Chester Butler to Robert E. Horner, 7 December 18471
Washington Decr 7. 1847R. E. Horner Esq[Esquire]Dr SirThe bearer Mr Raub has been employed under your predecessor, as a labourer and wishes to retain his situation. I w[as] acquainted with his father who formerly resided in my District, but is now dead
leaving his widow dependent upon this sonMr R. is a worthy young man and has been I am informed very obliging and attentive in
the discharge of his duties. If you can with propriety, you would oblige me by retaining
him in his present position
Very respectfullyYours &Chester Butler
[ endorsement
]
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Farrrelly, John W.Ingersoll, Joseph R.Brady, Jasper E.Pollock, James (PA)Dickey, John (US Representative)Stewart, AndrewEckert, George N.Freedley, JohnStrohm, JohnIrvin, AlexanderBlanchard, John
The undersigned concur in the above request2
| J. W. Farrelly | J R Ingersoll |
| J. E. Brady | Jas Pollock |
| John Dickey | A. Stewart |
| Geo. N. Eckert | John Freedley |
| John Strohm | |
| Alexander Irvin | |
| John Blanchard |
[ endorsement
]
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I fully concur in this request– as I have long known Mr Raub to a most faithful and honest officer.
D. M. Barringer3[ endorsement
]
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Smith, Caleb B.Donnell, Richard S.Barrow, WashingtonRockwell, John A. (Congressman)Dunn, George G.Stephens, Alexander H.Marsh, George P.Hale, ArtemasSmith, TrumanHilliard, Henry W.Dixon, JamesCocke, William M.Thompson, JamesLincoln, Abraham (President)Hubbard, Samuel D.Taylor, John L.Crozier, John H.Black, James A.King, Daniel P.Hampton, James G.Fisher, DavidNes, HenryGiddings, Joshua R.Schenck, Robert C.Canby, Richard S.Houston, John W.Vinton, Samuel F.Morehead, Charles S.Hampton, MosesTweedy, John H.Crowell, JohnThibodeaux, Bannon G.Evans, NathanChapman, John G.Thompson, Richard W.Outlaw, DavidAbbott, AmosWhite, Hugh
The Undersigned Concur in the above request–4
| Caleb B Smith | R Donnell |
| Washington Barrow | John A. Rockwell |
| Geo. G. Dunn | I should be pleased to see the applicant retained Alex H Stephens |
| Geo P Marsh | |
| Artemas Hale | |
| Truman Smith | |
| Henry W Hilliard | Do.[Ditto] James Dixon |
| Wm M. Cocke | James Thompson |
| I concur, on the faith of what the above named gentlemen have said A. Lincoln |
S D Hubbard |
| J. L. Taylor. | |
| Jno. H. Crozier | James A Black |
| J. G. Hampton | Danl P King |
| David Fisher | |
| Henry Nes | J R Giddings |
| Robt C. Schenck | R. S. Canby |
| John W. Houston | Saml F Vinton |
| C S Morehead | M. Hampton |
| J. H. Tweedy | John Crowell |
| Bannon G Thibodaux | N. Evans |
| J G Chapman | R W Thompson |
| Dav. Outlaw | Amos Abbott |
| H. White |
<Page 2>
[ docketing
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John Raub for Laborer
Rec.[Recommended] by J. R Ingersoll Chester Butler Jas Pollok and 8 others,
Rec.[Recommended] by J. R Ingersoll Chester Butler Jas Pollok and 8 others,
1Chester P. Butler wrote and signed the letter. Roy P. Basler, editor of The Collected
Works of Abraham Lincoln, found the original in the Oliver R. Barrett Collection.
The first page was found at the Keya Gallery in 2010. The second page has not been
located.
Roy P. Basler, ed., The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln (New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1953), 1:417.
4Caleb B. Smith wrote this text and signed his name. Abraham Lincoln and Alexander
H. Stephens wrote and signed their respective endorsements. The remainder of the
signatories signed their own names.
5Raub did not retain his job as laborer, but he died become a messenger to the doorkeeper
of the House of Representatives.
H.R. Misc. Doc. No. 4, 30th Cong., 2nd Sess. (1848); H.R. Misc. Doc. No. 5, 31st Cong.,
2nd Sess. (1851).
First page, Autograph Letter Signed, 1 page(s), Private Collection; Second page, Copy of Autograph Document, 1 page(s), Abraham Lincoln Association Files, Lincoln Collection, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (Springfield, IL).