Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-08-01
Letter From Hon. John Hutch

EDITOR CHRONICLE The character of
the charges against me in a communication
signed s19th District in the last Chronicle,
demand a brief notice.
If l am not mistaken, the numerous ar
ticles published in the Chronicle signed M
Turnpike and 18th District are written
by the same person; and how many more
names he may be obliged to assume before
the Congressional Canvass closes, it would
be difficult to guess. 1t is not uncommon,
as the rogue's calendar will show, for GER
tain persons to assume a new name, when
they can no longer deceive by the old one.
One charge by 18th District is that 1 am a
cotton planter in the South; that my inter
ests are Southern and therefore l am unfit
to represent a Northern District in Congress.
In fact, 18th District concludes that if not
nominated I shall leave Warren, and go to
New Orleans, where my interest is. This is
the language of M 1 beg pardon, the 10th
District = although l am not a prophet,
nor the son of a prophet, allow me TO guess
that if he, (Hutchins) is not nominated, he
will be in New Orleans, body and soul, wor-
shipping King Cotton, in less than SIX
months. Stick a pin right here, and re-
member the prediction" 1 first went TO
New Orleans in the summer Of 1865, al
the instance of Sec. Chase, as a special agent
of the Treasury Department, to inquire into
the condition of the Custom House, Mint,
and Marine Hospital, and to report upon the
charges against the administration of certain
affairs of the Treasury Department at New
Orleans. 1 discharged that duty, made my
report and returned to Washington and re-
signed my position as special agent, and re-
ceiVed the compensation allowed by law for
such services. In the fall of the year, 1 re-
turned to New Orleans, accompanied by my
daughter. l went as a private citizen, and
at my own expense. Early in the winter OF
1864 Gen. Banks promulgated his labor or
der, the object of which was TO bring into
cultivation the sugar and cotton lands, with
in our lines, by giving employment to the
freedmen at a fair compensation. The in
tent of this order was wise and in the main.
the order was Just. 1 have explained this
order, in q letter which was published in the
Liberator, edited by VIM. Lloyd Garrison.
The Chronicle also published it from the Lib
orator. As a life long anti-slavery man, l
was anxious to test the efficiency of free la
Dor by the late slaves, and the high prices of
sugar and cotton of course was also a slim
illus to the experiment. l was interested in
four plantations on which were employed
about four hundred freedmen, recently made
free by the action of our Government. The
experiment, so far as the labOrers were con-
eerned, was a success and it would have been
very successful pecuniarily if the cotton had
not been destroyed by the cotton worm
We cultivated fifteen hundred acres OF cot
ton and about four hundred acres of sugar.
The cotton was almost an entire failure, and
the sugar did not pay enough to make up
1 Il 1--zzc Al a,4Fo, 7 lo-E zo,,a vnavar
time aud expenses. We aided in establish
ing schools on the plantations, v them all
the encouragement we could, ana on one
plantation, too near the rebel lines TO safely
| establish a school, 1 purchased at my own
expense, and distributed books; and by the
/ aid of a freedman, who could read, had the
children instructed. The freedmen were
well pleased with their treatment, and as a
general thing worked well and took quite
an interest IN raising a good crop, That
years experience gave me valuable informa-
ton as to the condition of society in the
South, and more than confirmed me in my
convictions of the evil influences and wick,
edness of slavery.
Inthefall of 1854, In company with others,
1 opened q law Office in New Orleans partly
for the collection of claims. The Govern
ment has not and will not pay any claim IN
less upon affirmative proof that the claimant
is and has been loyal to the Government
The only claim, that 1 have had any interest
n,Ithat has been presented to Congress, i.
one for q lot of cotton taken by order Of
Gen. Grant, and used IN protecting his boats
in running the Yicksburg batteries: Gen,
eral Grant in his own hand writing, en-
dorzed in substance on the back of the re,
ceipt given by the officer who took the cot.
ton, that the owner of the cotton was a loyaI
man who had been of material assistance u
him Grant in his operations around ylcks
burg, and recommended that the claim b'
paid without delay. The Committee OF
claims in the House, during the 39th Con,
gress reported q bill authorizing in substance
the Secretary of Treasury to settle with the