Sec. Seward, in presence of Atty. Gen. Bates, reads to President dispatch announcing success of new Maryland Constitution. Bates, Diary.

Gen. Butler interviews President prior to taking charge of policing polls at national election in New York. Benjamin F. Butler, Autobiography and Personal Reminiscences . . . Butler's Book (Boston: A. M. Thayer, 1892), 775.

W. O. Bartlett calls on Lincoln relative to appointment of James Gordon Bennett as Minister to France. Abraham Lincoln to Abram Wakeman, 26 January 1865, CW, 8:239-40.

Post Office Dept. establishes domestic money order system. J. Duane Squires, "Some Enduring Achievements of the Lincoln Administration, 1861-65," Abraham Lincoln Quarterly 5 (December 1848):200.

President endorses letter of Sgt. H. Warren Stimson, 142d Pennsylvania Volunteers: "West-Point. I wish this 'soldier boy' to have a chance." Endorsement Concerning H. Warren Stimson, 1 November 1864, CW, 8:85.

New York commissioners, accompanied by Sec. Stanton , make formal courtesy call on President at 1 P.M. Stanton to Lincoln, 2 November 1864, Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

At 2 P.M. Rev. G. H. Blakeslee, Methodist pastor at Binghamton, N.Y., and Rev. E. W. Breckinridge, brother of R. J. Breckinridge, visit President, who autographs their books. Rufus R. Wilson, ed., Intimate Memories of Lincoln (Elmira, NY: Primavera Press, 1942), 432.

Lincoln receives another request from Mrs. Emily Todd Helm for privilege of going south to sell her cotton. Helm to Lincoln, 30 October 1864, Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Soldier on furlough to vote for Gen. McClellan has trouble getting transportation and calls on Lincoln, who orders: "Let this man have transportation immediately." Washington Chronicle, 16 November 1864.

President receives report from Dr. Zacharie who has been concentrating on Jewish vote in New York City. Bertram W. Korn, American Jewry and the Civil War (Philadelphia, PA: Jewish Publication Society of America, 1951), 200.

President approves location of first 100 miles of Union Pacific Railroad west from Omaha, Nebr. Approval of First Hundred Miles of Union Pacific Railroad, 4 November 1864, CW, 8:89.

Confers with John A. Stewart, U.S. treasury official in New York, regarding conspiracy among certain bankers to raise price of gold on election day. Benjamin F. Butler, Autobiography and Personal Reminiscences . . . Butler's Book (Boston: A. M. Thayer, 1892), 762-63.

Interviews Mrs. Hutter who urges four asylums in each state to care for war orphans and destitute persons. Memorandum, [c. 4 November 1864], CW, 8:90.

Issues order concerning prisoners involved in Coles County riots: "Let these prisoners be sent back to Coles County, Ill., those indicted be surrendered to the sheriff of said county, and the others be discharged." Order Concerning Prisoners from Coles County, Illinois, 4 November 1864, CW, 8:90.

Lincoln sends autographed photograph to Mrs. Henry A. Wise of Boston for use of National Sailors' Fair. Abraham Lincoln to Charlotte B. Wise, 5 November 1864, CW, 8:92-93.

Receives October salary warrant for $1,981.67. Pratt, Personal Finances, 183.

Loans M. B. Church, former law student in office of Lincoln & Herndon, $260 for five months. [This was never repaid. Mrs. Lincoln requested administrator not to try to collect it.] Pratt, Personal Finances, 82.

President sends order through Gen. Canby at New Orleans to Rear Adm. Farragut at Mobile Bay: "Do not, on any account, or on any showing of authority whatever, from whomsoever purporting to come, allow the blockade to be violated." Abraham Lincoln to David G. Farragut, 11 November 1864, CW, 8:103-4.

Writes Sec. Seward at Auburn, N.Y.: "Nothing of much importance." Abraham Lincoln to William H. Seward, 6 November 1864, CW, 8:94.

President directs Gen. Butler to avoid clash between U.S. military forces and state militia during election in New York. Butler, Correspondence, 5:329.

Orders five-day leave, with pass and transportation to and from Philadelphia, for Lt. A. W. White. Order Concerning A. W. White, 7 November 1864, CW, 8:95.

Deposits April salary warrant for $2,022.33 and July salary warrant for $1,981.67 in Riggs Bank. Pratt, Personal Finances, 183.

Elizabeth S. Comstock, Quaker minister, pays evening call; reads to Lincoln from Book of Isaiah, 9th to 13th verses. "Mr. Lincoln was highly gratified with the interview, and before taking her leave she kneeled in prayer, while he joined in the reverend attitude." Armory Square Hospital Gazette (Washington, DC), 26 November 1864.

President interviews Mary E. Collins about special exchange of Capt. William A. Collins, Co. D, 10th Wisconsin Infantry. Abraham Lincoln to Ethan A. Hitchcock, 8 November 1864, CW, 8:95.

Recognizes Teodoro Manara as consul of Republic of Guatemala at New York. Washington Chronicle, 11 November 1864.

Tad discovers that soldiers quartered in White House grounds are voting for Lincoln and Johnson. Makes father go to window and watch. Noah Brooks, "Personal Reminiscences of Lincoln," Scribner's Monthly 15 (1877/1878):675.

At noon Lincoln discusses election with Noah Brooks. Randall, Lincoln, 4:259.

Receives from Carlos Pierce mammoth ox called "General Grant." Rice to Lincoln, 22 November 1864, Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Abraham Lincoln to Alexander H. Rice, 8 November 1864, CW, 8:96-97.

[6:30 P.M. John Nicolay in Springfield, Ill., reports majority of 20 for Lincoln in township. Nicolay to Lincoln, 8 November 1864, Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.]

At 7 P.M. in rain President and John Hay go to Sec. Stanton 's office in War Dept. to receive election returns. Stanton and Sec. Welles, Asst. Secs. Fox and Dana, and others are present. During lull in telegraphic reports Lincoln reads aloud from writings of Nasby. Stanton expresses indignation at nonsense. At mid-night Maj. Eckert provides supper. Lincoln "shovels out fried oysters." During evening and night former Sec. Chase, Col. Eaton, Whitelaw Reid, correspondent for Cincinnati "Gazette," and others pay short visits. Hay, Letters and Diary; Charles A. Dana, Recollections of the Civil War. With the Leaders at Washington and in the Field in the Sixties (New York: Appleton, 1902), 261; Rufus R. Wilson, ed., Intimate Memories of Lincoln (Elmira, NY: Primavera Press, 1942), 577-78.

"I have the honor to resign my commission as a Major General in the Army of the U.S.A., with the request that it may be accepted to take effect today. I am, sir, very respectfully, George B. McClellan." DNA—WR RG 94, Adjt. Gen. Off., Letters Received, M1250 (CB) 1864.

Lincoln writes managing committee of Sailors' Fair in Boston: "Allow me to wish you a great success. . . . To all, from Rear Admiral, to honest Jack I tender the Nation's admiration and gratitude." Abraham Lincoln to the Managing Committee of the Sailors' Fair, 8 November 1864, CW, 8:95.

Informs Sec. Seward at Auburn, N.Y.: "News from Grant, Sherman, Thomas and Rosecrans, satisfactory, but not important. Pirate Florida captured by the Wauchusetts [U.S.S. "Wachusett"] Oct. 7th. on coast of Brazil. The information is certain." Abraham Lincoln to William H. Seward, 8 November 1864, CW, 8:97.

At 10 A.M., before an informal gathering in White House, President receives gift of elkhorn chair from its maker, Seth Kinman, California hunter. Clinton Lloyd of Pennsylvania makes presentation speech to which Lincoln replies briefly. Evening Star (Washington, DC), 26 November 1864, 2d ed., 2:4; Washington Chronicle, 27 November 1864.

President consults with Sec. Stanton in morning about sending Gen. Banks to New Orleans. [They concluded that he should go; but Banks remained in Washington four months longer.] Abraham Lincoln to Nathaniel P. Banks, 26 November 1864, CW, 8:121.

Interviews Banks at 7 P.M. by appointment. Abraham Lincoln to Nathaniel P. Banks, 2 December 1864, CW, 8:131.

Offers Judge Adv. Gen. Holt post of attorney general. Holt to Lincoln, 30 November 1864, Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Sec. Welles calls on President and presents abstract for Annual Message. Welles, Diary.

President continues to receive many appropriate gifts of Thanksgiving Day season. November 1864, Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

President interviews Judge Samuel M. Breckinridge of St. Louis regarding case of Capt. John B. Castleman, Confederate prisoner charged with spying and released without trial on condition that he leave U.S. Abraham Lincoln to Alvin P. Hovey, 29 November 1864, CW, 8:123; Jonathan T. Dorris, Pardon and Amnesty under Lincoln and Johnson: The Restoration of the Confederates to their Rights and Privileges, 1861-1898 (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1953), 83-84.

Addresses identical letters to nine governors: "May I renew my request for the exact aggregate vote of your State cast at the late election? My object fails if I do not receive it before Congress meets." Abraham Lincoln to William M. Stone and Others, 29 November 1864, CW, 8:124.

John W. Tatum, Delaware, and Joseph Tatum, New Jersey, members of Society of Friends, call on President in interest of three Friends confined among Confederate prisoners at Point Lookout, Md. Endorsement Concerning John W. and Joseph Tatum, 30 November 1864, CW, 8:124-25.

Lincoln consults with Judge Advocate General Joseph Holt regarding position of attorney general. Holt declines office and recommends James Speed. Joseph Holt to Abraham Lincoln, 1 December 1864, Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Daily National Republican (Washington, DC), 2 December 1864, 2d ed., 2:1.

Recognizes Nicola Nicolas as vice consul of Italy at Louisville, Ky. Washington Chronicle, 2 December 1864.

Confers with Atty. Gen. Bates, who asks release of Dr. Richard G. Wharton from Vicksburg, Miss., prison. Bates to Lincoln, 2 December 1864, Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

John Nicolay returns to his post after recovering from serious illness. Evening Star (Washington, DC), 1 December 1864, 2d ed., 2:1.