Lincoln writes for Lewis E. Reed and John Armstrong promissory note to Charles Houghton, which J. E. Vance attests.Photocopy.

Lincoln and other candidates for legislature probably attend celebration of Fourth of July. Moses K. Anderson, candidate for Senate, and Richard M. Quinton, candidate for House, are only two speakers mentioned in Sangamo Journal. Sangamo Journal (Springfield, IL), 9 July 1836.

A short session of court is held in the morning before a ceremony for the laying of the state house cornerstone. The court appoints Lincoln guardian ad litem for the infant heirs of Shadrach J. Campbell, defendants in Weden v. Campbell et al.. Lincoln represented Lucinda Mason and Noah Mason Jr., complainants in two chancery cases, Mason v. Mason et al. and Mason v. Mason et al.. On Lincoln's motion, the court orders the clerk to issue alias subpoenas in both cases.Record.

[Meeting is called for today in Springfield of all persons interested in division of Sangamon County. Lincoln probably attends.Sangamo Journal, 23 June 1838.]

Fourth of July parade, of which Lincoln is assistant marshal, ends at state house where James C. Conkling delivers oration. Globe Tavern accommodates 100 at noonday dinner. Toasts are given by Dr. E. H. Merryman, Simeon Francis, Dr. F. A. McNeil, Milton Hay, E. D. Baker, and others.Sangamo Journal, 12 July 1839.

Writing to Speed, Lincoln thanks him for his advice about his love affair with Mary Todd , which has been troubling him since January 1, 1841. "I believe," he writes, "God made me one of the instruments of bringing your Fanny and you together, which union, I have no doubt He had fore-ordained. Whatever he designs, he will do for me yet."Abraham Lincoln to Joshua F. Speed, 4 July 1842, CW, 1:288-90.

Lincoln, Iankiewicz, and Purple continue investigation all week.

Fourth of July celebration begins at 3 A.M. with reveille in state house cupola followed by 13 guns. Lincoln delivers oration of day in state house at 2 P.M. Celebration closes with 28 guns at sunset.Register, 4 July 1845.

[Washington Monument cornerstone is laid with ceremony. Executive officials, congressmen, military companies, fire companies, school children, and fraternal organizations march to site, where Robert C. Winthrop delivers oration.National Intelligencer, 6 July 1848; Beveridge, Abraham Lincoln, 1:454-55.]

Lincoln writes to secretary of state hoping that Richard W. Thompson of Indiana may secure diplomatic appointment. Abraham Lincoln to John M. Clayton, 4 July 1849, CW, 2:56.

Lincoln writes to Andrew McCallen: "I have news from Ottawa, that we win our Galatin & Saline county case. As the dutch Justice said, when he married folks 'Now, vere ish my hundred tollars?' " He refers to People ex rel. Stephenson v. Marshall. Abraham Lincoln to Andrew McCallen, 4 July 1851, CW, 2:106.

U.S. Circuit and District Courts convene with Judges McLean and Drummond on bench, and adjourn until tomorrow in observance of Independence Day. Register, 6 July 1853.

Republicans celebrate Fourth with large rally for Fremont and Bissell, candidates for President and governor. Party newspapers estimate crowd at ten thousand. Lincoln, Ebenezer Peck, Joseph Knox, Owen Lovejoy and others speak. Illinois State Journal, 7 July 1856; Speech at Princeton, Illinois, 4 July 1856, CW, 2:346-47.

For many days Lincoln has been listing 1856 election results as guides to campaigning to win legislature. His calculations are completed before July 16, 1858. He concludes that, in House, 17 districts can be ignored as hopeless. "Struggle for the following." He lists 19 districts, with figures, analysis, and recapitulation. In Senate, "we must struggle for" six districts. 1858 Campaign Strategy, [July 1858], CW, 2:476-81.

In the morning, Lincoln attends the July 4 festivities held at Turner's Grove, located one mile outside of Atlanta. Following music, an opening prayer, and a "[r]eading of the Declaration of Independence," Lincoln's friend and fellow Springfield resident, James H. Matheny, delivers a speech. Afterward, Sylvester Strong presents Lincoln with a custom-made cane. In the evening, Lincoln attends an ice cream social at the Congregational Church. A newspaper reports, "Speeches at large were made by Gen. Matheny and Hon. A. Lincoln. Matheny quoted the poets and Lincoln talked about eating. The Fourth of July closed at Atlanta on the morning of the fifth." Lincoln Weekly Herald (IL), 6 July 1859, 2:2; Daily Illinois State Journal (Springfield), 9 July 1859, 2:1; Lawrence B. Stringer, History of Logan County, Illinois (Chicago: Pioneer Publishing, 1911), 226-228.

Republican presidential nominee Lincoln writes to his longtime friend Dr. Anson G. Henry, formerly of Springfield, Illinois, and currently living in Oregon. Lincoln is cautiously optimistic that the Republican Party will win the presidency, especially considering the conflicts within the Democratic Party. He writes, "I think the chances were more than equal that we could have beaten the Democracy united. Divided, as it is, it's chance appears indeed very slim. But great is Democracy in resources; and it may yet give it's fortunes a turn." Lincoln closes with news about his sons Willie and Robert, and writes, "Our boy [Willie] . . . has just had a hard and tedious spell of scarlet-fever; and he is not yet beyond all danger. I have a head-ache, and a sore throat upon me now, inducing me to suspect that I have an inferior type of the same thing. Our eldest boy, Bob, has been away from us nearly a year at school, and will enter Harvard University this month. He promises very well, considering we never controlled him much." Abraham Lincoln to Anson G. Henry, 4 July 1860, CW, 4:81-82.

Lincoln's War Message, communicated to Congress as formal government document, "comprised a history of events, a report of stewardship, a constitutional argument, and an exalted commentary on fundamentals." Randall, Lincoln, 1:381.

President reviews state of Union: As of March 4, 1861, functions of government, except for post office, have been suspended in six seceded states; public revenue has been seized by, and large proportion of Federal rifles sent to, these states; many officers of Army and Navy have resigned, and active forces have been sent to scattered posts; an illegal organization, the Confederate States of America, with openly avowed purpose to sever Federal Union, is invoking aid, recognition, and intervention from foreign powers. Inaugural Address declared government's policy was to prevent destruction of Union, that government would exhaust all peaceful means before using stronger ones, would retain public property not already wrested from it, would collect revenue, and in other matters rely on time, discussion, and ballot box. Attack on Fort Sumter, S.C., the Message continues, was designed to drive out visible authority of Federal Union, and has forced on country distinct issue of dissolution or war. To preserve Union, Executive had no choice but to call out war power to resist force; 75,000 militia have been called out, blockade proclaimed, and writ of habeas corpus suspended. Recommends that Congress place at control of government $400 million and 400,000 men. Doctrine that a state may consistently with Constitution withdraw from Union without consent of Union is sophistry. States have neither more nor less power than that reserved to them by Constitution while in Union. Principle of relations of national power to states rights is no other than principle of relation of generality to locality; whatever concerns whole should be entrusted to whole, and whatever concerns state alone should be left exclusively to state. Principle of secession is one of disintegration. Nation purchased lands now forming state of Florida; if latter secedes and gets free of contributing to cost of land, all states may behave in like fashion. Who, then, would pay nation's debts? Executive, after rebellion has been suppressed, will be guided by Constitution and laws as understood and expressed in Inaugural Address. Regrets that duty of employing war power in defense of government has been forced upon him. Message to Congress in Special Session, 4 July 1861, CW, 4:421-41.

For one hour and forty minutes from pavilion in front of Executive Mansion, President Lincoln, with General Winfield Scott and cabinet, reviews more than 20,000 men of the 23 New York regiments; makes brief remarks from platform both before and after introducing Scott. Remarks at a Review of New York Regiments, 4 July 1861, CW, 4:441-42; National Republican (Washington, DC), 8 July 1861, 3:3-4; Extracts from Meigs Diary, John G. Nicolay Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Escorted to the south front of the Treasury Department building by the Seventy-first New York Volunteers, the President raises a flag on a one-hundred-foot staff. Evening Star (Washington, DC), 5 July 1861, 3:1-2.

Lincoln adds his name to temperance declaration previously signed by ten Presidents from Madison to Buchanan. Edward C. Delavan, noted temperance worker and lecturer, in letter dated July 4, 1861, writes: "President Lincoln has recently returned me, signed, the Presidential Temperance Declaration." Temperance Declaration, [c. 4 July 1861], CW, 4:420.

Lincoln endorses Horatio N. Taft, Jr., to be a page boy "as he is a play-mate of my little boys." Memorandum: Appointment of Horatio N. Taft, Jr., [4 July 1861], CW, 4:441.

General Marcy interviews President and Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton to press General George B. McClellan's plea for reinforcements. Abraham Lincoln to George B. McClellan, 4 July 1862, CW, 5:305-6.

Soldiers of War of 1812 assemble in Post Office Dept. at 11 A.M. and march to White House to pay their respects. Lincoln replies to remarks of Col. William W. Seaton, president of Association of Surviving Soldiers of War of 1812 and editor of Washington Intelligencer. Evening Star (Washington, DC), 5 July 1862, 2d ed., 3:1; N.Y. Tribune, 7 July 1862.

Asks General Henry W. Halleck at Corinth, Miss., to send 10,000 infantry if it can be done without changing any plans. "Some part of the Corinth Army is certainly fighting McClellan in front of Richmond. Prisoners are in our hands from the late Corinth Army." Abraham Lincoln to Henry W. Halleck, 4 July 1862, CW, 5:305.

Meets train of ambulances on road to Soldiers' Home and rides along some distance talking to casualties from peninsular campaign. N.Y. Tribune, 8 July 1862.

At Soldiers' Home in evening reviews recent military actions around Richmond with General Meigs and Henry H. Sibley, former governor of Minnesota. Extracts from Meigs Diary, John G. Nicolay Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

At 10 A.M. President issues press release announcing that "news from the Army of the Potomac, up to 10 P.M. of the 3rd. is such as to cover that Army with the highest honor." Announcement of News From Gettysburg, 4 July 1863, CW, 6:314.

Gen. Haupt rushes from Gettysburg and confers with Lincoln and Gen. Halleck on military matters. Flower, Stanton, 201.

Archimedes C. Dickson, Springfield (Ill.) friend known as "Dick," calls at White House as salesman to interest Lincoln in Absterdam projectile patterned after Dyer's rifle shell, "distinguished chiefly by a cup or sabot of soft metal at the base, which was supposed to expand and take the grooves like a Minié bullet." Bruce, Tools of War, 257-58.

Union League of Philadelphia presents gold medal to President. LL, No. 1188.

In evening Sec. Welles receives dispatch from Alexander H. Stephens, Vice President of Confederate States of America; shows it to President. Welles, Diary.

Mrs. Lincoln assists W. C. Stoddard in preparation of Fourth of July celebration in White House grounds. William O. Stoddard, Inside the White House in War Times (New York: C. L. Webster, 1890), 206-9.

President writes Acting Rear Adm. Samuel P. Lee (USN): "The request of A. H. Stephens is inadmissible. The customary agents and channels are adequate for all needful communication and conference between the United States forces and the insurgents." [In the absence of the original, it is not certain that Lincoln composed or signed this, and that it was prepared on July 4, 1863 may be questioned.] Abraham Lincoln to Samuel P. Lee, 4 July 1863, CW, 6:317.

Writes Gen. Schenck at Baltimore: "Your despatches about negro regiment are not uninteresting or unnoticed by us, but we have not been quite ready to respond. You will have an answer tomorrow." Abraham Lincoln to Robert C. Schenck, 4 July 1863, CW, 6:317.

President records agreement reached with newly appointed Sec. of Treasury William P. Fessenden: "I will keep no person in office in his department, against his express will, so long as I choose to continue him; . . . In Cabinet my view is that in questions affecting the whole country there should be full and frequent consultations." Memorandum of Interview with William P. Fessenden, 4 July 1864, CW, 7:423.

Lincoln works in President's Room at Capitol in morning, signing bills and conferring with members of Congress. Hay, Letters and Diary; Randall, Lincoln, 4:191.

In conference with Sen. Chandler (Mich.), Lincoln doubts legal right of Congress to act on "Wade-Davis Bill." Chandler angrily walks out. President pockets bill. John G. Nicolay and John Hay, Abraham Lincoln: A History, 10 vols. (New York: Century, 1890), 9:120-21.

Congressional committee notifies President of adjournment unless he has further communications. Senate Journal, 752.

Cong. Arnold (Ill.) complains to President that John L. Scripps, postmaster at Chicago and candidate for Congress against him, is influencing votes of postal employees. Lincoln writes Scripps: "My wish therefore is, that you will do just as you think fit with your own suffrage in the case, and not constrain any of your subordinates to other than he thinks fit with his. This is precisely the rule I inculcated and adhered to on my part, when a certain other nomination now recently made, was being canvassed for." Abraham Lincoln to John L. Scripps, 4 July 1864, CW, 7:423-24.