The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1867-12-07
Life at the White Hpuse.

The following evidence elected before the
judiciary Com ottee gives usa glimpse OF
what the White House has come TO in our
days
Lafayette C. Baker was examined on
February Is, OR the contents Of u letter writ.
ten by Andrew johnson some time in thc
early part OF 1864, to a Southern man, Civ.
ing information as to the troops about The
Capital and elsewhere, and advice to JefIer.
son Davis, Baker .estiiits that he though,
he received the letter OH or about the lat of
November, 1885; Baker said that he doubt.
ed the cenuineness Of the letter at first, no.
being familiar with the signature of Andrew
johnson be carried j. to Col. Browning OF
the White House: turning over the written
part OF the letter so that ht Drowning
could only see the signature, he remarked
that he believed that there wore persons en-.
gagged in forging the Presidents signature
to letters of recommendation and other
papers, and that he Ind there what purport.
ed to be the Presidents signature: this was
in Colonel Browning's private room, in the
presence of two other persons; asked hir.
il that Vas the Presidents signature; he
said it was; that he could swear 80 it Ra.
ker then went away, and returned the letter
to the party who had given it 10 him: the
letter was dated at Nashville, and was cd.
dressed to Jefferson Davis, and was appar.
emily i'll reply to one received from Davis or
from some one in authority, from the fact
that it starts out with an acknowledgment
of another letter, ltgoes on 10 make sug-
gestions as to some delayed policy which
had been adopted BY the Confederacy. In
another place he refers to Parson Brownlow
IN very severe terms. The party who hand
ed me the letter have not seen but once
since, and that was in Washington. thraA
mouths after | had gwen him the letter; he
told me he was an applicant for a position,
and wanted to know what use the letter
would he to him the first time had the
letter in my possession. ] mentioned to
some parties in Washington that there was
such letter; was waited upon by mem
bers Of Congress, two or three times, think,
to get the letter; il was too late; ! hat re.
turned it; among those whc called can re-.
member Hotchkisss, SchoGeld, and Van
Aernan. this was in '}5; in reply TO the
question as to how he got the letter, he
would never tell me, except that it had beeu
taken off Andrew Johnson's table III Nash.
vile; the body and the signature of the let
ter We're in the same Handwriting; the mau' 8
name who gave it to me was John W. Adam
son, No. 90 Mrytle street, Nashville, Ten.
nossee; be said that he did not take the
letter himself; that Governor Brownlow' 9
son had employed colored msn 10 take il !,
never disclosed the fact Of my having the
letter except TO members Of Congress and
to General Eckort, Of tho War Department
there were two other persons who read the
letter with me, one Of whom, c, &. Watkins,
met with Adamson. In reply to q cues.
ton Of Mr.. Asbley as to the existence Of
any other letters written by johnson, eth or
before or after he had become President,
Baker said Mrs. Lucy l.. Cobb. Of Wash.
ington. City, showed me two letters one
evening whom she was brought to my bead.
quarters, April s, 1866; having catechised
her severely, saying that woman Of Der
character had no business to BIO around the
White House, she claimed that she had q
right. TO he there, and that it was with the
knovlcdse and approval OF the President,
and, to satisfy me, showed mo two letters,
one written By Mr.. johnson to tho Post.
master General, asking him to give her
husband, Mr. Cobb, q situation ;u the Post
Office Department, and another, written 70
Mr.. MoCulloch, asking him to give her i
situation ia The Treasury pepaFtuessi !