Year: 1878




OF mine in the Treasury Department have


to-day secured something which will puzzle


Hayes and the Ohio tinancer to explain, and


which may prove to be an additional light for


Conkling to steer by In his coming raid on


the administration.


| This choice bit Of Information, although


known to Hayes early In March, was kept a


most profound secret by him until he turned


it over to Sherman thus violating confidence


but had it not been for that 1t would not, per-


haps, ever have seen the light. AS you will see


1t throws now financial light upon the action of


at least one member of the Louisiana Re


turning Board. The document or letter is


dated New Orleans, March II, 1873 and Is n
| personal, i may say confidential, letter to
Hayes 1t reads as follows:


! Sir Believing you to be n man OF Chris
| tian character, desiring to do that which ls


right, | venture to address you in the hope


that In the statement of q few simple facts,


| may be able somewhat to enlig hten you In


reference to the conduct of things here lin


the customs depart tmelt), or failing In that,


l shall ut least know that you are advised


and knowing the right dare not pursue it,.


Though personally II stranger and fully


write, yet having. with yourself shared the
| fortunes of soldier In the defense of our


common country, feel that | can claim that


companionship ut least, and having no inter
est To serve but q desire to promote the pub
| lie good and the reputation of your admins


tration, [ cannot but believe that You will
| lend kindly ear to what | hava to say. aud
that you may know something OF my stand
ing as q man aud reputation as an officer
+, (both military and civil, / beg to refer you
to the inclosed copies of letters penned by
those with whom you are officially, If not per
sonally, well acquainted, and were it not for
1ear OF 100 great trespass upon your time,
| could add many more


In what am proposing to write. | do not
presume to suggest what course the Chief Ex-
ecutive OF the land should pursue but by
showing some OF the injustice and wrong
growing out of the past, may not hope am
rendering you d Srrvice2 That ] may adhere
strictly to facts. L shall have to refer to per
sonal experience, but shall do SO as briefly as
possible.


Answering my country's call in 1861, left a
widowed mother and four sisters at home to
do that couniry's bidding In the ranks of it's
defenders. How well and faithfully per
formed that service, the records will show
Circumstances four years after the war,
lapse OF year 1 was appointed cashier of
customs at this port. and for seven years dis
charged the duties of that office to the salts
faction OF the government and the universal
approval OF The entire community. Last
August, at the instance of the then Collector
fklngt, was removed according to his own
letter, without cause. to make room for one
who had only become citizen since the war,
and who was then and still is member Of
the State Iegislature-an appointment not
only in direct and fragrant opposition to the
reform your inaugural promised tho country
to expect, but when made in the interest Of
those who were notorious for their Jealous eff
forts in the attempted overthrow of the gov
ernment, and who have since become still
more notorious as members of our late Re
turning Bohrd, you cannot but agree that
such condition OF things is well calculated
to sicken the hearts of all honest citizens,
ana offers but poor encouragement to cherish
that feeling OF patriotic pride which should
beat in every breast, and upon which the lib
critics OF our country rest


or course, you cannot personally be con-
versant with every detail concerning your
numerous subordinates, and / write, there
lore with no feeling OF personal animoSity;
but when tell you that one of the members OF
the Returning Board demanded and receiued
ten thousand dollars before signing the re-
turns, L haze 1t from an eye,ritaess $4,000
being paid in cash, and $4,000 in an obligation, |
a note, you cannot wonder at the disgust
ana Indignation OF an honest citizen who has |
tmperiled his life and given twelve of his |
best years in the defense and service of his |
country, when 1t is all considered of no value
when placed in contrast with treason and |
perjury. Do not understand me either as writ |
ing in spirit of bitter and revengeful feeling |
against those who were formerly opposed to |
US. On the contrary, the past with me is
long since buried, and to-day | cherish |
among my best friends those who were
former Toes. L only make this reference to
sub init If you can, with the least sense OF JUS
tice, indorse the removal OF one OF those who
has defended his country to make room for
one OF those who has sought to destroy t2


The honorable Secretary of the Treasury
was advised Of these facts from my own pen
before he took action on my removal, but for
reasons which he eknows best and which others
not If,f ffpt,xN ~ l.
violence to his own sense Of justice and right
and wrong another.


In thus briefly presenting the facts In my own
case, am but giving you general idea of
the many instances OF injustice and wrong
mat nave been experienced here under the
Ii such state Of things Is in accordance with
your wishes as Chief Magistrate, bow in re-
spectful Difference and turn away with sad
heart to know that one occupying such high
and exalted position can persist In thus g-
noring the public sense of decency and right,
and do violence to the feelings and wishes of
such large majority of his fellow citizens.
Hoping your appreciation of the frank and
friendly spirit in which | have written and
that what have said may be of some little
service in guiding you in the right direction
n your efforts to promote the public welfare
here, with many wishes for the successful is
sue of your administration, / have the honor
TO be your most obedient servant.


The name OF the party who wrote this let
Ter l cannot ascertain, though that sent above
S verbatim copy. Hayes had the letter
'ead to him, / hear, and then directed his
private secretary, Rogers, to hand it over to
sherman. Rogers did so, at the same time,
oy some blunder of his own, acknowledging
is receipt and informing the writer that it
lad been referred to the Secretary of the
Treasury to whom all such communications
must in future be addressed, and this was
lone, although the letter was marked "per-
onal.' 1t was rather too much for Sherman {
o hold long without advising his Returning
Board of, to put them on their guard, so he
ent it, before Wells arrived here, to Ander-
on at New Orleans, actually referring it to I
i'm in the regular red-tape system, by which !
of course naSsed through the hands of