Amos T. Akerman to Lyman Trumbull, 14 March 1871

March 14, 1871. Hon. Lyman Trumbull, Chairman Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senate. Sir: During the late session, a bill was considered by some members of Congress, a copy of which I now enclose. It was not passed, as I am informed, because of the insufficiency of time. It has been prepared with the aid of the Chief Justice of the Court of Claims. You will discover the object of it. Parties suing the Government for the recovery of the proceeds of cotton affirm their loyalty during the war. Papers on file in the Confederate archives show the contrary. The object is to legalise the admission of certified copies of papers in those archives. I send you certain papers, showing how important this testimony will be. If you approve the bill, I should be very glad to have it presented to Congress, and its passage urged. Very respectfully, Your obd't serv't, A. T. Akerman, Attorney General.