"The President was able this morning to be in his office and attend to business." Evening Star (Washington, DC), 15 December 1863, 2d ed., 2:1.

Interviews Dr. Thomas Cottman of Louisiana relative to reestablishment of state government. Abraham Lincoln to Thomas Cottman, 15 December 1863, CW, 7:66-67.

Lays before Senate six Indian treaties. Abraham Lincoln to the Senate, [15] December 1863, CW, 7:68; Abraham Lincoln to the Senate, [15] December 1863, CW, 7:68; Abraham Lincoln to the Senate, [15] December 1863, CW, 7:69; Abraham Lincoln to the Senate, [15] December 1863, CW, 7:69; Abraham Lincoln to the Senate, [15] December 1863, CW, 7:69-70; Abraham Lincoln to the Senate, [15] December 1863, CW, 7:70.

Attends cabinet meeting. Welles, Diary.

Capt. Champlin returns to ask Lincoln to discharge penalty adjudged against him by courtmartial. Ramsey to Lincoln, 15 December 1863, Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Lincoln explains to Judge Ogden Hoffman, of San Francisco, that "oath in the proclamation of Dec. 8th is intended for those who may voluntarily take it, and not for those who may be constrained to take it, in order to escape actual imprisonment." Abraham Lincoln to Ogden Hoffman, 15 December 1863, CW, 7:67-68.

Attends Ford's Theatre, accompanied by John Nicolay, John Hay, and Leonard Swett, to see James H. Hackett play Falstaff in Shakespeare's Henry IV. Criticizes Hackett's reading of a passage. Hay, Letters and Diary.

Writes Mother Mary Gonzaga, Superior, Academy of Visitation, Keokuk, Iowa: "The President has no authority as to whether you may raffle for the benevolent object you mention. If there is no objection in the Iowa laws, there is none here." Abraham Lincoln to Mother Mary Gonzaga, 15 December 1863, CW, 7:67.

Transmits to Senate "certain information touching persons in the service of this Government." Abraham Lincoln to the Senate, 15 December 1863, CW, 7:70.