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Ebenezer Rockwood Hoar to Connally Findlay Trigg, 18 February 1870

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February 18, 1870. Hon. Connally F. Trigg, U. S. District Judge, Nashville, Tenn. Sir: Your letter of February 12th inst. is just received. On that day, the Solicitor of Internal Revenue came into my office and said to me that the Supervisor of Internal Revenue at Nashville had telegraphed to him that there ought to be a Commissioner of the United States Court resident in that city,—and that if the Attorney General would request the judge to appoint one, he probably would do so. I was not aware, and the Solicitor was not aware, that there was any Commissioner in that city, and we both knew that it was one of the most important places for public business in the State of Tennessee. I said to him that it was wholly the duty of the Judge to determine what Commissioners should be appointed, and where,—and that I could not interfere with the exercise of his duties, but that I was willing to certify to the Judge that I was assured that a Commissioner resident in Nashville was important to the public interest,—and sent you a telegram to that effect. I should add that the reason for telegraphing instead of writing was, that the Solicitor understood that you were then in Nashville, and were about to leave the city. You will hardly need to be assured that I had no knowledge or suspicion of what had taken place between you and the Supervisor.—There is in my Department no list of U. S. Commissioners, and I had no means of knowing, that there was one resident in Nashville. With the facts you state in your letter, I understand very well what impression my telegram made upon your mind; but with the facts which I have now stated, I feel confident you will see that there was nothing disrespectful or improper in the certificate of a fact which I sent to you on the 12th inst. Very respectfully, E. R. Hoar, Attorney General.
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