Committee to which was referred bill limiting jurisdiction of justices of peace reports substitute. Amendment is offered. Bill, report, and amendment are referred to select committee of Lincoln, Rowan of Gallatin, and McHenry of White. Lincoln votes nay on motion to adjourn over Christmas.House Journal.

Lincoln votes for Stuart's amendment in regard to appointment and removal of canal commissioners. Amendment loses, 24 to 31, while bill passes 29 to 26, Lincoln voting yea.House Journal.

Lincoln writes John McNamar that he has received petition to change state road. If McNamar does not wish this change he should get up remonstrance. Lincoln attends legislature, reporting, from select committee, amendments to Van Buren County bill.Abraham Lincoln to John McNamar, 24 December 1836, CW, 1:60; Bill Introduced in Illinois Legislature to Organize the County of Van Buren, [24 December 1836], CW, 1:57-60; House Journal.

[No roll calls are taken and Lincoln's name does not appear in proceedings. His absence for week indicates he probably returned to Springfield for Christmas holiday.House Journal.]

At meeting of town board, Lincoln and other trustees decide to license smaller groceries for $25 for two-month period.Clerk's Minutes.

Contest between Kerr (Whig) and Love (Dem.) for House seat from Pike County is settled with Kerr seated 44 to 43. Lincoln votes yea.House Journal.

In House of Representatives, McDonald of Jo Daviess presents petition of four members of Galena bar praying removal of Thomas C. Browne, judge of Sixth Judicial Circuit, for want of capacity to discharge duties of his office. Petition is referred to committee composed of McDonald, Graves, Koerner, Browning, and Ames. Lincoln is Browne's attorney.House Journal.

Lincoln and Powell argue motion made on 20th to issue writ of error in Wren v. Moss et al. Purple and Peters resist motion.Record.

Argument in Cunningham v. Fithian et al. is continued by J. J. Brown for appellant.Record.

Mrs. Lincoln takes home remnant linen ($1.31) and 6¢ worth of buttons.Irwin Ledger and Journal.

Lincoln responds to family members who seek loans. Lincoln's father, Thomas Lincoln, of Charleston, Illinois, requests $20, to "satisfy a judgment." Lincoln complies, but cautions, "Before you pay it, it would be well to be sure you have not paid it." Lincoln denies a request for $80 from his step-brother, John Johnston, and instead offers, "You are not lazy, and still you are an idler. I doubt whether since I saw you, you have done a good whole day's work, in any one day. You do not very much dislike to work; and still you do not work much, merely because it does not seem to you that you could get much for it . . . You are now in need of some ready money; and what I propose is, that you shall go to work, 'tooth and nails' for some body who will give you money . . . Now if you will do this, you will soon be out of debt, and what is better, you will have a habit that will keep you from getting in debt again."Abraham Lincoln to Thomas Lincoln and John D. Johnston, 24 December 1848, CW, 2:15-17.

Lincoln writes reply to assignment of errors and agreement on motions in lower court in Whitecraft et al. v. Vandeveer (SC). Herndon-Weik Collection, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Complainant in Bank of Missouri v. Caldwell et al., before U.S. Circuit Court November 4, 1852, dismisses his bill against alleged debtors of bank. Record.

[McLean Circuit Court adjourns until December 28, 1857.]

Lincoln writes to William H. Carlin of Quincy, Illinois, and informs Carlin that he is collecting copies of speeches from the recent campaign season. Lincoln explains, "I am making up a Scrap-book...and if any of your speeches were printed, I would be glad to have a copy of the one you consider the best." Carlin, a Democratic state senator representing Adams County, ran in November for re-election as a member of the National Democrat party. Carlin had spoken out against Stephen A. Douglas, Lincoln's opponent in the U.S. Senate race, and Lincoln backed Carlin in the three-way race for the Illinois Senate seat. Carlin came in third in the race. Democrat Austin Brooks won the seat, and Republican John Tillson came in second. Abraham Lincoln to William H. Carlin, 24 December 1858, Brown University Library, Providence, RI; Journal of the Senate of the Nineteenth General Assembly of the State of Illinois (Springfield: Lanphier & Walker, 1855), 3-4; Quincy Daily Whig and Republican (IL), 15 October 1858, 2:2; Quincy Daily Whig and Republican (IL), 12 October 1858, 2:3; The Daily Quincy Herald (IL), 19 October 1858, 2:3; The Daily Quincy Herald (IL), 4 November 1858, 3:1.

Lincoln pays evening visit to Post Office and discusses with postmaster best way of distributing documents sent by Trumbull. Abraham Lincoln to Lyman Trumbull, 25 December 1859, CW, 3:512-13.

Two notables arrive in Springfield, Lincoln's old friend E. D. Baker and David Wilmot of Pennsylvania. Lincoln calls on Wilmot at his hotel and spends most of day. N.Y. Tribune, 25 December 1860.

Lincoln writes to Trumbull. Lincoln has heard that South Carolina forts are to be surrendered. If true, he intends to announce publicly that they are to be retaken, to give Union men "a rallying cry." He thanks Isaac N. Morris, Quincy, for introducing Union resolution in Congress, and asks Hamlin to find New Englander of Democratic antecedents for cabinet. "Or shall I decide for myself?" Abraham Lincoln to Lyman Trumbull, 24 December 1860, CW, 4:162; Abraham Lincoln to Isaac N. Morris, 24 December 1860, CW, 4:161; Abraham Lincoln to Hannibal Hamlin, 24 December 1860, CW, 4:161.

Lincoln buys yard goods for his wife, and 11 handkerchiefs for Christmas presents. Pratt, Personal Finances, 150.

President approves act authorizing allotment certificates for volunteers. Stat. L., XII, 331.

Endorses letter of Robert J. Breckenridge, Danville, Ky., who opposed him for Presidency in 1860 campaign: "I have before said, and now repeat, I would like Dr. Breckenridges son to be appointed as soon as he consistently can." Abraham Lincoln to Simon Cameron, 24 December 1861, CW, 5:79.

President sends congratulations to Francis Joseph I, Emperor of Austria, on forthcoming marriage of brother. Abraham Lincoln to Francis Joseph I, 24 December 1862, CW, 6:18-19.

Transmits to Congress report from Sec. Seward on subject of consular pupils. Abraham Lincoln to the Senate and House of Representatives, 24 December 1862, CW, 6:19.

Cong. Samuel S. Cox (Ohio) interviews Lincoln on behalf of Col. Samuel A. Gilbert. Abraham Lincoln to Edwin M. Stanton, 24 December 1862, CW, 6:19.

Sen. Sumner (Mass.) spends evening with President discussing Emancipation Proclamation. John M. Forbes, Letters and Recollections of John Murray Forbes, 2 vols. (Boston: Houghton, Mifflin, 1899), 1:349.

Mrs. Lincoln borrows "Read, Thomas B. The Wagoner of the Alleghanies; a poem of the days of seventy-six" from Library of Congress. [Thomas Buchanan Read, The Wagoner of the Alleghanies . . ., Philadelphia, 1862.] Borrowers' Ledger 1861-63, 114, Archives of the Library of Congress, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Atty. Gen. Bates at White House for conference. Bates, Diary.

President clarifies status of Gen. Banks: "I have all the while intended you to be master, as well in regard to re-organizing a State government for Louisiana, as in regard to the military matters of the Department." Abraham Lincoln to Nathaniel P. Banks, 24 December 1863, CW, 7:89-91.

Lincoln recognizes R. Barth as consul of Grand Dukedom of Baden at St. Louis. Washington Chronicle, 30 December 1864.

Receives Richard C. Parsons, representative of Common Council of Cleveland, who presents importance of establishing navy yard on Great Lakes. Allen to Lincoln, 20 December 1864, Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Sec. Welles calls on President and gets death sentence commuted and obtains pass to Richmond for Laura Jones. Welles, Diary.

O. H. Browning confers with Lincoln about permitting James W. Singleton, Illinois politician and cotton and tobacco buyer, to go to Richmond for purpose of buying cotton. Browning, Diary.

President and Mrs. Lincoln send letters to Soldiers' Fair in Springfield, Mass. Washington Chronicle, 1 January 1865.

President acknowledges receipt of volume "commemorative of the celebration in honor of the passage of the Ordinance of Emancipation of the State of Louisiana." Abraham Lincoln to Thomas J. Durant, 24 December 1864, CW, 8:179.

Endorses letter of Samuel D. Lockwood, Batavia, Ill.: "Judge Lockwood, the writer, is one of the best men in the world." Endorsement Concerning Samuel D. Lockwood, 24 December 1864, CW, 8:179-80.

Writes Sec. Seward: "Gen. C. S. Todd, once much of a man, is now superannuated, and would be an incumbrance upon the Commander in New-Orleans, unjustifiable in me to impose upon him." [Charles S. Todd, assessor of internal revenue at Owensboro, Ky., asked for military appointment under Gen. Banks.] Abraham Lincoln to William H. Seward, 24 December 1864, CW, 8:181.