Washington Dec 8th 1864
Congress is in Session. The long looked for Message was sent in the next day the 6th and the Reports of the Secretaries have been published. Mr Lincoln does not express any hope for immediate Peace. He says when the Rebels cease fighting the War will cease. “Lay down your Arms” is about all the comfort the rebels get. They will have to submit to the to the total abolition of Slavery. That I think is a foregone conclusion. The Constitution of the U.S. will be amended to that Effect. This or the next Congress will pass the Act submiting the Amendment to the States and three fourths of them are ready to ratify it. There does not seem to be any prospect of Peace till the Rebels are entirely exhausted. They are fighting for Independance and Slavery. They can have neither. We have no news from Sherman yet. At last accounts (from rebel papers) he was approaching the Atlantic coast and it was supposed he would Strike Savannah. Mr Lincoln, in a short speech which he made to the crowd who Seranaded him the other night said in reference to Genl Sherman, “I know where he went in but I cannot tell you where he will come out.” I have been quite lame today. I sprained my left foot last evening going up stairs to my room, rather too fast, two steps at a time. It has troubled me to walk all day. Mr Boice and Mr Vanderburgh from Lyons called upon me this morning with Capt Bourne, and this afternoon Col E P Taft very unexpectedly gave me a call, his leg is nearly healed but he tells me that He has been mustered out of the Service, has come down to settle up his business &c, will stay a week or two.