Remarks in United States House of Representatives Concerning Postal Contracts1Jump to section
Mr. LINCOLN said that he had made an effort some few days since to obtain the floor in relation to this measure2Jump to section, but had failed. One of the objects he had then had in view was now in a great measure superseded by what had fallen from the gentleman from Virginia3Jump to section who had just taken his seat. He begged to assure his friends on the other side of the House, that no assault whatever was meant upon the Postmaster General; and he was glad that what the gentleman had now said, modified to a great extent the impression which might have been created by the language he had used on a previous occasion. He wanted to state to gentlemen who might have entertained such impressions, that the Committee on the Post Office was composed of five Whigs and four Democrats, and their report was understood as sustaining, not impugning, the position taken by the Postmaster General. That report had met with the approbation of all the Whigs and of all the Democrats also, with the exception of one, and he wanted to go even further than this. [Intimations were here informally given to Mr. L. that it was not in order to mention on the floor what had taken place in committee.] He than observed that if he had been out of order in what he had said, he took it all back, [a laugh,] so far as he could. He had no desire, he could assure gentlemen, ever to be out of order---though he never could keep long in order.