Ebenezer Rockwood Hoar to R. B. Carnahan, 28 January 1870

January 28, 1870. R. B. Carnahan, Esq. Pittsburgh, Penn. Sir: Your letter of the 27th inst. is received. No charges against your personal or official character have been made to this Department, but, on the contrary, I have every reason to believe that you have been a faithful and efficient officer. In making a selection to fill the vacancy which has occurred, many considerations have been, of course, presented to the President which it is neither neither​ necessary nor proper for me to discuss, as an officer whose term has expired stands, in regard to a reäppointment, upon precisely the same footing with any other candidate, except that the value of his previous services is entitled to just weight in making the decision. I believe that this is a sufficient answer to what you ask in your letter, and with the assurance of my personal and professional regard, I am, Very respectfully, E. R. Hoar, Attorney General.