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Abraham Lincoln to Zachary Taylor, 27 February 18491
House of Representatives
Feb: 27. 1849Gen: Taylor.Dear Sir:
Yesterday you were so kind as to say it would be convenient for you to receive the papers reccommending Col Baker for a cabinet appointment, through the mail— I herewith transmit them in that way, with the request, that my name be considered as added to the recommendation—2
Your Obt Servt[Obedient Servant]A. Lincoln
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Cabinet Appointment
Baker Col.[Colonel]
Recommended 1849.
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entd[entered]
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12/15/1848Petition of Milton D. Browning and others to Zachary TaylorIowa City
December 15 1848To his Excellency Zachary Taylor
The Undersigned members of the General Assembly of the State of Iowa entertaining the hope that one member at least of the Cabinet to be formed at Washington may be taken from the States bordering on the Mississippi River; and feeling under great obligation to our countryman Col. E. D. Baker, for his unparallelled and masterly efforts in our cause and the cause of our country, in the recent canvass in the states of Illinois, Iowa & Wisconsin, desire to express to you our high appreciation of his private & public character and ability as a statesman— and to express to Your Excellency, in advance, our gratification if Col. E. D Baker should be called to so high & responsible a post; and our belief that the appointment would give general satisfaction to the Whigs of the West
With the highest consideration we remain your friends,
(Signed)
M. D BrowningLoring WheelerJno F Sanford
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Evan JayJno P. CookGeo. G. WrightJames SprottFrancis SpringerStewart GoodrellWright WilliamsJ. W. McManamanA H. McCraryA. TimmonsG. D StevensonMark BurroughsW. M. AllisonS. D. WoodworthJ. D BourneH. R. ThompsonNote The foregoing names embrace all the Whig members of the present General Assembly of IowaFrancis Springer
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01/13/1849Petition of Jarvis H. Pike and others to Zachary TaylorMadison Jany 13th 1849To his ExcellencyZachary Taylor
The undersigned members of the General assembly of the State of Wisconsin do most cheerfully unite with the whig members of the states of Illinois & Iowa in Recommending to your favourable consideration Hon E. D. Baker as a member of your cabinet from the north western states—
J H Pike
Paul Crandall
A. Botkin R R Young
George W Lakin R M. Briggs
Henry Merrill Ira W Bird
O. W. Norton
Thomas Sugden J. C. Crawford
E. J. Hazard Anson W. Pope
Joseph Kerr Julius White
L. H. Page Thos J Townsend
A. D. Dick Enoch Chase
1Abraham Lincoln wrote and signed this letter.
2President Zachary Taylor did not offer Edward D. Baker a cabinet position. Like his predecessor James K. Polk, Taylor apportioned his cabinet selections geographically. Thomas Ewing of Ohio represented the “Old Northwest” as secretary of the interior.
Elbert B. Smith, The Presidencies of Zachary Taylor and Millard Fillmore (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1988), 52-55; Paul H. Bergeron, The Presidency of James K. Polk (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1987), 23-24.

Autograph Letter Signed, 5 page(s), RG 59, Entry 760: Appointment Records, Applications and Recommendations for Office, Applications and Recommendations for Public Office, 1797-1901, NACP.