Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-10-31
J.R. Doolittle, The Pure.

This great reformer having spread
himself in Iowa county in malignlng
Grant and all who sustain him, we
feel it a duty to tell what is known
of earnest Jeeme's" purity as a
statesman.
In December, 1864, one r. J.
Conatty obtained, through the inhu.
ence of Senator Doolittle and others,
permit TO trade in cotton in some
of the Rebel States. Some two or
three weeks after said permit was
granted, Mr.. Doolittle invited Mr.
Conatty to call at his Committee
Room. What there transpired, Mr..
Conatty tells, under oath, as follows:
II called the next morning, in accord,
ance with his request. On that occasion
he Doolittle) said substantially, "lou
have good thing and will make pile
of money, and can afford to be little
generous" did not know what he
meant lie then said to me in substance,
"You know | am poor man, and have
not made any money since have been
in public life. think you can afford to
let me share in the proceeds, and be none
the poorer" And with this he handed
me the letter hereto attached, marked
letter No |, which he said he had scrib-
bed off, wishing me to copy and send it
to him Us my own. At the same time he
handed me letter No, 2 hereto attached,
dated the following day, which he said
would be his response to my generous
offer contained in letter No. J. was
too much surprised to make any re-
spouse took these two letters from
his Office with me to Baltimore, where !
then resided. Next day ! copied letter
No. |, changing the phraseology Of one
of the sentences referring to myself that
would be indicate had they come from
me. His reply had already received,
as stated above, having retained both let
ters in my possession. This was substan-
italy all that occurred on that occasion.
THE following are the letters re.
ferred to by Mr.. Conatty:
NO |.
WASHINGTON, Dec %, 1864.
Hon. J. II. DooLlrrl.E - Dear Sri
| have been engaged since two years past
in tho Treasury Department, where |
have been assiduously at work early and
late, until seriously feared my health
might give way.
In consequence of the confidence
which my. fidelity there has inspired in
the head of the Department, have re-
ceived permit to trade and to purchase
cotton to the amount Of fifty thousand
bales.
This has been freely given me. And
now my dear sir allow me to say that,
during MI my stay here, have wit
messed on your part in the high position
you occupy, the fidelity, and ! may add
such practice and course of conduct,
that my heart has been drawn out to
you; and as this permit may enable me
to realize great fortune, too great to be
properly administered or enjoyed by any
one man, | have determined that, as Il
present on my part, and in the belief
| that YOU could better use u portion,
should be successful, than | could use
| all, | will remit to you the one fourth of
all the profits | may realize over and
above all my expenses. do this in the
hope that while | may become rich in
this operation may secure to you
competency also.
Private and confidential
Asn.NGroN, Dec. 80, 1864
7. j, CoNArTY-Ny Dear Sir-four
magnanimous proposition contained In
your letter from Baltimore of yesterday
| fills my heart with feelings which | can
not express Such instances of disinter>
ested friendship are so rare; so few
among the sons of men are endowed
with such high and noble generosity,
that am without words to tell you how
much 1t affects YOU me,
have no claims upon you, except
those of Il diSintereSted friendship SIM
cerely cherished As to this permit to
trade in cotton, you have obtained it
without any aid, or influence, or thought
ct mine, even direct or indirect, for until
your communication to me ! never had
any knowledge or thought even that you
contemplated such thing
And yet this fact alone, which gives
me nc claim upon you, is the only possi-
Die ground upon which accept your
generous, | will say more, your most
magnnnimouS offer.
Had | aided You in the least, directly
or indirectly in thought, word or deed,
| could not have accepted it if would,
. a M | ,,4.t,'1 I