The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-06-14
M 'CU!LLOUCH.
Personal "reminiscences OF
the Great FinanCier.
One OF His Former Clerks Recalls
Him as He Was.
His Onicial Labors and His Qualities
and Traits.

SIR-A very few Rhode Island clerks
served under the great financier, Hon.
Hugh Mccullough, Just deceased, and will
you, Mr.. Editor, allow one OF them n few
lines, in memoriam, of our honored ex-Sec-
retary of the Treasury. lie was esteemed
and beloved, alike, for his real nobility of
character, his financial ability, his cor
diality, his approachability, his honesty
and incorruptibility, and his loyalty to
principle, and to his flag and country.
He may not have surpassed q Chase, a
Fessenden or Hamilton, but he was un-
swerving in his fidelity to right, "as God
gave him the light to see the right" as
the great Lincoln said, and to duty as he
saw his duty to be from his standpoint.
His task, like that of the great Premier
Secretary Seward, and the autocratic, but
impartial and victorious, Stanton, was q
trying, bitter and thankless one, after the
beloved President, Abraham Lincoln, was
so cruelty and cowardly deposed by
fiendish crime, and the succeeding Presi-
dent, Andrew Jackson, assumed power,
but nobly, uncomplainingly, did they
stand to their posts, sacrificing the mer-
tied garlands of future honor, power and
position.
1t required no ordinary measure of
courage, virtue, loyalty and staying quail
tiles to withhold their resignations and
faithfully address themselves to the task
Of supp porting and advising the incoming
President, and to the attempt TO
successfully conduct the administ tration
of the Government, so as to reap the
fruits of the great war, and TO preserve
the Union. The obstacles surrounding
them were many, and almost insurmount-
able, apparently, but they bravely en-
countered and overcame them, amid much
criticism from the press and officials.
The salvation and life OF their country
was the problem they desired to solve, but
the severe criticism, and denunciation of
their self-sacrifieing, patriotic course was
oftentimes prolonged and disheartening.
They had to combat, too, the change in
public opinion Of Andrew Johnson, since
he was nominated for Vice President,
caused by his prolonged, maudlin de-
bauchery and his demoralized, dissipated
life. His change in the department and
government officials, and the causeless.
brutal dismissal Of hundreds of
the best Union clerks (no civil
service law existing them, at the
behest of the opposition, weakened and
paralyzed his administration. His COM
plete announcement of his former heroic,
noble stand and principles, his submis-
sion in his maudlin condition to his
worst enemies, OF the opposition, who
were determined, il possible, to destroy
him, effected at last the wreck
of the once brilliant orator, statesman
and President of the United States from
the proud State OF Tennessee, and but for
one vote, in the greatest impeachment
trial of the world, the former idol of the
country would have been remanded to
the dignities OF private life.
Against such trials and discouragements
these great cabinet officers labored and
struggled, and despite abuse and number
less troubles and difficulties, manfully
performed their official task and duties.
Secretary McCullough's financial record
In the treasury department was: Faithful
integrity, and his policy such as to
receive very favorable comment from the
financial world. He was kind, genial
and approachsble to all in the treasury
department, no matter what their posi-
tion, aud labored for the best interests
OF all. As an illustration of his fairness
the halt million donation to clerks shows
his impartiality. Congress, on account of
hard times, high rents, etc, voted half
million as q relief to the treasury clerks.
The best paid clerks, by a commit
tee, divided the first half among
themselves, the balance, the last half,
was divided pro rata equally among the
clerks OF all classes, thanks to Secretary
Mccullough and Congress. Few
men were more esteemed than Cen
eral Spinner of the treasury
for his many virtues and impartiality
to his clerks. Like him, Secretary Nc
Cullough was greatly beloved for his
many noble qualities OF heart and soul
by the clerks of the department. Like
another Secretary, he followed the great
Charles Summers letter to "stick."
He will be honored and
as having kept out
out OF that high office, any one OF dis
Union sentiments, OF less honor, less in
tegrity or less patriotism than himself,
and as having been loyal to his country
in it's most trying moments and in its
darkest hour. J. II. BROWN.