to
interfere in any way in the matter of canvassing or counting electoral
votes, and he also disclaims that by signing said resolution he has
expressed any opinion on the recitals of the preamble or any judgment of
his own upon the subject of the resolution.

A. LINCOLN.

TELEGRAM TO GENERAL U. S. GRANT. EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, February
8, 1865

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL GRANT, City Point. Va.:

I am called on by the House of Representatives to give an account of my
interview with Messrs. Stephens, Hunter, and Campbell, and it is very
desirable to me to put your despatch of February 1, to the Secretary of
War, in which, among other things, you say: "I fear now their going
back without any expression from any one in authority will have a bad
influence." I think the despatch does you credit, while I do not see that
it can embarrass you. May I use it?

A. LINCOLN.

RESULT OF THE ELECTORAL COUNT

REPLY TO A COMMITTEE OF CONGRESS, REPORTING THE RESULT OF THE ELECTORAL
COUNT,

FEBRUARY 9, 1865.

With deep gratitude to my countrymen for this mark of their confidence;
with a distrust of my own ability to perform the duty required under
the most favorable circumstances, and now rendered doubly difficult by
existing national perils; yet with a firm reliance on the strength of
our free government, and the eventual loyalty of the people to the just
principles upon which it is founded, and above all with an unshaken
faith in the Supreme Ruler of nations, I accept this trust. Be pleased to
signify this to the respective Houses of Congress.

CHRONOLOGIC REVIEW OF PEACE PROPOSALS

MESSAGE TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, February 10, 1865

TO THE HONORABLE THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

In response to your resolution of the eighth instant, requesting
information in relation to a conference recently held in Hampton Roads,
I have the honor to state that on the day of the date I gave Francis P.
Blair, Sr., a card, written on as follows, to wit:

December 28, 1864.

Allow the bearer, F. P. Blair, Sr., to pass our lines, go South, and
return.

A. LINCOLN.

That at the time I was informed that Mr. Blair sought the card as a means
of getting to Richmond, Va., but he was given no authority to speak or act
for the Government, nor was I informed of anything he would say or do on
his own account or otherwise. Afterwards Mr. Blair told me that he had
been to Richmond and had s