatal day saved the Army of the Cumberland.

It gives me profound pleasure to hereby make the presentation. I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient servant.

CHARLES A. TINKER, Cipher Clerk and Manager of Telegraph, War Department.

[Telegram.]

NEW YORK CITY, September 23, 1863.

HIS EXCELLENCY, A. LINCOLN, President of the United States:

Will BUELL'S Testamentary Executor, GEORGE THOMAS, ever let ROSECRANS succeed? Is BRAGG dumb enough to punish THOMAS severely and disgracingly?

[Signed,]

ROBERT A. MAXWELL.

LINCOLN'S TRIBUTE TO THOMAS.

[Telegram.]

WASHINGTON, D. C., September 23, 1863.

ROBERT A. MAXWELL, New York:

I hasten to say that, in the state of information we have here, nothing could be more ungracious than to indulge any suspicion. toward GENERAL THOMAS. It is doubtful whether his heroism and skill exhibited last Sunday afternoon has ever been surpassed in the world.

A. LINCOLN.

THOMAS AND THE REMOVAL OF BUELL.

It is well known that the command of BUELL'S army was of fered to GENERAL THOMAS, at Louisville, and that he declined it. The circumstances have never been given in detail.

GENERAL HALLECK, then in Washington, sent COLONEL MCKIBBON, of his staff, to Louisville, to ascertain the exact condition of affairs, and to issue the order relieving BUELL and putting THOMAS in Command, if he (MCKIBBON) deemed it advisable, after acquainting himself thoroughly with the situation. COLONEL MCKIBBON talked with the prominent officers of the different commands, satisfied himself that the change should be made, and early one morning telegraphed to HALLECK that he should issue the order suspending BUELL at noon, unless otherwise directed from Washington. He also requested GENERAL THOMAS to have an orderly at the Galt House at noon, as there might be orders to com.

municate to his command. Noon came, and there was no word from HALLECK, and the order relieving BUELL was handed to him in the city, and the orderly received the one placing GENERAL THOMAS in Command. Until it reached his camp, THOMAS had no knowledge of the change. He then rode to the Galt House, found COLONEL MCKIBBON, and protested against the relief of BUell. He also telegraphed a protest to HALLECK, and shortly after the latter suspended the order making the change. It is well known that the dissatisfaction with BUELL was general, and the desire to have THOMAS Succeed him as general; and yet the old hero, thinking that injustice would thus be done, refused to accept the honor conferred upon him. This constant putting himself out of view marked his whole career, and in this trait he was great above all his fellows.

III.

BUFFALO, NEW YORK, November 17, 1879.

HON. STANLEY MATTHEWS, Washington, D. C.:

Dear Sir:-I beg to inclose to you the original letter written by GENERAL THOMAS, in January, 1870, from San Francisco, in reference to events which I will hereafter refer to.

The letter belongs in MRS. SHELDON's collection of autographs, and I have detached it merely for the purpose that you might peruse it, and, if desired, copy it for future historical use, expecting it will be safely returned. The letter is one of the historical letters, to be preserved, and characteristic of the man and soldier, and its loss would be a calamity to MRS. SHELDON.

It was elicited, as you will remember, by the following cir

cumstances:

Soon after the close of the War of the Rebellion, the loyal Legislature of the State of Tennessee, then in power at Nashville, caused a portrait of GENERAL THOMAS to be painted and placed in the State-house, and also caused to be struck and presented to him. a gold medal, in testimony of his services and the regard entertained for him by the loyal people of the State, whose friend and savior he had been.

When the Legislature of 1869 and 1870 came into power, being disloyal and rebel in antecedents and sympathy, a resolution was introduced for the sale of the portrait, and utterances of disapproval were made concerning the action of the preceding Legislature in ordering the painting.

Public opinion, however, ultimately prevented the passage of the resolution; but GENERAL THOMAS, justly indignant at its introduction, and the action of the Legislature concerning it, wrote the letter I inclose to his friend, MR. JOHN RUHM, of Nashville. It was sent to me by a Senator of the State, who had served in the Federal Army under GENERAL THOMAS, and was on terms of intimacy with that distinguished soldier.

You are at liberty to use the facts as you may desire. My only anxiety is for a safe return of the document.

Regretting I shall not be able to be present at the ceremonies in which you are to take a distinguished part,

I am, sir,

Yours very truly,

JAMES SHELDON.

CITY HALL, BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, January 25, 1870.

MR. JOHN RUHм, Nashville, Tennessee:

Dear Sir:-I received your favor of the 23d December, some days since. I can not now say what I shall do in the case of the picture and medal.

If I had had the medal here when I learned of the action of the Legislature, I should certainly have returned it. Should this or any subsequent Legislature hereafter express any disapprobation of the proceedings of the Legislature which voted the medal, I certainly will return it; and it will not alter one particle my respect and esteem for those who paid me so high a compliment, but, on the contrary, I sincerely believe that such would be my duty as a man. I am very truly yours,

GEO. H. THOMAS.

ORATION

DELIVERED BY

GENERAL ANSON G. McCOOK.

Mr. President and Comrades:

At the last meeting of our Society, held at Philadelphia in the Centennial year of the Republic, you selected as your orator for this occasion GENERAL CHARLES F. MANDERSON, of Nebraska, with that gallant soldier and gentlemen, GENERAL ALPHEUS S. WILLIAMS, of Michigan, as the alternate. The unavoidable and much to be regretted absence of the first, and the death of the second, threw upon the Local Committee at a late day the responsibility of selecting a substitute; and at their request, and with unaffected diffidence as to my ability to do justice to the subject, I come before you.

It is scarcely necessary for me to refer to the death of GENERAL WILLIAMS, followed as it has been by the death of his old commander, and our friend and comrade GENERAL HOOKER, to remind you that the men who composed the Army of the Cumberland, are rapidly passing off the stage of action. Eighteen years-over half a generation-have come and gone since the army which we represent here to-night sprang into existence at the call of the country, and, side by side with other armies, battled for the maintenance of the Union of these States. Those of us who, as young men, were present at its organization are now of middle age; those who were then of more mature years have grown old, and the rapidly increasing death-roll of our Society indicates very clearly that the time is not far distant when the story of the