Year: 1864

ricnced accountant, at the same time stating
that he must be Scotchman and a married
man. The Doctor, knowing that possessed
all these requirements, introduced me to Smith,
and the result was that he engaged me to per-
form the following duties: ITO enter and
clear vessels, to keep the books and papers of
the Custom House, Revenue Cutter, Marine
Hospital, Light Houses, and in the event of
the Custom-H House being removed to Port
Angeles, the books Of q store he intended to
open there" He stated that the salary he
was going to name was . small one that the
Government paid one half aud hs the other !;
but that might at once expect large in
crease, as he had written requesting the De-
partmsnt to advance the salaries SO per cent !;
that the situation l was going to hold was a
good and permanent one, and wound up by
intimatins that as was going to hold an Off
cial position he would require me to take the
oath ofallcgiencc, to which assented. Smith
gave me month to prepare, but three days
after ho addressed a note to DIR. Tolmie re-
quiring me to proceed at once to Olympia, and
there g declare my intention" Presuming
from this that the gentleman whose place
was to take had left sooner than Smith had
anticipated, as there was no other means of
reaching Port Townsend l was forced to pay
$50 for plunger. reported my arrival at
the Custom House that evening, 9th March)
and went on to Olympia. A steamer was to
leave for Port Townsend on Monday morning.
q had arrived on Saturday evening" and in
order to save expense Of remaining until the
following steamer, was advised by Judge
Oliphant, as Smiths friend, to return to Port
Townsend, and there take the oath. / did
SO, and Smith sent me back again, as he said
ho had his own reasons for my not taking the
oath in Port Townsend He assured mo that
hc would make up my expenses in the adj
vance to my salary. On returning to Port
Townsend, he put me off from day to day
one day telling me ho would carry out his
intention and put me into Mr.. lay
lor's place, as Deputy Collector, and next day
changing his mind AMI making some mad pro-
posals about my going to Port Angeles to
take charge of his store there. On expressing
my doubts of the store paying, he stated that
he expected to make at least S40O year by
supplying the revenue cutter with stores
Having found out that would not trucklc 10
him he tried to get rid Of ms by insulting me
in every possible way, and offering mes 100
if would return to Victoria. l dcclined
this it had cost me that to remove my fami
lv TO Port Townsend. Thus matters stood
when he lift for Washington. He wrote to
Lieut.. Merriman stating that held no official
position in the office, but that l would no
doubt assist him in any way he might direct
Smith had asked me before he left if / would
commence a set of books for tho Gust om-
House, and suggested to Mr.. Merriman that
should commences these books from the time
Smith took Office, on the 2d August last. /
did so, and journaizad every transaction from
that time up to the day Smith left. The re-
suit Of these Investigations I have already
placed before the your Exccllency as we'll
as before tho Grand Jury. Lieut.. Merriman,
in order to secure payment for my services
thus rendered to the Government, swore me
in as all Inspector Of Customs, and, as you will
perceive from the annexed copy Of certificate,
l performed the duties Of Deputy Collector
under him up to the lst August, on which
day Smith returned and discharged mo, with
out assigning any reason for SO doing, or offer
ing to pay the s,lary due to me. In thus TAX
ing action with Mr.. Merriman in making
known TO tho Government Smiths many ras-
calities, l did what believed to be my duty,
however much my adopting that course might
initiate against my own interests. am a
p,or man, and can very i'll afford to be kept
out of my money, but notwithstanding all
this, am happy in the knowledge that l havs
done what is right, and that though things
appear gloomy at present, the time must come
when all concerned in thess matters will re-
caivc their just due. may just add that l
have remained here at great expense to my
eelf (havins been unable to obtain any en-
ployment) in the hope that might DO Of some
use to the Government. in assisting any spe-
cial agent who may arrive TO look into the
charges against Smith. My expenses in at.
tending as witness against Smith, at Olym-
pia, amounted to $45, for which l received
scrip for $3l SO, and have been forced to dis.
pose of that for SIS 75-thnt making me
loser to the extent of some $50. Under thess
circumstances. would respectfully venture
to ask your Excellcncy to represent my case
to the Department.


cannot conclude this letter without add
ing my humble testimony to assist in dis
proving the scandalous and lying charges
which Smith has preferred against Lieut..
Merriman. as being q secessionist. had
the pleasure for some five months of being in
daily intercourse with Mr.. Merriman, aud
never during that time heard him utter sin
gle disloyal word on the contrary, at all
times remarked that he expressed himself as
a true and loyal subject. Ono act Of his,
trivial though It was, shows his heart was on
the right side: A large engraving Of General
Mcclellan and staff appeared in Harpev's


Weekly. This Mr. Merriman posted up on
the Custom House walls. expressing at the
time his admiration of the General and the
cause in which hs was engaged. In making
this statement regarding Lieut.. Msrriman's