President orders cotton permit for Charles E. Fuller, who has agreement to sell 10,000 bales to government. Cotton Permit for Charles E. Fuller, 3 March 1865, CW, 8:330.

Interviews Sen. William A. Richardson (Ill.) and S. Corning Judd on subject of public interest. Judd to Lincoln, 3 March 1865, Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Approves act establishing bureau for relief of freedmen and refugees. Stat. L., XIII, 507.

Receives House committee with notice of adjournment unless there are further communications. House Journal, 455.

Cabinet meets. Welles, Diary.

Lincoln responds to serenade by delegation of New Yorkers accompanied by Eastman's Business College band of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Response to Serenade, 3 March 1865, CW, 8:331.

Goes to Capitol at night to sign final bills passed by Congress. Evening Star (Washington, DC), 4 March 1865, 2d ed., 2:1.

Cabinet members with President at Capitol. Sec. Welles remains until midnight. Welles, Diary.

Thirty Eighth Congress remains in session until 8 A.M. March 4, 1865. Sec. Stanton interrupts President to confer about letter from Gen. R. E. Lee to Gen. Grant, proposing meeting to end hostilities. Lincoln instructs Stanton to notify Grant that conference can be granted only on basis of Lee's surrender. Stanton to Dix, 22 April 1865, Edwin M. Stanton Papers, Library of Congress, Washington DC; Edwin M. Stanton to Ulysses S. Grant, 3 March 1865, CW, 8:330-31.

At 9 P.M. Mrs. Lincoln is in Diplomatic Gallery. N.Y. Herald, 4 March 1865.

President transmits to Congress report and accompanying papers from secretary of state relating to act to regulate diplomatic and consular systems of U.S. Abraham Lincoln to the Senate and House of Representatives, 3 March 1865, CW, 8:331-32.