Annotation
[1] ALS, owned by Richard F. Lufkin, Boston, Massachusetts. Welles' Diary records the meeting on February 19 as discussing the expediency of an extrasession of the Senate, which Chase favored and Seward opposed and the others expressed ``no very decided opinion.'' The proclamation convening the Senate on March 4 was issued on February 28, infra. Welles also mentions discussion of whether the president should accept an invitation to preside at a religious meeting on Sunday evening, February 22. ``Chase favored it. All the others opposed it but Usher, who had a lingering, hesitating, half-favorable inclination to favor it. . . .'' Concerning this meeting see Lincoln's letter to Alexander Reed, February 22, infra. Bates' Diary mentions an additional discussion of ``brevetting the meritorious regular officers, among whom promotion is so slow. . . .''