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The committee； conceiving that in this report all the
difficulties of the subject have been fully and fairly stated；
and that these difficulties have been obviated by the plan
proposed in the accompanying bill； and believing that the measure
will satisfactorily meet the wants and wishes of a very large
portion of the community； beg leave to recommend its adoption。
REPORT IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES；
MARCH 9； 1848。
Mr。 Lincoln； from the Committee on the Postoffice and Post Roads；
made the following report：
The Committee on the Post…office and Post Roads； to whom was
referred the petition of H。 M。 Barney； postmaster at Brimfield；
Peoria County； Illinois； report： That they have been satisfied by
evidence； that on the 15th of December； 1847； said petitioner had
his store； with some fifteen hundred dollars' worth of goods；
together with all the papers of the post…office； entirely
destroyed by fire； and that the specie funds of the office were
melted down； partially lost and partially destroyed； that this
large individual loss entirely precludes the idea of
embezzlement； that the balances due the department of former
quarters had been only about twenty…five dollars； and that owing
to the destruction of papers； the exact amount due for the
quarter ending December 31； 1847； cannot be ascertained。 They
therefore report a joint resolution； releasing said petitioner
from paying anything for the quarter last mentioned。
REMARKS IN THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES；
MARCH 29； 1848。
The bill for raising additional military force for limited time；
etc。； was reported from Committee on judiciary； similar bills had
been reported from Committee on； Public Lands and Military
Committee。
Mr。 Lincoln said if there was a general desire on the part of the
House to pass the bill now he should be glad to have it done
concurring； as he did generally； with the gentleman from Arkansas
＇Mr。 Johnson＇ that the postponement might jeopard the safety of
the proposition。 If； however； a reference was to be made； he
wished to make a very few remarks in relation to the several
subjects desired by the gentlemen to be embraced in amendments to
the ninth section of the act of the last session of Congress。
The first amendment desired by members of this House had for its
only object to give bounty lands to such persons as had served
for a time as privates； but had never been discharged as such；
because promoted to office。 That subject； and no other； was
embraced in this bill。 There were some others who desired； while
they were legislating on this subject； that they should also give
bounty lands to the volunteers of the War of 1812。 His friend
from Maryland said there were no such men。 He ＇Mr。 L。＇ did not
say there were many； but he was very confident there were some。
His friend from Kentucky near him； ＇Mr。 Gaines＇ told him he
himself was one。
There was still another proposition touching this matter； that
was； that persons entitled to bounty lands should by law be
entitled to locate these lands in parcels； and not be required to
locate them in one body； as was provided by the existing law。
Now he had carefully drawn up a bill embracing these three
separate propositions； which he intended to propose as a
substitute for all these bills in the House； or in Committee of
the Whole on the State of the Union； at some suitable time。 If
there was a disposition on the part of the House to act at once
on this separate proposition； he repeated that； with the
gentlemen from Arkansas； he should prefer it lest they should
lose all。 But if there was to be a reference； he desired to
introduce his bill embracing the three propositions； thus
enabling the committee and the House to act at the same time；
whether favorably or unfavorably； upon all。 He inquired whether
an amendment was now in order。
The Speaker replied in the negative。
TO ARCHIBALD WILLIAMS。
WASHINGTON； April 30； 1848。
DEAR WILLIAMS：I have not seen in the papers any evidence of a
movement to send a delegate from your circuit to the June
convention。 I wish to say that I think it all…important that a
delegate should be sent。 Mr。 Clay's chance for an election is
just no chance at all。 He might get New York； and that would
have elected in 1844； but it will not now； because he must now；
at the least； lose Tennessee； which he had then； and in addition
the fifteen new votes of Florida； Texas； Iowa； and Wisconsin。 I
know our good friend Browning is a great admirer of Mr。 Clay； and
I therefore fear he is favoring his nomination。 If he is； ask
him to discard feeling； and try if he can possibly； as a matter
of judgment； count the votes necessary to elect him。
In my judgment we can elect nobody but General Taylor； and we
cannot elect him without a nomination。 Therefore don't fail to
send a delegate。 Your friend as ever；
A。 LINCOLN。
REMARKS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES；
MAY 11； 1848。
A bill for the admission of Wisconsin into the Union had been
passed。
Mr。 Lincoln moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was
passed。 He stated to the House that he had made this motion for
the purpose of obtaining an opportunity to say a few words in
relation to a point raised in the course of the debate on this
bill； which he would now proceed to make if in order。 The point
in the case to which he referred arose on the amendment that was
submitted by the gentleman from Vermont ＇Mr。 Collamer＇ in
Committee of the Whole on the State of the Union； and which was
afterward renewed in the House； in relation to the question
whether the reserved sections； which； by some bills heretofore
passed； by which an appropriation of land had been made to
Wisconsin； had been enhanced in value； should be reduced to the
minimum price of the public lands。 The question of the reduction
in value of those sections was to him at this time a matter very
nearly of indifference。 He was inclined to desire that Wisconsin
should be obliged by having it reduced。 But the gentleman from
Indiana ＇Mr。 C。 B。 Smith＇； the chairman of the Committee on
Territories； yesterday associated that question with the general
question； which is now to some extent agitated in Congress； of
making appropriations of alternate sections of land to aid the
States in making internal improvements； and enhancing the price
of the sections reserved； and the gentleman from Indiana took
ground against that policy。 He did not make any special argument
in favor of Wisconsin； but he took ground generally against the
policy of giving alternate sections of land； and enhancing the
price of the reserved sections。 Now he ＇Mr。 Lincoln＇ did not at
this time take the floor for the purpose of attempting to make an
argument on the general subject。 He rose simply to protest
against the doctrine which the gentleman from Ind