[A. Bielaski opens school on third floor of Delany's brick building to give instructions in "Broadsword, Bayonet and Lance. . . . Instructions at all hours of the day." It has been conjectured that Lincoln may have taken broadsword lessons, and therefore chose this weapon in "duel" with Shields in fall of 1842.Springfield Courier, 25 December 1840.

Bielaski was an engineer employed in railroad surveying.]

Lincoln writes Joshua Speed about uncollected judgment against Thomas C. Browne in Speed's favor. Speed has said Logan & Lincoln are to blame. Lincoln says they are not, but he would rather lose fee than cause hard feelings. "Nothing of consequence new here, beyond what you see in the papers."Abraham Lincoln to Joshua F. Speed, 25 December 1848, CW, 2:17.

Lincoln buys $4 worth of merchandise. Irwin Ledger.

Lincoln writes Robert Boal of Lacon in interest of Boal's candidacy for speakership of House. Abraham Lincoln to Robert S. Boal, 25 December 1856, CW, 2:387.

Lincoln writes to Henry C. Whitney acknowledging receipt of "Tribunes" he asked for November 30, 1858. Abraham Lincoln to Henry C. Whitney, 25 December 1858, CW, 3:347.

Lincoln writes Trumbull, suggesting he send government documents to postmaster for distribution, rather than directly to recipients. He compliments him on recent speech in Senate. Abraham Lincoln to Lyman Trumbull, 25 December 1859, CW, 3:512-13.

Cabinet meets 10 A.M. behind closed doors to consider release of Mason and Slidell, involved in Trent affair. Meeting lasts until 2 P.M. Bates, Diary; Evening Star (Washington, DC), 26 December 1861, 2:1.

Senator Charles Sumner (Mass.) on invitation reads letters from Richard Cobden and John Bright of England to cabinet urging release of men. French minister appears before cabinet and requests President to give up men and avert war. Monaghan, Diplomat, 191.

Cabinet adjourns to meet next day and make decision. President concludes: "Governor Seward, you will go on, of course, preparing your answer, which, as I understand, will state the reasons why they ought to be given up." Frederick W. Seward, Reminiscences of a War-Time Statesman and Diplomat, 1830-1915. By Frederick W. Seward, Assistant Secretary of State during the Administrations of Lincoln, Johnson, and Hayes (New York: Putnam, 1916), 189.

At Christmas dinner in evening Lincolns entertain large number of guests, including several members of official family and old friends from Kentucky and Illinois. Browning, Diary.

After dinner President tells Senator Oliver H. Browning (Ill.) that Trent affair has been settled amicably. Randall, Lincoln, 2:49.

President and Mrs. Lincoln visit many hospitals in afternoon. Washington Chronicle, 27 December 1862.

Lincoln reads to John Hay and others article he wrote last summer upholding constitutionality and expediency of draft. Hay, Letters and Diary.

Suggests to Bayard Taylor that he prepare lecture on "Serfs, Serfdom, and Emancipation in Russia." Abraham Lincoln to Bayard Taylor, 25 December 1863, CW, 7:93.

Plans to extend practical benefits of Amnesty and Reconstruction Proclamation to people of rebellious districts. Record books will be sent to various points to receive subscriptions to oath. Hay, Letters and Diary.

Lincoln writes an endorsement on a letter concerning Private David Henry Patterson, a member of the 9th New York Cavalry's Company K. On November 2, 1864, Mrs. Kesiah Patterson, of Durand, Illinois, wrote to Fannie McKean, of Washington, D. C., on behalf of David Patterson's mother. On June 11, David Patterson was wounded in battle at Trevilian Station, Virginia. Kesiah Patterson learned from David's mother that he "has been ill almost from the moment of his entering the army. It seems that he has himself physically unable to endure the rigor of camp life...A recent illness deprived him of the little strength and courage that he had endeavored to sustain himself with and now his only hope is to get to his mother and spend the remnant of his life, which he feels will be brief, with her." Kesiah notes that David Patterson is a patient at Finley Hospital, located in Washington D. C.'s fourth ward. Perhaps McKean showed the letter to Lincoln, who forwarded it to Illinois Congressman John F. Farnsworth with the note, "Can Gen. Farnsworth tell anything about this case?" Kesiah Patterson to Fannie McKean, 2 November 1864, The Lincoln Museum, Ft. Wayne, IN; Newel Cheney, History of the Ninth Regiment, New York Volunteer Cavalry. War of 1861 To 1865 (Jamestown, NY: Martin Merz & Son, 1901), 394.