"I believe I shall never be old enough to speak without embarrassment when I have anything [nothing?] to talk about."
"I have no good news to tell you, and yet I have no bad news to tell."
"I solicit your authority to furnish to the Republic a gunboat at moderate cost, to be reimbursed to the United States by installments."
"I will now close by proposing three cheers for Gen. Sherman and the army."
"For myself, I have no doubt of the power and duty of the Executive, under the law of nations, to exclude enemies of the human race from an asylum in the United States."
"We have talked of elections until there is nothing more to say about them."
"It is a source of much satisfaction that the difficulties which for a moment excited some political apprehensions and caused a closing of the interoceanic transit route have been amicably adjusted."
"If Congress should think that proceedings in such cases lack the authority of law, or ought to be further regulated by it, I recommend that provision be made for effectually preventing foreign slave t..."
"I most cordially recommend that Lieutenant William B. Cushing, United States Navy, receive a vote of thanks from Congress for his important, gallant, and perilous achievement in destroying the rebel i..."
"By virtue of the authority contained in the sixth section of the act of 21st April, 1864, which enacts that any officer in the naval service, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, may be a..."
"In conformity to the law of July 16, 1862, I most cordially recommend that Captain John A. Winslow, United States Navy, receive a vote of thanks from Congress for the skill and gallantry exhibited by ..."