Year: 1875

LErTER OF RESIGNATION


WASHINGTON July s. 1875.


Mr.. PREsIDENT% have the honor to transmit with
this note my resignation of the office of Secretary OF the
Interior You have been aware TOR some time OF my
earnest desire TO retire from public life, and you
have understood tho reasons connected with my
private business and domestic aifctions which
have produced and intensified this desire. Last
fall, In November, requested you to accept my resg
nation You asked me not to insist upon 1t, and
pressed desire that should remain in your Cabinet
until the end of your administration or as long as l
found it agreeable to do AT your request and solicit
taton declined then TO insist upon your acceptance of
my resignation assuring you, however, that must re-
sign during the early part of the ensuing spring
When that period arrived, and during the months of
April and May you advised me again not to resign,
for this conclusion need not be stated here
Since you were called by your fellow citi-
zens 10 perform the duties Of Chief Mags-
trate you have invited me- without the
solicitation of myself or friends far as know and
believe to take charge Of two important and response
BILE public trusts the Internal Revenue Bureau and the
Interior Department was Commissioner OF Internal
Revenue from March, 1863, to November 1870 period
Of one year and eight months The results of my ad
minstration you know, and they are not trust, en-
tirely unknown TO my fellow citizens. The difficulties
Of this position, and the diligence, care and labor
required of me in dscharging its duties, you
also understand, and OF these l trust the
public has some correct appreciation | as
In November 1870 and have discharged them TO the
best of my ability for period Of four years and eight
months. They have been aborious, difficult and deli
They have embraced the supervision OF the Gen.
era Land Office, the Indian Bureau, the Pension and
Patent Offices the Bureau of Education and of
miscellaneous business unknown 10 any except those
connected with the public service


The business of the Land Office is very extensive, and
involves the adjudication and settlement of legal dues
tons growing out Of railroad grants berally and pro-
fusey made few years since and Mexican and Spanish
grants made before We acquired California and New
Mexico and also those growing out Of mineral laws
and large mining interests to say nothing OF those that
arose under our homestead and preempton systems
These the head of the department vast amount
of judicial labor and responsibility which Is not gener
ally understood.


The Indian Bureau as you know is full OF intricate,
delicate and vexatious questions growing out OF numer
Indian treaties and the imperiectly defined rela
tons existing between the government and the Indian
The execution of this service already greatly
embarrassed by the remoteness of the localities whore
much of II has to be performed thus preventing
tact and personal supervision over the persons en-
ployed well as by the want OF salaries large enough
TO command talent character and capacity equal TO the
duties and responsibilities of the positions Many OF
the important duties OF the head of the department
connected with the material and pecuniary interests OF
ndivduals These interests are often large in amount
The Secretary in deciding, must necessarily
reject the claim OF one Of the parties,
and, thereby, not unirequently finds him
self assaled by the Misrepresentation and fasehoods
of the defeated claimants | feel confident that
thorough and impartial examination in the present
condition of the public service connected with each
and all Of the bureaus attached to the Interior Depart
ment will show TO all candid and fair-minded men
that 1t has never been in more prosperous or better
condition than it is now; and feel sure that the most
scrutnizng examination will sustain the opinion here
expressed and that IL will also lead 10 the conviction
that great improvements have been made under your
policy in the service connected with the Indian Bu-
allude to these matters briefly TO remind you
of the exhausting labor which fidelity 10 my duties
during the last six years and four months has de-
manded of me- and 70 show you in part that one of nv
age requires rest and recuperaton


During all these years OF toll have had your sup
port your sympathy, and believe, your entire conf
dence Had 1t been otherwise should have long since
retired AS l have sad, your political favors have
unsolicited and therefore have been highly ap-
precated You have always lightened my burdens by
cheerful prompt and cordial cooperation When our
official relations severed shall always continue TO
cherish for you the highest regard founded as it is
upon my unqualified confidence In your unselhsh
patriotism, in the accuracy and soldty Of your judg
ment and in the high OF justice which has always
characterized you and from which, in my opinion,
nothing can tempt you intentionally TO devate have
the honor 70 be- with great sincerity, your friend and
obcdent servant c. DELAN0.


The following is the Presidents reply


REPLY OF Tns PRESIDENT


LONG BRANCH, ~ J., Sept % 1875


DEAR SrR-Your letter OF the 9Th Of July rendering
your resignation OF the olce OF Secretary of the In
terror duly received and has been held by until
this time without action because OF the continued per-
secution which l believed, and believe, being
unjustly heaped on you through the public press
only take action because the time Is rapidly ap-
preaching when the Secretary of the Interior will have
TO commence his labors preparatory rendering his
annuareport 10 accompany the Executive Message to
Congress therefore accept your resignation to take
effect the 1st day OF October leaving little more
than months from the induction your successor
until the assembling of Congress-


In accepting your resignation am not unmindful of
the fact that about the time of the meeting of Con-
srcss one year ago. you stated TO me that you felt the
necessity Of retiring from the Cabinet and asked me
whether would prefer your resignation have
your confirmed by the Senate during the
session whether would prefer 1t in vacation. My
answer that | would prefer not having it at all
That my feeling at the time, and believe that
you have Oiled every public trust conhded TO with
ability apd integrity sincerely trust that the future
will place you right in the estimation Of the public
and that you will continue to enjoy its confidence as
you have done through many years Of public and
official life. With continued respect and friendship 1
subscribe myself very truly, your obedent servant


U. S. GRANT


Hon. c. DELASo Secretary of Interior.