President calls special meeting of cabinet in morning to consider report from Senate caucus committee. Welles, Diary; Bates, Diary.

Meets Sen. Browning (Ill.) between White House and War Dept. in afternoon and talks briefly. Browning, Diary.

At 7:30 P.M. cabinet, except Sec. Seward, meets jointly with members of Senate Republican caucus committee and discusses reconstruction of cabinet until midnight. Welles, Diary; Bates, Diary.

Postmaster Gen. Blair offers to resign, but President asks him not to cause any more trouble. Fox, Diary, Gist-Blair Family Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Lincoln replies to Gen. Burnside: "Come of course, if in your own judgment it is safe to do so." Abraham Lincoln to Ambrose E. Burnside, 19 December 1862, CW, 6:10.

Orders Gen. Curtis to confer with Gov. Gamble (Mo.) and telegraph decision on question whether quiet can be maintained in all counties north of Missouri River by enrolled militia. Abraham Lincoln to Samuel R. Curtis, 19 December 1862, CW, 6:10-11.