Amos T. Akerman to Freeman Clarke, 22 March 1871

March 22, 1871. Hon. Freeman Clarke, M. C. Arlington Hotel, Washington, D. C. Sir: A letter of Mr. George A. Hitchcock, of San Diego, California, which you have referred to this office is one of a series of communications which I have received upon that subject. About once a week I get a letter from somebody into the interest of Mrs. Burton praying that the appeal be dismissed, and a letter from somebody in the interest of the other parties, praying that it shall not be dismissed. Most of these communications have been answered, and the answers have been to the effect that the appeal would not be dismissed unless it should appear, upon examination, that there is no case whatever for the United States. If the parties who are represented by Mr. Hitchcock can give me any light upon the law of the case, as it stands before the Supreme Court, I shall be very glad to hear from them; otherwise their further communications will be unnecessary. Very respectfully, A. T. Akerman, Attorney General.