Lincoln's Message to
Congress
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
Draft of message to Congress
Holograph manuscript page,
July 4, 1861
Manuscript Division
Gift of Robert Lincoln, ca. 1923 (46B.3)
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Both the president and a new Congress had been
elected in November 1860. Lincoln was inaugurated on March 4,
1861. As was traditional, the Congress was not scheduled to meet
until December. After the Civil War broke out in April, President
Lincoln conducted the war for three months without congressional
aid. He soon recognized that this was to be no short war, and
that he needed congressional advice and support. Therefore, Lincoln
called Congress into special session and delivered this statement
on how he had thus far conducted the war.
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