THE present volume contains the state papers of President Lincoln which are not specifically addressed to an individual person in his proper name. Papers so addressed will be found in Letters, Volumes VII, VIII, and IX of the present edition, entered under the names of the addressees, which are arranged in alphabetical order.
State papers relating to military and civil appointments, public congratulations, etc., will be found in LETTERS, listed under the names of the persons to whom they specifically refer.
Documents issued by members of the Cabinet or other officials are included among the state papers when they convey the President's instructions or express his opinions.
A number of state papers have been excluded from the present edition because their subjectmatter is of no historical importance, their style does not express Lincoln's personality, and even the fact of their existence gives no indication of executive ability beyond the perfunctory performance of routine duties. Such are messages to Congress transmitting documents which had been requested by that body, executive action, as required by the constitution, on acts of Congress, official endorsements of the reports and findings of commissions, etc., in whose labors the President had no part, formal receptions of foreign ministers, etc. In certain instances where