Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-06-15
How Secretary Chandler Retracted

How Secretary Chandler Retracted.
1t will be remembered that at the
outset of the rebellion, when Jacob
Thompson was Buchanan's Secretary
of the Interior, the amount OF $780,
900 of Indian trust funds were taken
by GODDARD Bailey, the confidential
clerk of Thompson, who had charge
of the safe in which they were de-
posted. Bailey was nephew, of
John b Floyd, then Secretary OF
War, and he turned .flem over to
Floyd, and deposited the receipt of
Floyd in their stead. 1t has always
been supposed that Thompson was
privy co the transaction. When
the Belknap impeachment case came
up a few weeks ago, story was
started in the newspapers, purportlng
to be a remark of Secretary Chandler,
to the effect that If the Senate de-
cided that they had jurisdiction in
the Belknap case he should at once
proceed to have his predecessor i'm
peached for completely in robbing the
government of the Indian trust funds,
which went to aid the Confed-
eracy in the winter of l86O-61.
Thompson is now in Washington,
and the way he succeeded in defend
ing his honor is thus told by a corr.
respondent of the Inter Ocean:
lie wrote letter which had the
true ring of tho Southern chivalry in
it, and, placing it in the hands of two
trusty messengers. Lamar and Rep
resentative Casey Young, of Tennes-
ess, ordered it to be conducted to
Secretary Chandler, which order was
carried out with great ceremony. In
the letter Mr.. Thompson admits that
he had no idea that Secretary Chan
der made any such remark, but if
he did not he would like to have him
contribute it. "By acting promptly
in this MATTER" says Jacob, "you will
oblige yours, respectfully" When
the Secretary had read the letter he
laughed heartily, and then, suppress
ing his mirth, he solemnly informed
Messrs. Lamar and Young that, upon
his honor as an officer of the Cabinet,
he must acknowledge that he did
make remark similar to that printed,
but it was in joking way, and he
never supposed it would get in the
the papers. But he had no apology
to make, nor any retraction, for he
was liable to make just such remark
again. The leonine Lamar looked
very serious upon hearing the Secre-
tary's reply, and uttered a few words
by caution, expressing his opinion in
the matter, and indicating that SER
ious complications might arise from
such injudicious illusions concerning
the character of an ex-Confederate.
Secretary Chandler then gave Lamar
a little advice, and showed him that
Mr.. Thompson would be very liable
to impeachment after the establish
ment of this precedent, if there was
Republican majority in the House TO
adopt articles of impeachment. Mr.
Lamar insists that Mr.. Thompson did
not steal the bonds, but Secretary
Chandler showed him that whether
he did or not he was responsible for
their safe keeping, and he was also
responsible for the acts Of one Of his
subordinents who did steal them, and
that while Mr.. Thompson was not the
thief in fact he was in law.
Lamar inquired what reply the
Secretary would send to Thompson's
letter.
mo reply whatever" said the
Secretary, and Messrs. Lamar and
Young made their adieus.
WASHINGTON, June 81. Thomp-
son, secretary of the interior before
the war, was this morning served
with a process in a civil suit to re-
ceive 81 100000, principal and inter
est, of bonds taken from the Depart
ment and for amount received by him
from the Confederate States, and,
which, it is alleged, reverted to and
become the property of the U. S.
Thompson said he noticed in the
newspapers some time ago that Sec
rotary Chandler had made a charge
that he had distracted less bonds, but
now this charge has been abandoned,
and a civil suit instituted to make
him pecuniarlly responsible for the.
acts of subordinate clerks. Mr..
Thompson says he was, as agent, in
structed by the Confederate Govern
ment to turn the unexpended balance
of 81, 100000 over to the Confederate
agents abroad. This he did and
afterwards there was a final adjust