Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-08-16
a TRIBUTE TO PRESIDENT JOHN
p. EU.all SRNsE HONESTY ttaft'tsr
Frem the NationaI IntelIir.nce

I t..tH Auttuiscucef. .
The following letter from f.. T.. Carson,
who was United States Depostary at Cincin-
natl during the period that President john
son was Military Governor OF Tennessee. pre-
sents record Of honesty and discretion IN
the use Of public money that challenges
any parallel in the history Of our public
disbursing agents. Nearly two hundred
thousand dollars, with a carte blanche for
more, were placed at the disposal of Mr..
johnson as secret service fund, ito save
Tennessee to the Union.s The whole OF
this amount, and more if il had been re-
quired, conld have been used by him With
ont restriction Of any kind. 1t was a Sc
eret service faHd, for which the ordinary
vouchers Of government disbursing agents
we're net required. As,MT. Carson, in his
letter, says, 1T was not expected that any
portion Of it would ever be heard of again.
Bat mark the peculiar honesty of this Mil
itsry Governor. From September the 4th,
1861, to May the 9th, 1858, only q little
more than sixteen thousand dollars of this
money was expended. The purpose for
which it was appropriated was accom-
plished by other means than the expendi-
tsre of the public money, and the balance
was faithfully returned to the accredited
disbursing officer Of the government This
transaction is an unfading leaf in the lusrel
wreath of civic excellence that decks the
brow of President johnson. 1t pToclaims
him 10 his countrynen, Omphatically and
beyond all comparison, that "noblest work
Of God-an honest man."
j CINCINNATI, April17, 1865 "STR: Your
letter of the 7th instant was delivered to
me a few days since by Colonel Neff, Uni
ted States Depositary. In reply to the in
qairy therein contained, would say that
on September 4 1861, Andrew johnson,
then Military Governor of Tennessee, now
President of the United States, deposited
with me, as United States Depository in
this city, in the name of A. f. Adams,
Disturbing agent, $l95,750. This was a
secret service fund placed in the hands of
Governor johnson, to be used by him at
his discretion, with carte blanche to draw
for more to save Tennessee to the Union.
Adams was mere clerk, and the money
was placed in his name as discussing agent,
but all checks upon the fund were to be
countersigned by Governor johnson. Up
to April 2, 1852, had paid out from this
fund, on the checks of Adams, counter
signed by Governor Johnson, only SIG 1875
rs, leaving balance of $18S,550 %. On
May 9, 1863. on draft of Adams, counter
signed BY Governor johnson, this balance
was transferred to Mr.. Fowler, now Senator
Fowler-$1S3,550 25-United States dis
burning agent, and the credit was given
him on that day, and so reported by me in
the daily report of that day, and was regu-
larly reported afterward. From May 9,
1868, to- August 9, 1864, ! paid out on
Fowler's checks the sum of Sal ,536 So,
leaving a balance in my hands onthat day
Of $142,0 1S g. August 9, 1865, the day
on which | retired from Office transferred
this balance-viz: $l42,0l3 67-to r. II.
Stephenson, my successor in office, and
took his receipt for the same, and reported
TO the department; besides have made
more than one special report in regard to
this fund before. This fund appears TO
have been lost sight of by the department.
can only account for this from the fact
that it was secret service. money, placed in
the hands Of Governor johnson, to he ex-
pended by him at pleasure, and no ques
tions asked. OF course, it was not expected
that any portion Of il would ever be heard
Of again. .'
"While / am not an enthusiastic admirer
Of Mr.. Johnson's plan for the restoration
Of the Union, | cannot help but indorse his
plan of economizihg the secret service
money Only $4,000 used ont of 5000, GOO,
and any amount more at his call | guess
this is without parallel in the history Of the
managerssf secret service funds
81 am, very respectfully,
" @ T.. T. CARSON,
"Hon, Hugh McCulloch, Secretary of