Lincoln, Abraham | President Lincoln works to prevent anti-Union agents from infiltrating the House of Representatives

Lincoln, Abraham

Autograph letter signed ("A. Lincoln") as sixteenth President, to Senator Jacob Collamer of Vermont, expressing his concern about the potential misapplication of a recent congressional act governing the organization of the House of Representatives

One page (330 x 214 mm) on a specially printed bifolium, Executive Mansion, Washington, 30 October 1863; a few separations and reinforcements at folds, including central vertical fold, some tiny chips and repairs at fore-edge margins of horizontal folds, verso of second leaf soiled, remnants of framing hinges.

"There is danger that the above Act of Congress intended to exclude improper Members will be used to exclude proper ones": Lincoln foresees deception in the seating of the House of Representatives.

Rumors had reached President Lincoln that unqualified and anti-Union agents planned to infiltrate the seating of the House of Representatives by exploiting a recently passed "Act to regulate the duties of the Clerk of the House of Representatives in preparing for the organization of the House." So concerned was Lincoln about this plot that he had a special letter-form printed, with the full text of the act, set in type at the top of the first sheet: "Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, before the meeting of the next Congress, and of every subsequent Congress, the Clerk of the next preceding House of Representatives shall make a roll of the representatives elect, and place thereon the names of all persons, and of such persons only, whose credentials show that they were regularly elected in accordance with the laws of their States respectively, or the laws of the United States. Approved March 3, 1863."

Lincoln then used this special stationery to write letters to the Republican leaders of several states, including the present letter to Senator Collamer of Vermont: "There is danger that the above Act of Congress intended to exclude improper Members will be used to exclude proper ones. May I ask that you, Senator [Solomon] Foot, and your Governor [J. Gregory Smith] will study the Act and have Certificates made out in two or three different forms and bring them on with you, to be used if needed? On the other half of this sheet is a form which I have thought might do for one. Let it be done quietly, as publicity might increase the danger. The members themselves seem not to know of it."

On the integral leaf is printed the form that Lincoln suggested might be followed to ensure the security of the certification process. It provides blanks for a list of names and congressional districts to be accomplished and allows for the Governor and Secretary of State of any state to attest that those persons listed "have been regularly elected members of the House of Representatives of the United States for the thirty-eighth Congress, and for the districts abovementioned, in accordance with the laws of the said State and of the United States, and that they only have been so elected." The attestation on the present copy, otherwise unaccomplished, has two minor penciled emendations.

Lincoln sent very similar letters to Senator James W. Grimes of Iowa; his Vice President, Hannibal Hamlin of Maine; Zachariah Chandler, Senator from Michigan; California Governor Frederick F. Low; and Senator William Sprague of Rhode Island. While no response from Collamer (or Sprague) has been located, Lincoln's other correspondents had a range of reactions, as recorded by Basler. Hamlin assured the President of his cooperation. Chandler wrote that his "Governor has directed triplicate certificates to be made out for each of our members of Congress. …" Grimes assured Lincoln that "The Iowa delegation in congress will not fail to be present at the opening of the session & I will see to it that additional & specific credentials be furnished to each member of the House of Rep." Low sought further information: "If I knew the grounds of your apprehensions perhaps I could act more intelligently."

Whether due to Lincoln's special vigilance or not, the House of Representatives for the Thirty-Eighth Congress—whose members included James Garfield, Thaddeus Stevens, and Schuyler Colfax—was seated without incident on 7 December 1863.

REFERENCE

Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, ed. Basler, 6:549–50 (text printed from Week by Week in Springfield, Illinois; the original letter not located)