... By the bye I do not care how soon you come back to Illinois provided always that I should hate for Hale Grimes & Co. to have their way in driving off every one who does not believe in negro stealing.... Yet I feel a good deal like they profess to feel. I should be glad to see the poor negroes free and provided for, but the abolition leaders seem to me to entertain more hatred to the owners than love for the negroes, and to be willing to sacrifice Whites, Negroes, Country and Constitution to the gratification of their ambition and malignity. I feel very glad at the progress the war is now making as I do hope the present prospect of speedy success will enable Lincoln and other conservative Republicans and Democrats to set at defiance the ravings of the abolitionists and universal confiscation men. If their mouths can be stopped I have now good hope that the union can soon be restored and that a few months will bring daylight out of the troubles of the Country.... Yours respectfully, S. T. LOGAN. OFFICE CHIEF QUARTER-MASTER DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 8, 1862. DEAR HILL,--I have given both our Representatives from here letters of introduction to you. Messrs. Flanders and Hahn. You will find Flanders old enough to take care of himself, but I desire that you be especially attentive to Hahn as I want him to defend Mr. Lincoln. He is very popular here and has very considerable influence and can do Mr. Lincoln a great deal of good. See that he falls into the right hands,--men who support the policy of the administration. Both men are now right and I depend on our friends to keep them right. Let me hear from you. As ever your friend, J. WILSON SHAFFER. Quietly say to Lincoln to cultivate these men as they both desire to find out what he wants and they will do it. J. W. S. 12 NORTH A STREET, Feb. 26, 1863.