Amos T. Akerman to T. W. Osborne, 20 December 1871

Dec. 20, 1871. Hon. T. W. Osborne, U.S. Senate. Sir: Your letter of the 16th instant, containing an extract from one of Governor Reed to you, has been received. I would promptly send the detective requested by the Governor, if I had the means; but the detective fund under the control of this Department is exhausted. Should it be replenished by any action of Congress, I shall take great pleasure, if in office at the time, in spending some of it for the detection of crime in Florida. And I beg you in that case, as a precaution against any slip in my memory, to remind me of this promise. Very respectfully, &c. A. T. Akerman, Attorney General.