The New York herald., 1870-11-16
WASHING TON.
The Grant-Cox Conference.-The Ex'Sec-
retary in New Light-The Erie
and New York Central
Railroad Taxes.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 1870.
secretary Cox in ~ New ftaht-iiis Civil
s.ry,cc Reforuis NOT Obstructed-No Execu-
80 ta,erforence with the Management Of
Departments.
Tno resignation OF Secretary Cox ana uc pnpEca-
a,on of the correspondence about the McGarianan
clam. continues TO be the subject OF conversation
anS ess.Me,,s IL political circles. TIE F'cnds 90
Cay insist that In the semlonlcal statement whch
aupcared In connection with the correspondence
osant mo McGarrahan business, the President ne
y,eetea so releg 60 the allegation taat Cox ie tae
Sahner because of the interference OF the EXecu-
,lve with the clerks of the Interior Department.
q q uaQeystood that this IL what COX tneant
An ms letter of resignation where he refers TO lack OF
slpport from the President In carrying out certain
needed reforms in the Civil Service. some OF me
Presidents friends urged him 10 meet TINS poihS III
rae statement sent ouS With the McGarrahan coire-
epondence; but he objected 10 II on the ground that
Il was not relevant to the main question Ut issue.
He denies ever having any controversy WIN COX on
xhe subject OF the clerks. From Coxs acccssioh W
the Cabinet until the time he retired the rresiocn'
saws ne does not remember to have asked Mr.. Cox
TO appoint clerk or TO dismiss one. lie mas inhu'
II rule not TO interfere with the heads OF depar-
ments In the matter OF appointing and controlling
fheir clerical force When the question OF assessing
rhe clerks In the Interior Department Tor elec
lion purposes came NJ the PRESIDENT was AT
Long Branch. Whatever complaints may nave
been made to him by the members OF the NATIONAL
Republican Congressional Committee. or by the
cnairmen of republican associations relative 10
Cox's order against taxing the clerks he paid no at
lenron to it. He says he never had any commuui-
cation on this subject with Cox or any other officer
OF the department. lie simply allowed Mr.. Cox and
She politicians 70 settle this among themselves so
ct r,ar. .,sae m
between himself and Cox on this matter and
he does not think Coz onnld have intended that his
friends should set this down as among the causes
which led nim TO retire from theCablnet.
When the President returned from Long Branch,
lust before the October elections he found that MI
Uox had gone to staten Island. The clamor That
existed about Cox's order issued before he left the
city, making It condition that any CLERK who went
home to vote should have the time Of his absence
from the Department deducted from his salary, was
At its height when the President arrived here. 1t
was greater than the row about the assessment
business. or course several parties, politicians and
clerks called at the White House, 10 protest against
COx's order. The President neard oil complaints
with his usual calmness, but did not indicate
any purpose 10 take action oyerluling the Secleta-
ry's order. Judge Otto Assistant Secretary Of the
INTERIOR was at that time acting Secretary In the
absence Of Mr.. Cox. one day Judge Otto happened
10 be at the White House In connection with some
business al the Interior Department The President,
In the OF conversation referred 10 the obnoX.
iOus order or Cox about the clerks, and the camor
that being raised about it. He said he did not
wish to issue an order couniermanding II, nor had
he any desire to interfere between the Secretary and
the clerks. He thought, however that every citizen
1ad tie right to 60 home 20 vote, i he saw As. YhG
practice OF giving the clerks short leave OF absence
at election times had always been allowed. No com
piainIs about the matter had come from the othe
Executive departments, and nc believed thai
wherever clerk had applied for leave Of absence
FOR the purpose Of going home 10 vote 1t had bee
granted by the heads OF the other departments. IN
President suggested to Otto that 1t would perhap
be better TO have the practice uniform oil the d,
partments
Judge Otto assented to this view OF the subjec
He said 1t would not be necessary to use the Pres
dents name, or to issue q new order. He woul
cause It to be known at the Departments that an
clerk who should apply for leave OF absence TO c
home to vote should have II granted. This ende
the Interview, and this Is believed to be
correct account az the whole story abo,
the clerks. The President had no communicate
with MI. Cox on the subject. for he was not here
ana the interview between the President and Otl
took place on the Sd Of October, While Cox a
Staten Island writing his letter OF resignation. III
letter was dated that very day.
Cox's friends, on the other hand assert that Il
knew all about the interview otto had with til
President before he wrote hts letter OF resignation
The President Is at loss to know how he coul
have obtained the information on that day. except
was telegraphed to him at Staten Island either b
Judge Otto or by some person to whom Otto ma
have communicated ii. At all events, Cox's lette
Of resignation reached the white House the neA
morning after the interview between I'll
President and Otto The President accepted 1t
sight. BY mistake the Presidents letter Of accep
ance was addressed to Cox at the Interior Depar
x0c11 while he was stiu ct Staten Island. M wa
opened by Cox's confidential clerk, who on readln
its contents was struck with amazement He ra
with 1t at once to Judge Otto. Like the Clerk ths
OINciai was amazed and Mortified, for he had no de
OF Cox's intention OF resgnng. II Cox premed
tated such q step for any length Of time he seem
to have kept 1t to himself. Judge Otto los
no time In going TO the White House
ascertain. II possible, what was the matter Ii
was anxious to inform the President, too about til
letter being opened by Coxs clerk that II tile fac
Of the resignation should get out he fOttOj migI
not be blamed. OF course the letter was at ono
mailed TO Mr.. Cox Of staten Island. These facts
have obtained from party who Is familiar with tn
whole proceeding. The President has no idea the
Cox retired from the Cabinet the issue OF reform
In the civil service, for the reason lie eays ths
Cox had never made that controversy with him.
Erie and New York Central RaiIrond Taxes
Jay Gould, President OF the Erie Railroad Com
pany, wrote TO the Internal Revenue Burea
that he had learned that an assessmen
had been returned by the supervisor agains
thas company Tor tax on tie gross re
ceiDts and earnings alleged to have bee
expended In construction, and asked that th,
Assessor might be instructed to afford every faclt
for presenting such facts as were necessary TO b
stated in a claim which would oe made for the pay
ment OF the tax assessed. Accordingly the Assesso
Of the Sixth New York district was Instructed {
proceed In the investigation which had already bee
commenced according TO the provisions OF secno
fourteen OF the acf OF July, 1884, amended whic