Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-08-08
Letter from MIR. HutchIns.

Aug. Z, 1866.
EDITOR CHRoNICLE:-A writer in your
last issue who signs himself ar, " makes some
insinuations concerning me, and p-etends to
give some facts in relation to a case now
pending in the Supreme Court, calculated TO
mislead rather than enlighten the public
The insinuation that I rented cotton planta-
%tations, on favorable terms, of my son-inlaw,
who was Superintendent of abandoned plan
tations in Louisiana, is entirely untrue
The Superintendent of plantations did not
have the leasing of plantations at all. The
terms on which 1 leased were the same pro-
vlded for other ~lessees, whether favorable or
otherwise.
The 'Grey Jacket" case is not in any sense
a rebel claim nor in any proper sense a
"claim" against the Government at all. 1t
Is not sought to take any money out of the
Treasury, or to get the Government to pay
for any property, or any damage, which o
d1tlons are of the essence of a claim
Nor is the boat alluded to a BLOCKADE rum
ner" in the sense intended by 'fR." The
owner of the boat and cargo, though a native
of Maine, was a resident of the State of Ala
bama at the outbreak of the rebellion. He
always claimed to be a loyal Union man, OPP
posed to the rebellion, and was twice arrested
and imprisoned by the rebel authorities on
suspicion Of being friendly to the Union
cause. He was never in the rebel army and,
according to his allegation and proof, never
gave the rebellion voluntary countenance
or support. He was a steamboat owner, and
being satisfied that he could not receive pro-
lection for his person or property, and hav-
ing become disguised with the confederacy,
conceived the plan of loading his boat with
cotton and getting out with it if he could
His intention was, as he alleges, to go to
New York, and he had made arrangements
to take his family with him, but the s%urveil-
lance of the rebel authorities prevented the
latter. 1t was then arranged that his fami-
y should follow him at the first opportunity.
When out of Mobile bay, the boat was taken
blythe Gunboat "Kennebec." No resistance
was made by the "Grey jacket, - nor did she,
after being hailed, try to escape. She was
to New Orleans, ibelled, condemned
and sold. TIT money, the avails of the
boat and cargo, is on deposit in a bank at
New Orleans, awaiting the decision of the
case in the Supreme Court at Washington.
1t has never been distributed as prize or
paid into the Treasury. 1 was not attorney
originally in the case but have been retained
since the case was appealed. One of the
main grounds of the defense interposedi is, that
the owner being a loyal man, was escaping
with his property, not for the purpose of aid
the rebellion but for the purpose of pla-
cling himself and property, within the pro-
lection of the Government of the United
States, and that consequently his acts were not
IN spirit a violation of the blockade. The
issues are made up, and the defense may pre-
vail with the Court and 1t may not. 7 am
not e~ndeavoring here to show the business of
case. The Supreme Court is competent
IN dnaIda fhaf nr1- u,aip4os- 4b,A - = /
in which any lawyer may properly and
lonorably engage, and that it is not one over
which Congress has jurisdiction. Lawyers
10 not often, if ever, have personal knowl-
9dge of the facts constituting the grounds
ir an action or defense. They take the
of the client and the proof he
pliers.
The insinuation of ssR." that l propose, in
Ease 1 should be elected to Congress, to pur-
'ue the business of claim agent, shows the
ignorance of the writer. A law of Congress
expressly prohibits any such practice, even
we're l corrupt enough to endeavor to pursue
{. The amount of fees which l expect to
In case of success, is not a question
hat the public have any interest in. That
S a matter between client and attorney. 1
ind my associate" do not expect to receive
my thing like the sum named by "R."
'sR. 81 last paragraph in which he says,
to me, that she should no more ask
o go to Congress, while claims in which he
las a contingent interest are pending, than a
should insist upon practicing law in
be Court Of which he is Judge" is simply
We are constantly selecting
Judges from our practicing lawyers, and no
ever thinks of obieeting to a candidate
n that account. JOHN HUTCHINS.