The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1888-03-22
Colonel DicI, Taylor.
Tnf LA,I OF J.e&so>'- Arfol>lrr-.

Washington rp.t.t
\ auaint character has drisrd int
Washington familiar in the lobbIe- Of tlt.
CapitoL He is d little old man. wuG-.
dress aud features are plainly Of pa-i
generation lie il ninety year- III age
but still hearty HIS name i. Gplone
Tuyl9r. of Chicago, ana he enjoy tht
Distinction 50 he says. Of being the oul}
man ali4e who Was appointed 10 ollie
by Andrew Jackson 1t wa. a. long az
n ls.}j, and the position wa- receiver u
public moneys at Chicago.
Il wa resident Of Chicago then,
SAYS Colonel Taylor. telling the story
'+I va, not Of aye In Jackson S first cam.
pai.u@ out voted for him When lac Wa 70.
nominated In 1873 began my political
life in the legislature Of Ilonis and Willie
va. there a friend Of niue IN Nashville
wrote ne that bill was pcadina Ia III.
grc~, Ia create land uilce at I hica@5.
and that. if wanted TO take charge of il
pre-ideH Jackson Won.d appoint me.
replied That would be very GAL IT, gei
the uniee and thought no more about it.
The bill was NOT passed that session. but
bccame law during the next Congress.
To NY surprise for bad taken ~ further
steps in the matter the mail brought me
my commission a receiver at Chicago.
| was then in TIE Illinois senate, al
Springfield, hut went right up to
Chicago. The town had only about three
hundred aud MY people then, and it,
most prominent feature was a fort TO pro-
tect tie citizens fram the indians. On
the 10Th Of June - | began a ,alc of
/ 4 "a liz La - =
of land along the rapids Of the lllinoi,
river, which sold 1t from $40 To So an
acre. because it was expected that the
water power could be developed, there
was no competition whatever All the
rest of the land Oh which Chicago i now
situated sold at ) - per acre. Nuwa-
days. the property in the centre of the
city IS worth S$.opa 10 81, 900 per front
foot My district Was very large one.
and in forty day my receipts aggregated
S493, Ou0-more than has ever been sold
at any land office in the United States,
before or since, in whole year re-
member that carried the money through
wilderness to Detroit, in constant fear
of being attacked by Indians.
Colonel Taylor's recollections Of
! Andrew Jackson are not sufficiently dis
| NllNi " nc vi Ndli'' iiN saw liiiii ''i''
or twice at the White House. and in
Washington at both Of his inaugurations.
! He is particularly enthusiastic over Jack
sons Democracy, and believes that to
the victor belongs The spoils His ac-
quaintancc with President Lincoln was
much more intimate, and he carries an
autograph letter from Lincoln in which
he takes great pride. Not only does he
al, a.. lint l+tt l.. u
certificate that he originated grecnbacks
in this country II reads as follows;
NJ, Dear Col. Diek,-l have long determined
to make public the origin Of the grcenharkS,
and tell the world that ii is one Of Dick Iaylnr's
creations. You had AWAY been friendly 10 me;
and when troubl0us times fell On US, aud my
shoulders, though broad and willing, were weak,
and myself surrounded by such circumstance.
and such people that knew not whom to trust,
then SAID in my extremity 81 will send fer
Colonel Taylor; lie Will know what 10 do l
think ii was in JanulrN 1852, on OF about the
10Th that | did 81. You came and / sud To
YOU. "What can We dp.' said YOU "Nhy, is
sue treasury notes bearing no interest, printed
on the best banhmg phpcr issue enough 10
pay off The army EXPENSES and declare II legal
lender" Chase thought it hazardous thing;
but VIZ finally accomplished it, and gave To the
people of this republic the greatest blessing
thcl eyer had-thrir OWL debt. It due to you,
the father Of the present grccubaek,. that the
people should know it, and take great pleasure
in making it known. How many times have |
laughed a, your telling me plainly that | WAS
too lazy to he anything but "a lawyer Yours,
truly.
\. LlNeuIN.
Another letter which Colonel TAYLOR
carries with him refers to the same sub
icct, and aids in substantating his claim
as tile originator of the grccnhaek. 1t i
written by General Mct'lernand AT salt
Lake city, and says
shall never forget our frequent conferences
at Cairo in lSil when | was in immediate COM
maud Of the post. That wa, gloomy period.
The financial credit Of the nation Ms strained
to the utmbs' tension We soldiers had not
been paid for some time. In this eNigeury You
suggested aud advocated the issuing the treas
ury notes as a circulating medium, Ia be made
a legal tender in payment Of all debts, public
and private You net only advocated that re-
course as an cNpedieut, but as principle and
system. In tie same interview !au informed
me that yon had unfolded the scheme To Grucr-
al Grant, and that You would Immediately
proceed to Washington city 10 lay It nofoin
President Lincoln, which | Im convinced by
what followed after the adoption Of Tho scheme
is historical. Yours, very trulF,