Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-06
THE GREENBACK IDEA.
1t. Was Originated During the War
by Col. Edmond D. Taylor.
HE WAS A FRIEND OF LINCOLN.
In His Law Qffice Young Abe Built Fires and
Swept the Floor.
LETTER THAT TOLD THE WHOLE TALE

CHICAGO, Dec. 5-Active preparations
were in progress here to-day for the inter-
ment tomorrow of one of Americas most
notable characters, Colonel Edmond Dick
Taylor the man to whom President Lin
coin gave the credit of originating the
greenback currency idea Colonel Taylor's
death has brought to light many important
facts heretofore unpublished or little known.
He it was who induced Lincoln to leave the
country store at Salem and 60 to Spring
field and study law.
Colonel Taylor was born at Fairfield
Court House, Va, October 1S, 1902. He
was cousin of President Zachary Taylor,
and his father was Captain in the Revolu-
tionary War At an early age he left his
home and went to Springfield, ILL.,, where he
opened general store and Indian trading
post While engaged in this business he
became acquainted with Lincoln, who was
then a clerk at Salem, ILL.,, and with
Stephen A. Douglas, who was teaching a
country school. He was impressed with
their ability and told them they could
money with which to buy books
UaVe Lincoln his EtfSG CaSh.
"Come to Springfield. and Twill see that
you are supplied" was the Coloners reply.
Lincoln came and for a long time made
his home with Colonel and Mrs Taylor.
Through Colonel Taylor's influence, Lincoln
was taken into Judge Logan's Office, where
he made himself useful, keeping up
clerical work for the privilege of
using the Judges law library. About this
time Lincoln bought several yards of jeans
for pair of trousers. He hadn't enough
money to get them made, and Mrs. Taylor
volunteered to make them for him. In
after years. when he became President, he
told Mrs. Taylor that he never had pair of
trousers that gave him as much satisfaction
and as good wear as the pair she made him.
During the Civil War, when the Treasury
was empty, Lincoln sent for Colonel Tay-
lor. When the scheme evolved by them be-
came q success, Lincoln wrote Colonel Tay-
lor the following letter:
The Greenback Was Taylor's Creation.
My Dear Colonel Dick:
have long determined to make public
the origin of the greenback, and tell the
world thas it is one of Dick Taylor's crea.
tions. You had always been friendly to me,
and when troublous times fell on MS, and my
shoulders, though broad and willing, were
weak, and myself surrounded by such cir.
cumstances and such people that 1 knew
not whom to trust, then said 1 in my ex-
tremity: will send for Colonel Taylor; he
will know what to do. l think 1t was in
January, 1862 on or about the 10Th, that 1
did so. You came, and l said to you: What
can We do? Said you: Why, issue Treasury
best banking paper. Issue enough to pay
OF the army expenses and declare it legal
tender. Chase thought it a hazardous
thing, but we finally accomplished it, 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 ..sye 1 laughed at You telling
me plainly thai was too lazy to be anything
but a lawyer. A. LINCOLN.
Taylor was a warm friend of General
Grant as well as Lincoln, and carried many
dispatches between the two.
Button Makers Cannot Be Imported.
CHICAGO, Dec. 5.-Pearl button makinS
is not new industry in the United States
according to Judge Blodget:, in the United
States District Court, and he so instructed
jury to-day, and a verdict of guilty was ac-
cordingly returned against A. Zalay Zeiser
for impo ting under contract eight Austrian
peal, button makers to work in his factory
here.