The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-03-14
THE AUTHOR OF GRBENBACKs.
An Old Gentleman Who Claims This
Distinction

Distinction
Another quaint character has drifted
into Washington from the West, says the
Washington Post, and his face is becoming
familiar i'll the lobbies of the Capitol. He
is little, old man, whose dress and fea-
lures are plainly of past generation. He
is 80 years of age, but still hearty. His
name is Col E. D. Taylor, of Chicago, and
he enjoys the distinction, so he says, of
being the only man alive who was appointed
to Office by Andrew jackson. 1t was rs
long ago as 1885, and the position was re-
ceiVer of pu lie moneys at Chicago. II
was resident of Chicago the :" says
Col. Taylor, telling the story. II
was not of age in Jackson's first cam
paign, but | voted for him when he
was renominated. In 1882
began my political life in the Legislature of
Illinois, anu while | was there a friend Of
mine in Nashville wrote me that bill was
pending in Congress to create land office
at Chicago, and that if | wanted TO take
charge of it President jackson would APP
point me. | replied that | would be very
glad tG get the Office and thought no more
about it. The bill was not passed that SEES
sion, but became a law during the next
Congress To my surprise, for had taken
no further steps IN the matter, the mail
brought me my commission as receiver at
Chicago. | was then in the Illinois Senate
at Springfield, but went right up to Chi
cago. The town had only about $50 people
then, and It's most prominent felture was
fort to protect the citizens from the Indians.
On June 10. 1885, l began a sale of public
lands. Except for one little strip Of land
along the rapids of the Illinois river, which
solo at from $40 to $12 an acre because it
was expected that the water power could he
developed, there was no competition what
ever All the rest Of the land on which
Chicago is now situated / sold at 81 25 per
acre. Nowadays the property IN the center
of the city is worth s., 900 to 81, 900 per
front foot. My district was very large
one, and in forty days my receipts aggre-
gated S493, 900, more than has ever been
sold at any land off e in the United States,
before or since, in a whole year. | remem-
Der that l carried the money through a
wilderness to Detroit in constant fear of
being attacked by Indians"
Col. Taylor's recoilections of Andrew
Jackson are not sufficiently distinct to be
of value. He saw him once or twice at
the White House, aid was in Washington
at both of his inaugurations. He is par
ticularly enthusiastic over Jackson's Demo
cracy, and believes that to the victors be-
long the spoils. His acquaintance with
President Lincoln was much more intimate,
and he carries an autograph letter from
Lincoln IN WHICH ne lakes RTedG pT1ue.
Not only does he value the autograph, but
the lie ter is a certificate that he originated
greenbacks in this country, 1t reads as
follows:
Nh Dear Col Dick:
have long determined TO make public the
origin of the greenbacS, and tel, the world that
it is one of Dick Taylor's C cations You had
always been friendly to me; and when troublous
times fell on us, and my shoulders, though broad
and willing, were weak, and myself surrounded
by such circumstances and such people that
knew not whom TO trust, then | said in rny
extremity Il will send for Col Taylor be will
know what to do" think it was in January,
1852, on or about the 10th, that did so. You
Said you: Why issue treasury notes bearing
no interest. printed on the best banking
paper. Issue enough to pay off the
army expenses aud declare il legal
tender Chase thought it a hazardous thing;
but we finally accomplished il, and gave to the
people OF this republic the greatest blessing
they ever had--their own paper to pay their
own debts. 1t is due to you, the father of the
present greenback, that the people should
know it, and take great pleasure in making it
known How many times have | laughed at
your telling me plainly that l was too lazy to
be anything but lawyer. Yours truly,
A. LINCOLN.
Another letter which Col Taylor carries
with him refers TO the same subject, and
aids in sub-tantiating his clai as the
origi at)r of the greenback. II is written
by Gen McClernand at Salt Lake City,
and says:
l shall never forget our frequent CON
ferences at Cairo in 1861, when was in immedl-
ate command Of The post That was a gloomy
period. The financial credit of our nation was
strained to the utm st tension. We soldiers had
not been paid Tor some time. In this exigency
you suggested and advocated the issuing of
treasury notes as a circulating medium, 10 be
made legal tender in payment of all debts,
public and private. You not only advocated
that recourse as an eypedient, but as priaciple
and system. In the same interview you in
formed me that YOU had unfoded the scheme
to Gen. Grant, and that you would Immediately
proceed 10 Washington city TO lay it before
President Lincoln, which, am convinced, by
what followed, you did What further followed
after the adoption Of the scheme is historical.
Yours very truly,
JoHN A. McCLERNASD.