Little business is transacted and after listening to obituary on Chester Ashley, deceased senator from Arkansas, House adjourns. Lincoln is present.Globe; Journal.

Lincoln requests that 300 copies of speech by William Watson Wick of Indiana be sent to folding room for him.Abraham Lincoln to John T. Towers, 3 May 1848, CW, 1:468.

Lincoln participates in debate on proposal to pay regiment of Texas volunteers for horses lost during campaign. Volunteers are not allowed compensation for lost horses, and he opposes preferential treatment for Texas regiment. He votes against motion to refer bill to raise ten additional regular regiments to Committee of Whole. Motion is defeated.Globe; Remarks in United States House of Representatives Concerning Payment of Texas Volunteers, 4 May 1848, CW, 1:468-69.

Lincoln attends House. Day is devoted to private calendar.Journal.

Lincoln votes aye on motion to go into Committee of Whole, where House debates and passes bounty lands bill. There is no roll call on passage.Globe.

House passes bill admitting Wisconsin to Union. Lincoln moves to reconsider and speaks against policy of granting alternate sections of land to states to aid in internal improvements and then increasing price of reserved sections. He favors appropriations of land with or without enhancement, but thinks it better not to raise price. "Having accomplished the object for which he rose, he withdrew his motion to reconsider."Globe; Remarks in United States House of Representatives Concerning Admission of Wisconsin into the Union, 11 May 1848, CW, 1:469-71.

House takes up private calendar. "The first bill . . . was . . . for settling the claim of the legal representatives of Richard W. Meade, deceased. The debate was resumed by Mr. Woodward . . . and was continued by Messrs. Lincoln, McLane, and Marvin, each of whom were frequently interrupted in their remarks for explanations." Bill is finally tabled.Globe.

House passes bill amending charter of Washington. Lincoln votes to reconsider, but motion is tabled.Globe.

Lincoln is not listed among absentees when roll is called to determine quorum in Committee of Whole.Journal.

Lincoln attends House. Consideration of Post Office appropriations bill develops into debate on Congress' power over slavery in territories.Journal; Globe.

Lincoln is not listed among absentees on quorum roll call as House goes into Committee of Whole.Globe.

The House takes up private calendar. Lincoln votes aye on bill granting $280 to legal representatives of Cornelius Manning, deceased, for slave carried away by British fleet in 1814. It passes, 125-28, abolitionists opposing it.Globe.

Lincoln votes aye on bill to purchase papers of James Madison. It passes 82-59.Journal.

In evening he receives copy of Belleville (Illinois) Advocate, containing what he considers "laboured justification of the administration on the origin of the Mexican war," by Rev. J. M. Peck. He assumes that Peck sent it.Abraham Lincoln to John M. Peck, 21 May 1848, CW, 1:472-73.

Lincoln writes to Peck in attempt to refute his argument. If Peck will admit facts, Lincoln will "be obliged for a reference to any law of language, law of states, law of nations, law of morals, law of religion,—any law human or divine, in which an authority can be found for saying those facts constitute `no aggression.'"Abraham Lincoln to John M. Peck, 21 May 1848, CW, 1:472-73.

He also writes to Mrs. Lincoln. This is not extant, but referred to in his letter of 24th.

After reading "Journal," House adjourns until May 25, 1848 to permit laying carpets.Globe.

[Democratic National Convention meets in Baltimore.]

["A remarkably quiet day," records Polk in his Diary. ". . . Congress having adjourned over until Thursday, almost all the members, I learn, have gone to Baltimore to attend the Democratic national convention."]

From Washington, D. C., Congressman Lincoln writes to his wife Mary Lincoln, and explains, "Enclosed is the draft as I promised you in my letter of sunday. It is drawn in favor of your father, and I doubt not, he will give you the money for it at once. I write this letter in the post-office, surrounded by men and noise, which, together with the fact that there is nothing new, makes me write so short a letter." Abraham Lincoln to Mary Todd Lincoln, 24 May 1848, CW, 1:473-74.

Lincoln is present as House convenes. Journal.

"At the hour of meeting scarcely a quorum attended in either House," records Polk. ". . . The members are still absent at Baltimore. . . . About two o'clock P.M. a telegraphic despatch was received announcing that Lewis Cass of Michigan had, on the fourth ballot, been nominated . . . as the candidate of the Democratic party for President of the United States."Diary.

Lincoln writes Silas Noble, constituent, who wants documents for campaign ammunition. Abraham Lincoln to Silas Noble, 25 May 1848, CW, 1:474.

[Lincoln's name does not appear on roll call.Globe.]

Tuck of New Hampshire asks House to consent to introduction of resolution directing committees to which petitions for abolition of slave trade have been referred to report bill. Antislavery men vote for suspension of rules, but Southern representatives, with Northern Whigs, Lincoln among them, defeat motion to suspend.Globe.

House passes Post Office appropriations bill. Lincoln moves previous question on adoption of amendment, votes on several roll calls on amendments and for passage of bill. Debate on administration's Mexican policy follows.Journal; Globe.

Lincoln receives letter from Rev. Henry Slicer inquiring why he was not invited to participate in John Quincy Adams' funeral services.Abraham Lincoln to Henry Slicer, 1 June 1848, CW, 1:474-75.

Lincoln attends session of House, where Committee on Public Expenditures presents review of annual report of secretary of treasury.Journal; Globe.