The Public Record
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. A member of the Republican Party, he is best known for leading the nation through the Civil War and for his efforts to abolish slavery, notably through the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. Lincoln's leadership during this tumultuous period helped to preserve the Union and set the stage for the eventual passage of the Thirteenth Amendment, which formally abolished slavery in the United States.
In compliance with the resolution of the Senate of the 13th ultimo, requesting information upon the present condition of Mexico and the case of the French war transport steamer Rhine, I transmit a report from the Secretary of State and the…
He could not but congratulate all present, himself, the country and the whole world upon this great moral victory.
He thought this measure was a very fitting if not an indispensable adjunct to the winding up of the great difficulty.
He wished the reunion of all the States perfected and so effected as to remove all causes of disturbance in the future;
But that proclamation falls far short of what the amendment will be when fully consummated.
But there is a task yet before us---to go forward and consummate by the votes of the States that which Congress so nobly began yesterday.
I transmit herewith a communication from the Secretary of War, covering papers bearing on the arrest and imprisonment of Colonel Richard T. Jacobs, lieutenant-governor of the State of Kentucky, and Colonel Frank Wolford, one of the…
Please read and answer this letter as though I was not President, but only a friend.
Ordered, That no clearances for the exportation of hay from the United States be granted until further orders, unless the same shall have been placed on shipboard before the publication hereof.
I herewith lay before the Senate, for its constitutional action thereon, a treaty concluded at the Isabella Indian Reservation, in the State of Michigan, on the 18th day of October, 1864, between H. J. Alvord, special commissioner, and…
I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States of America, in accordance with the recommendation of the Secretary of the Treasury, do hereby declare and proclaim that the port of St. Albans, in the State of Vermont, is and shall be…
In compliance with the resolution of the Senate of the 15th ultimo requesting information concerning an arrangement limiting the naval armament on the Lakes, I transmit a report of this date from the Secretary of State, to whom the…
I transmit herewith the letter of the Secretary of War, with accompanying report of the Adjutant-General, in reply to the resolution of the House of Representatives dated December 7, 1864.
I transmit to Congress a copy of two treaties between the United States and Belgium, for the extinguishment of the Scheldt dues, etc., concluded on the twentieth of May, 1863, and twentieth of July, 1863, respectively, the ratifications of…
I recommend an appropriation to carry into effect the provisions thereof relative to the payment of the proportion of the United States toward the capitalization of the said dues.
My reason for so doing is that I am informed that this joint resolution was prepared during the last moments of the last session of Congress for the purpose of correcting certain errors of reference in the internal-revenue act which were…
Since the adjournment of the last session of Congress other errors of a kind similar to those which this resolution was designed to correct have been discovered in the law, and it is now thought most expedient to include all the necessary…
The attention of the proper committee of the House has, I am informed, been already directed to the preparation of a bill for this purpose.
In order to supply the aforesaid deficiency and to provide for casualties in the military and naval service of the United States, do issue this my call for three hundred thousand (300,000) volunteers to serve for one, two, or three years.
In case the quota or any part thereof of any town, township, ward of a city, precinct, or election district, or of any county not so subdivided, shall not be filled before the 15th day of February, 1865, then a draft shall be made to fill…
It is expected, however, that no immigrant passenger coming in manner aforesaid will be obstructed, or any other persons who may set out on their way hither before intelligence of this regulation could reasonably be expected to reach the…
Its observance will be strictly enforced by all officers, civil, military, and naval in the service of the United States, and the State and municipal authorities are requested to aid in its execution.
To the Senate of the United States: I transmit to the Senate, for consideration with a view to ratification, a treaty of friendship, commerce, and navigation between the United States of America and the Republic of Honduras, signed by…
The Secretary of War shall assign to the said commissioners such aid and assistance as may be required for the performance of their duties, and make such just and reasonable allowances and compensation for the said commissioners and for…
Politicians like Abraham Lincoln
