Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Volume 4 [Mar. 5, 1860-Oct. 24, 1861].

To Salmon P. Chase1Jump to section

Executive Mansion, May 8, 1861.

My dear Sir: I am told there is an office in your department called ``The Superintending Architect of the Treasury Department, connected with the Bureau of Construction,'' which is now held by a man of the name of Young,2Jump to section and wanted by a gentleman of the name of Christopher Adams.

Ought Mr. Young to be removed, and if yea, ought Mr. Adams to be appointed? Mr. Adams is magnificently recommended; but the great point in his favor is that Thurlow Weed and Horace Greeley join in recommending him. I suppose the like never happened before, and never will again; so that it is now or never. What say you? Yours truly, A. LINCOLN.

Annotation

[1]   NH, VI, 268-69. ALS, RPB. Lincoln's endorsement on envelope reads ``Christopher Adams, of/N.Y. for/Bureau of Construction.'' A scrap of envelope endorsed, not in Lincoln's hand, ``Christopher Adams./Architect & Builder / of New York. Bureau of Construction'' and bearing on the verso, Lincoln's endorsement ``Recommended

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by both/Weed & Greely'' is in the Lincoln Papers, but the letters of Greeley and Weed are not.

[2]   Ammi B. Young, supervising architect, still held the office as of September 30, 1861.

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