National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-05-17
A CHAPTER OF WAR HISTORY.

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10 a. Esf,,, n a. rsiJvrs
SIRi When waspreparing q sketch Of the
Hon. samuel Hooper for my History OF ton' c
gress," the Chief Justice was kind enOusn 70
write y long letter detailing the connection a
of the distinguished Boston ReprcsentatNo
with tho early financial operations oil the
Government. In that letter the great eN-sec-
rotary Of the Treasury gives lncluentaly soi ,,J
auto6loQraphic details Of hia labOts ana
struggles which are perhaps nowhere else 20
be found Tho following extracts IRON tue
letter will DO read with Interest,"
1 do NOT now TCcUueCL when our personal
ACQUAINTANCE commenced, butt was, think,
NOT long before the Utn Of April, 1901. l then
advertised for proposals for loan OF @li,-
9oi, OOO In money conn in cxchan - ior Treas,
ury notes. Ihc proposals we're 10 be opened
Ave days afterward, ON tue llth. Ihls was
time oil great anxiety and depression. Before
the day Tor opening the proposals arrived,
tho expeditions Tor tue reinforcement OF
Pickons and the proyisionment OF sumter
had already sailed; aud Un that day. tue cor
reepOndeuCe between bcauregard, conmahu-
Ing the rebels, and Anderson, commanding
the fort, was going on, in reference 70 the
surrender Of sumter. The next DAY the Fcoei
batteries opened fire.
No time could Do moro unpropltious 10 the
negotiation OF loan. Yet tue advertise
ment could not be Withdrawn without serious
injury to the public credit aud failure 10
obtain the amount advertised for would nave
had perhaps, at that particular juncturc,
still worse effect.
Mr.. Hooper happened to be In Washington,
and was q subscriber for SlOO,UOO. OnOpen-
ing the proposals found that the offers fell
short Of the amount required by about MIL
lion Of dollars. sent Tor Mr.. Hooper, then
personally almost q stranger TO me, and
asked hun to take that sum In addition to
what he had bsturo subscribed, assuring him
that he should 10 protected from loss IN tue
event VI his being unable to distribute the
amount Ia Boston. He complied with my
of the whole amount without any aid
from the Treasury. His readiness to
come to the aid OF the Government at the
critical moment and the personal confidence
he showed In me made an Impression on my
mind which cannot be oblileTated. The sum
does not now seem large, but II was large
then, and the responsibility was assumed
when most men would have shrunk from IT,
Very few months had passed after l took
charge Of the Department before l became
fully satisfied that the best interests OF tho
people, future as well Us Immediate, In peace
as well as IN war, demanded q complete revo-
luton In currency by the substitution Of notes
uniform In form and in credit valae, Issued
under the authority Of the nation, for notes
varying In both respects Issued under State
authority, and suggested to different hnan-
cial gentlemen the plan Of national banking
system. The suggestion was not received
with favor, or anything like favor.
But my conviction OF tho necessity Of some
such measure, both to the successful manage
ment Of the finances during the war and to
tho prevention OF disastrous commissions on
the return Of peace, was so strong that de-
termined to bring the subject TO the attention
Of Congress.
Ia my report on the finances, submitted on
the 9th of December, 1861, therefore recon-
n nhOpfiOn al "A aya
ten, upon principles and under restrictions
explained partly In the report and more fully
In The bill drawn up under my direction, and
either sent to tho Committee OF Ways and
Means, or handed to one Of Its members
perhaps to Mr.. Hooper himself. However
the bin may have gone to the committee,
am not mistaken. think, In saying that Mr..
Hooper was the only member whogaNe II any
support. am pretty sure that the only favor
shown 1t by the committee was permission
to Mr.. Hooper to report II without recon-
mendation, on his own responsibility. HI
took that responsibility, and the bill was re
ported and printed. No action was asked
upon 1t at that session. II action had beer
asked II Is not improbable that It would havt
been rejected, with few dissenting votes--sC
powerful then was the influence Of the Stat,
banks, 60 reluctant were they to accept thu
new measure, and 60 strong was the genera
sentiment Of the members Of Congress
against Ii.
opinion In favor Of q uniform currency 70
the whole country, and Of the national bank
Ing system, US q means Of accomplishing tina
object, had developed itself, and Mr.. Hope
found himself able to carry the measur
through the House Of Representatives.
still encountered u formidable opposition l
the Senate, and well remember the personI
appeals was obliged TO make TO Senator,
as had already TO Representatives in orde
TO overcome their objections.
The bill found powerful and judlciou
friend In Mr.. sherman, and at length passe
by n clear vote. 1t was approved by MI
lincoln, who had steadily supported II froT
the beginning, on the 18th Of February, 1886
The results Of the measure duTin
the war fulfilled and since the war have Just
fed the expectations formed. 1t receive
valuable amendments in both houses Of Con
gress before Its enactment, and has sine
been further amended, and IL, think, stl
capable Of beneficial modification In points Q
much Importance to the public interests.
Butthls Is not the place nor the occasio
for discussion Of this matter; all that yo
desire IL my estimate Of the services Of Nj
Hooper. | have mentioned only the tw
principal occasions on which was special
indebted to him; but they were by no mean
the only occasions 10 which be aided me, @
rather the department OF the Government {
which then had charge, both by persont
counsel and by Congressional support. Dui
ing tho whole time | was at the head of III
Treasury constantly felt the great bcnel
of his wise md energetic cooperation.
would be unjust, saying this OF Mr.. Hope
not TO say that there were Others, in and OF
Of Congress, TO whom, In other financial r
lations, the Treasury Department and Il
country were very greatly indehtcd; but Il
simple duty to add that the timely aid whiC
he rendered at the crisis Of the loan Of Apr
!, 1891, and in promoting the enactment I
the national banking law, placed me, charge
as was with most responsible and dlllcu
task, under special obligations which ca
never forget, and shall always take peasur
In acknowledging.
With great respect, yours very truly,
While we arc profoundly Interested In tn
view Of the financial measures OF the Cover
ment from the great Secretary's own point
view, we cannot fail TO admire the frankne
with which he gives credit to those by whOi
acts, counsel, and sympathy he was asslste
A future ago will perceive more clearly tina
this what a debt Of gratitude We owe TO Il
statesman who champiOned liberty when Il
Government was on the side Of slavery, al
then with wonderful ability guided the Sta
war which that same slavery brought abou
WM. HoRATIo BARNES.
wAsHHoroS, D. C., May s. iEa
A New waterins-Cart for the Londo
streets.
The Poll Mall Gazette says at will gra
lfy many persons 10 hear that mOyeme1
has set In against the old watoring-cart {
our streets. This excellent old machine Il
watering the boots Of the lncautlous pede
TRAN is 10 give place to new and moi
scientific machine which shall do Its work
once with greater thoroughness and wit
more expedition. The new watering va
consists Of an iron tank seven feet thru
inches long, four feet six inches wide, and tw
feet six inches deep, which holds $50 gallon
of water. Tho tank Is mounted on sprinI
and carried on four wheels, with lght-hinge
shafts, and the whole Of II is painted
bright colOrs. The distributor and branC
pipe are on au improved principle, which a
mits Of the outflow of water being regulate
" meet thu varying conditions Of Il
streets and weather. An inteTestir
competitive trial has taken plat
In Regent street between this IN
chine aud the old watring-cart. The pa
were filed, and started from stand-posl
Hanover church, and the object was 10 asct
a..