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George Henry Williams to Walt Whitman, 30 June 1874

About This Item

  • Title: George Henry Williams to Walt Whitman, 30 June 1874
  • Date: June 30, 1874
  • Creator(s): George Henry Williams
  • Whitman Archive ID: yal.00302
  • Source: Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Transcribed from digital images or a microfilm reproduction of the original item. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of the correspondence, see our statement of editorial policy.
  • Contributors to digital file: Alex Kinnaman Elizabeth Lorang Ashley Lawson John Schwaninger Nima Najafi Kianfar Caterina Bernardini Marie Ernster Cristin Noonans Paige Wilkinson Amanda J. Axley Stephanie Blalock
  • Cite this page: Williams, George Henry. "George Henry Williams to Walt Whitman, 30 June 1874." The Walt Whitman Archive. Gen. ed. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price. Accessed 11 May 2025. <http://www.whitmanarchive.org>.
  • Source File: yal.00302.xml (TEI)
 yal.00302.001_large.jpg Department of Justice, Washington June 30 1874.1 Walt Whitman Esq., Camden, N.J., Sir:

Congress at its last session abolished one of the third class clerkships in the office of the Solicitor of the Treasury, and upon my requesting the Solicitor to designate which of the three he could best dispense with, you were named. It is, therefore, my duty to inform you that your services will not be required from and after the first proximo.

I regret to have to send you this notice, but under the law limiting the force in the office  yal.00302.002_large.jpg  yal.00302.003_large.jpg the proposed reduction is necessary, and I do not feel at liberty to overrule the wishes of the Solicitor of the Treasury.

Very respectfully, Geo. H. Williams Attorney General.  yal.00302.004_large.jpg  yal.00302.005_large.jpg letter of dismissal from Attorny Gen's Office—Dismissal July 1, 1874  yal.00302.006_large.jpg

Correspondent:
George Henry Williams (1820–1910), U. S. Senator from Oregon, served as Attorney General from 1871 to 1875. On the recommendation of Solicitor of the Treasury Bluford Wilson, Williams dismissed Walt Whitman on June 30, 1874; Whitman "respectfully acknowledged" his dismissal in his July 1, 1874, letter to Williams.

Notes

  • 1. This letter is addressed: Walt Whitman Esq., | Camden, N.J., It is postmarked: WASHINGTON | 30 | JUN | D.C.; [back]
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