Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-09-13
Letter from Comptroller Connolly.

New York, II. Mayor Hall this afternoon
received the following letter from the Comp
NEW YORK, Sept. II, 1871.
Hon. A. Oakley Hall, Mayor
My DEAR SIR Your letter of Sept. 18th,
asking my resignation as Comptroller, was
presented to me last night at IL o'clock, at an
interview sought by yourself. Similar verbal
requests from yourself and others have been
within the last three weeks received and de-
clined. The official source and subject of the
matter of your note, as read to me and as
published by you in this mornings Press, de-
manded and has received my earnest consid-
Grafton. criminal abstraction of papers
from the Finance Department, seems a rea-
son for your letter, as far as any is therein
suggested. In common with other city off,
GERS, 1 now stand before the public and our
constituency as charged with malfeasance in
the administration of the high trusts so long
contided to my care. Legal proceedings,
wherein such charges are made and to be sub
stantial if at all, is now on bearing before a
fearless and just tribunal My answer there
to is before the public, and my complete de-
fence ready to be presented, both to that high
court, our constituents, and to the citizens of
New York at large. My counsel has urged
by my wish speedy trial and rigid investiga-
ton. l am fearless of the result and anxious
for procedure. During the many years of
my administration of this office, 1 have not
seen and fail now to see any diminution of
public confidence, and such fact would have
been readily marked, nothing being more
sensitive to general opinion than the financial
administration. l beg leave to differ from
your Honor in thinking the robbery of my
office creates any unexpected or sudden en-
Urgency. l am not apprehensive that either
yourself or the community will suspect am
an accomplice in that depreciation l am
happy to assure you it has effected no serious
mischief, the archives of the department con-
tanning ample abstracts of all the stolen pa
pers. Whoever planned or executed the
crime has reaped no benefit and inflicted no
injury on the public interests. Would not
my resignation at this particular time give the
advocates of the portion attached upon the
city government, just cause to believe me to
plead guilty not only to participating, at least
in the burglary, but as well to the charges
now made in the legal proceedings? SO il
seems to me. My official acts have been su-
pervised and approved by your superior vigi-
lance, and so far as my administration is
questioned, equal responsibility is attached to
yourself in your answer and affidavit read in
the pending litigation. You have adopted and
indicated those acts you could not justify
yourself with so doing, consequently do moi
perceive why my resignation should be asked
or how, if rendered, it would have any in
fuence in appeasing popular clamor. l an
unable to submit myself as vacarious sacri
flee to satisfy the hungry appetite OF adverse
ries for victim; or at this juncture ant
under these peculiar circumstances to betray
a weakness of position or fear of a rigid in
vestigation, by rendering my resignation.
shall not fail to act as may seem to be de
manded by the changed circumstances which
may then exist.
Very respectfully your ob't serv't
| r. b. CONNOLLY, Comptroller.