As late as October (1863) the radicals sent a communication to the War Department complaining that General Schofield had enrolled rebels in the militia of northwest Missouri, and disarmed Unionists. The general, replying to this charge, declared that he had enrolled “twice as many former rebels” as were named by his accusers, “amounting to from five to ten per cent. of the whole” militia organization of that part of the State, and that he was glad to make a repentant rebel of “more service to the government than a man who never had any political sins to repent of.” He also felt great satisfaction in putting men of that class to “guard the property of their more loyal neighbors.”[91] So that the act of which his enemies complained was evidently both wise and patriotic. At last the extremists sent a large delegation to Washington to lay the situation in Missouri, as they apprehended it, before the President, and to urge him to remove General Schofield and appoint in his place General Butler. Mr. Lincoln heard them patiently, and on the following day replied to them in a strong, lucid paper. With marvellous insight he analyzed the parties in our State, and pointed out their attitude towards each other, and towards both the State and national government. He also heartily sustained General Schofield. The members of the delegation were of course disappointed, but returned wiser than when they went. They had surveyed at a distance the factional strife of their State. The perspective gave them a juster notion of its relative importance. They had listened to the luminous analysis of it all by the clear-headed President. They saw new light. From that day factional strife began to subside. It lingered, but it was less virulent. Little by little reason resumed its sway, and a larger charity found place in the minds of those holding divergent views.