William Gates reaches out to Franklin Chase for help after being accused of violating the Constitution by unlawfully receiving gifts in Tampico.
Newport R. I.
Nov 12th 1848
My dear Sis
Look well around you if
you have not already--W.P.B.Y--[words illegible]
are full of venom. They have written to Washing[-]
ton complaining of our money transactions
Public & Private. I am accused of dis=
graceful acts & you of pocketing the revenue
by exactions before you would enter repds[?]
-- of Moliano & Maskoke[?] thus Clauson & Co.
$1200..& 1500. The Hon Secretary iof War [William L. Marcy] has had
me before him (10 Nov) and asked me to con-
fess. He suspected me of fraud & corruption.
He asked me questions [word illegible] " [?] if I had
rec'd $1000 of Labours[?] & [word illegible] 1000. of [word illegible]
I said [word illegible] Sis "$500 [underlined] - each 500 to West & 500 to Myre
"You will refund all you rec'd Sirs"--& I must
obey _____ You will refund as follows
Oregon $11.768_13 - including all forfietures
$289.70 - omitted - and $300
Salary 5 816. Cost voucher of [word illegible] back - or
wrong addition
Mexican [?] 6 092.70.
Escorts 1 000
1 150 Moliano & Co 400 + Clawson $7.50
$25,427
The Escort money to be returned by Sec'y.
All this I am about to do. I have it in Bank
I state that I rec'd 400 of Moliano. Judge L.[?] got 400 intended[?]
for him. More gentleman have made no statements
or complaints by word or in writing but Van[?]
has got a verbal statement he says. Have you not
their notes? desiring[?] you to receive the gifts, or
a free [underlined] offering? These rascals assure us of demanding
or exacting money as a condition before any business
could be done in the office. This you know is not
so. What Leoned[?] did was for extra services by him
or 800 from Moliano. I want you now to pro-
cure from those persons certificates, that they
have not authorized any complaints to be made
ag[ainst] [word crossed out] or you & that the gifts were entirely
free offerings without demand or exaction
(I told them that they would have to pay a little
for extra -(clerk - hire etc.) as you were [word illegible] & clerk sick Tell them
that Taylor has wrong[ed] us by false statements
as coming from them. He refers to conversation
in which they state, Moliano has asserted that we
exacted money from him before he could get us
to do our duty. Of course this he will not state
as I know him to be a gentleman and man of Truth
Mr Clawson[?] seems not to have made any com-
plaint in writing (either) but Taylor & Co. state
similar accusations, as coming from them.
through Van. Now I request you to get from
those gentleman duplicate statements and
you are the right one to manage this, as it
should be. I am of opinion you have already
done good service from what Mr Chase says -- wrote about Sindenberger (who does not approve) The Secretary urges
me to pay over to him Moliano's gift & Clawson's
also -- 400 & 750 = 1150 - which was handed to me
after we had closed business in the Custom House
& we had no further entries to make as a free
present or gift not interfering with regular payments
of duties as seen on the papers handed in, which
one I shall hand over to "Marcy" the Sec'y says
it was wrong [word underlined]. I told him I did not think [4 words underlined] ser
vice gifts were merely private offerings on their
part (marked or demanded - not a Cent [word illegible])
for extra labor gratuitously bestowed in a
grateful way. You can organize the words to
recite facts better than I can as you know
what was said & written. The Sec'y speaks of
writing to you for the books & papers and to be
ready on all points & to return [word underlined] the money.
I defended you stoutly would not confess
any wrong or abuse or fraud to any man on
our [word underlined] part as I know of no exactions or offerings
to defraud or do injory to man or the Gov't. The
enteries[sic] being all regular & customary. I have
to pay over $289 for forfeitures not credited [word illegible] if
the [word illegible] I owe - 300$ for wrong addition. Mexican
draw backs $589 I am not allowed pay, except
a Gov'r of the city. (Tell Wally his 1300$[?] was put
in the right [word underlined] place.. .) and seen by the Sec'y in July.
I have now to pay up $589 for doing my duty
but they offer me promises in Congress for
something. So much for looring one voucher
out of a Cart Load I shall sell all my bonds & stock and pay up
I have more than will be required thank
God. Mr Holmes of S.C. member says "by God
they shall pay you for your trouble & expenses. Feb[?]
I have told Mr Marcy that the letters of Taylor & Co
are untrue and hearsay. Evidence only. He will
return them with my remarks and then Taylor
will be up and doing again. I had accounted
for the 1300.$. Wally gave me before the [words illegible] came
so there he [word illegible] his arms at [words illegible].
Now go at this at once my dear friend
as we suffer (perhaps). If you have the notes
of Moliano & Clawson send me copies of them
showing that the gifts were what any [word illegible]
might make as they were not offered to induce
wrong or illegal acts or fraud but free [word illegible]
hiring us to do our duty which should be
done without any bargaining. Neither of these
gentleman can say or show that they
handed me a dollar as a bribe or exaction
or that they promised to do so. I say no
nor to you either. I well know it will
all come out right altho Taylor & Co hopes to
crush us both. I am in N York now to get
cash. I hasten this off and may a just God
watch over you & yours for ever
Your friend
WG[?]
