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March 4, 1871.
Hon. R. C. McCormick,
House of Representatives.
Sir:
I have received your letter of the 1st instant, requesting that time be given to Mr. Phelps, U.S. Marshal for
Arizona to respond to the charges made against him.
The instructions formerly issued from the Department of the Interior, and now from this
Department, require the Marshal to make up his accounts in the proper form, and forward the
same, with vouchers, to the first Auditor of the Treasury, within ten days of the
termination of each term of the court. This duty has been neglected by Mr. Phelps for two
years.
Unless there shall be a prompt and satisfactory explanation, I shall feel bound to
recommend to the President that he be removed from office.
You will oblige me by communicating this information to Mr. Phelps, if you know his
present address. In coming to this determination I took into consideration no other charges
against him.
Very respectfully,
A. T. Akerman,
Attorney General.
Case of U.S. Marshal Phelps Arizona
