Amos T. Akerman to John L. Henry, 24 August, 1871

Aug. 24, 1871. John L. Henry, Esq. Tyler, Texas. Sir: In answer to your letter of the 14th instant, I have to say that it is held in this Department that any retainers of counsel made by other Departments prior to the 1st day of July, 1870, the day on which the Act establishing the Department of Justice took effect, were not dissolved by that Act—its prohibitions on Heads of Departments to employ counsel being only operative in the future, and not necessarily terminating contracts then in existence for services in pending cases. Under this view, inasmuch as your employment by Supervisor Bridgland under the authority of the Internal Revenue Bureau seems to have been prior to that date, it seems to me that you still sustain the relation of counsel to the Government in the cases embraced within your contract with Mr. Bridgland. Having been employed at the instance of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, your compensation will properly come from the Treasury Department. I return the papers which you enclosed. Very respectfully, A. T. Akerman, Attorney General.