The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1866-06-05
LETTER FROM sPEAkER ooLFAx
Housk or REPRESENTATIVES, I
wAsHiSoroS, June 4, 1886. !

wAsnisoros, June 4, 1890
Editors QrtAs National RepubIicaa:
Returning to Washington from West Point,
find the following In your leading editorial Of last
Saturday:
"At the termination Of the military career Of the
insurreotion Congress was not In session. No one
suggested its convention, no public demand was
made for an extraordinary assemblage of Congress,
and the Speaker Of the House started on inter.
esting trans-oontinental journey, without either
suggesting q call Of the body Of which he was n
presiding ofhcer or contemplating the asandon-
ment Of his pleasure trip Events have since proved
that Il can be regarded Of the merces Of BOD
that q Congress which has been utterly incompe-
tent 10 finish up the work Of restoration did not
have the chance to mar and mismanage Its COM
mencement."
supposing that I AN the person referred to, you
will suffer me to correct . few mistakes In the
above.
]. I was not Speaker at all when made my Fin
tsresting trans-eontinental journey my term hay-
ing expired with the termination .of the Thirty
eighth Congress, March 4, 1855.
2. I had SEINE expectation Of a re-elsction when
the Thirty ninth Congress should convenei and
came to Warrington on the 14th Of April, the
morning Of the very day President LINCOLN was
murdered, To consult with him to extra
session.
g. did suggest the necessity fer an extra sss-
don, in the summer, to President LINCOLN, and
he replied that he should put It of long pos.
sibls From an allusion to Kentucky not eleeting
Congressman till August, inferred that It would
mot DO convened till the close Of the summer.
4. He urged me to make the overland trip had
contemplated, and gave me message to the miners,
which he wished me TO deliver; and he added that
n he should give sixty DAYS notice Of an extra
session, II he convened one, would have ample
time TO return. He also stated that he would tele
graph me at San Francisco In June what his con
illusions them and II will be remembered wher
he babe me Goodbye" on that fatal night, rs h,
parted from Mr.. AsHMUE and myself, at the door Of
the White House, he added, having evidently in
mind his promise Of the morning, "I'n telegraph
you at San Francisco"
B, A short time after Mr. LINCoLs's death, Ger
tainiy within one or two days, l had an Interview
with President JoHSsOS In the pArlOr Of the Kirk
wood House. In which, amongst other TOPICS the
possibility Of extra session was suggested by
He ropliod at once that hs had had no time, witt
his sudden and unexpected incumbsncy Of the RI
seutiye once, to think Of that question, and cOul
not then make any decision upon 1t. felt III
weight Of his remark, and did not attempt to argu
the question; and after stating to him whore Nj
LIHooLN's correspondence relative to the a
ssmblins Of tho Virginia rebel Legislature had bee
placed by him, which no had read to me the morn
ing Of the day of his death, and which, up to this
time, had not been found, lsft and did not 90
him again till last November,
o. Convinced, As 1 was, that an extra sessio
would bs found necessary BY the fall, fnot earlier
/ sailsd on the Secretary of War, and he promise
m ma hana nhahla H. Al
send no three disPstchss during my journey, 1