The Arvada enterprise., 1910-10-28
Hero of the Federal Treasury

reply. And I am much better of
than Chittenden was after he had
don1 what | did the other day, but to
much greater extent.
Il. G. Chittenden, you know, was
registrar of the treasury department
at Washington during the administra-
ton of President Lincoln, and a very
capable officer he was We were per-
sonally on terms of friendship, and,
meeting him one day in the streets of
Washington-I should say 1t was in
the last months Of President Lincoln's
lfe-l noticed that his right hand
and arm below the elbow were power
less. l wondered whether he was in
the initial stages of the shaking palsy,
and knowing him we'll enough to do
so, asked him II that were the case
Shaking his head slowly and smiling
slightly. he told me the following
story-and ever since the day / heard
III have held that Mr.. Chfttenden ~aS
as much a hero for his country's sake
as any man who went before the can
mons mouth in the Civil war
You know began Mr. Chittenden
to me, as we stood on the edge of the
Washington sidewalk, when Charles
Francis Adams, our minister to Great
Britain, protested against the British
government permitting those English
built Confederate privateers to sail
from the ports Of their construction
he was told that the ships would be
kept from weighing anchor provided
he deposited with the British govern
ment within "a hours $5, 200, 900 In gold.
so that Great Britain might be pro
tected in case any damage suits were
brought against her for holding back
the privateers. Mr.. Adams, as you
probably know, had no idea where he
could get the necessary gold, but that
afternoon 1t was unexpectedly offered
to him by man whose name has
been kept a secret to this day, that
being the sole string of the loan. To
this good friend of America in need
Mr. Adams offered as security United
States government bonds, telling him
however, that he would be obliged to
walt for the bonds until word of his
deed could be sent by mail to Wash
ington-there was no cable working
then-and the bonds sent over.
well, by the next steamer PresI- .
dent Lincoln and Secretary of State .
Seward received Mr.. Adams commu-
nication. and It at once became nee.
essary to send five millions in govern /
ment bonds to Mr.. Adams by the first .
steamer to Europe, If possible It
would sail in just As hours. We had
the bonds, but they were unsigned
Mr. Chittenden." Mr.. Seward
asked me. do you think you can sign
hve millions Of bonds in less than As
hours% said l would do my best,
and little while thereafter the
ponds were brought to me and be-
gan to affix my signature to them, one
after another.
From that time IN, until the last
BOND was signed. Just in time to catch
the steamer. did not leave my office
except momentarily. / ate In the of.
nee. For hours ! could scarcely see
lhe ponds as they lay before me and
appended my signature by instinct. as
2 plind man would The task involved
Inc greatest exercise of will power |
was ever called upon to exert My
mead almost swan with bonds the
ast hours of the 4S, and the last Of
me signatures must have had only a
lancied resemblance to my regular
one. But did the work in time. and
me bonds were sent by special mes
.enger to Mr.. Adams. who, in turn,
leiivered them promptly to the good
friend Of the Union who had ad.
sanced the five millions In gold. And
lhis-Mr- Chittenden glanced hal
and half ruefully at hi.
powerless right hand and arm-'thii
: my scar and wound. permanent
injury received while doing my duty
as a government oficer.'"
SopSnght 1910. by e. ]. Edwards. All
Rights Reserved)