, 1859-01-21

great JOY that WcB manifested when the news
reached Illinois that you had sailed, and the
expression WAS universal among our people th2t
If you could not succeed, no one could. Before
your departure, such was the anxiety for jon
10 20. that do rot hslers that you could have
aaked commission contingent upon your suo-
cess 80 high thnt our citizens would not have
aloEed it with pleasure. Aad after your re-
turn, such was the universal expression Of graf
ltude 10 you for your services. that cannot
conjecture of any reasonable demand on your
part that would have been demu1red to by any
one. 1t is only until recently that hare been in
formed that you have never received any pay
for ycuF services in negotiating that loan, and II
ismy opinion that tho people Of 1llinois gener-
aIy have supposed that you received the usual
commission ID salisfaction of them.
You ask me, Whnt would be d reasonable
commission Tor the services thus rendered?
know Jour services we're Invaluable to the State,
and the least our citizeas would expect you to
take. would be what other men in a similar po-
sition to yourself were charging for such ser.
vices at the time.
have neyer been in position, either public
or pirate, that would enable ne to Say what
was then, or is now, the usual per centage. But
think You ought TO be pad upon this basis,
and Literally paid, too. We're tho matter re-
ferred to me, l should at once consult men
whose positions would qualify them to tx upon
the usual percentage in such cases.
Your obedient Hervant,
lSigned,] JouS WENTWORTH.
In addition, had q letter from Gov. Davis OF
Moss, who WAS intimately connected with the
negotiation but the latter hare mislaid. It
WAS addressed 10 Mr. Leayits, and strongly sup.
ported his demand. These I considered until
October Of that yeaT, and after consulting with
valued frienda in whose judgment l have the
utmost reliance, l did not hesitate to submit
by resolution my approval Of the claim and,
with Mr. Leavitt, TO sign check for his pay
nent The facts By which was governed may
be thus stated:
LIST. To Ar. Leavitt is due the loan by which
the Csua1 was completed. and the State sayed
the disgrace of repudiation.
I'd. For thot service he had never been paid,
except By an appropriation Of $1,000 for his
personal expenses
Sd. The amount of the commissions charged
az per cent, or $4,000 in the aggregate
is in accordance with the usage Of lnanciers
when employed in sery;cs like that which Mr.
L.ayist performed.
4th. The funds Of the Trust are the source
whence payment should BE- made, commissions
on the loan being clearly "preliminary" ex-
pense.
5th. Ny action is not necessarily final. 1t Is
suhject to review and reversal BY the Courts, if
wrong; to their approval it right.
9Th. The man to whom illinois owes 30 much
hos demanded justice in vain long enough.
71h. have Jailed tu see on comparison Of the
fnr ~ III
why payment should not be made.
The evidences 60 satisfactory to me, laid be.
fore His E1cellency, the Governor of the State,
and after carefully considering them, he en-
dorsed my action thus:
At the request Of c. II. Ray, E.q., State
Trustee, blye exam ned the papers, vouchers
and certificates upon which Mr. David Lea'itt's
clAim for negotiating the Canal Loan Of 81 G00,-
QUO is founded, aud have considered the obj5ctious
to the same so far as they llre been laid before
claim against the funds 10 the hands Of the Board
Of trustees, and l accordingly approve OF the
same. ". II. B1ssELL,
Governor Of Illinois.
ErslxaF1E1p. NAY. e3a. 1857.
As was expected and WAS threatened before the
resolution aulho1isiDg payment was made, the fol.
ElSH Huuuut!QEla tuuul1utGu SulL It71lQsl MI.
Leayitta and myself for tue recovery of the money,
still! claiming that if anything is due Mr. Leavit,
payment should he made by the State and not by
tile Trustees. Proceedings were Instituted i'll the
Supreme Court Of Massachu :ctts, where both the
other Trustees reside; brt before decision was
arrived At, by agreement between lie parties, and
the advice Of the court, the matter was referred
TO two arbit "a ors viz: Hon. B. T. Tbomls of
Boston, and Edwin Bartlett of New York, both
men OF high character and integrity. In case Of
disagreement, they are to cslouse u Third !; aud
their decision, whatever it 1uly be, is binding aud
final. Thus tile afflir stands. have not ut any
time unprecedented that injustice Or wrong would
he doae tue State, or that tle C4nll would pay
what was not due. hare not seen occasiun,
though furously a:sailel, to regret the share
llavc had in the business; bec4use have never
lost confidence in the belief that the people anu
the legislature when acquainted With tue facts,
would applaud rather than condemn. make
tlis statement ouly that these f4cts may he
known. c. II. RAY,
sta'e Trustee illinois aad Nix lsao Canal.
Ia Ir6m N n