OTD IN 1865 Abraham Lincoln began his morning with a breakfast of 1 egg & cup of coffee with his wife Mary & sons Robert 21 & Tad, 12. After, as he read the AM papers, Mary told him she had tickets to Grover's Theatre, but she'd prefer to see Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre
By 9:30 AM he greeted his first visitor of the day Speaker of the House Schuyler Colfax where they discussed the future policy should be toward the Southern states. Colfax expressed a concern that Lincoln would proceed with reconstruction without legislative branch consultation.
While the Speaker & the President met over at the War Department General Ulysses S Grant informed Secretary of War Edwin Stanton he & Julia regretfully would have to decline the Lincolns' theater invitation. Just 5 days earlier Gen. Lee had surrendered to Grant at Appomattox.
It is 9:49 AM & Lincoln is set to welcome Sen. John P. Hale whose daughter Lucy, is secretly engaged to John Wilkes Booth. Within the hour he sends a messenger to Ford's to let them know he & Mary along w/ the Grants (not knowing yet they declined) would be attending that evening
By 11 AM Lincoln begins a meeting with Cabinet to discuss how reconciliation between North and South should proceed as well as what to do about Lee & Davis & other the leaders of the Confederacy.. Lincoln stressed "enough lives have been sacrificed." It was Good Friday.