Letter from William A. Howard to Attorney General Ebenezer Hoar, 1870 February 7

File — Box: OS0014, Folder: 4268.01

Letter from William A. Howard to attorney general Ebenezer Hoar, February 7, 1870

Scope and Contents

From the Collection: This collection contains a seven-page letter by Republican congressman William A. Howard written in 1870 to Ebenezer Hoar, then US attorney general, defending politician Edwin M. Stanton (1814-1869) against suggestions of disloyalty for his conduct while he was serving in the cabinet of President James Buchanan in 1860-1861. The letter refers to correspondence between Hoar and former US secretary of state Jeremiah S. Black, in which Black responded to certain remarks Hoar made to the US Supreme Court shortly after Stanton’s death. In the letter, Howard describes his communications with Stanton and his awareness of Stanton’s whereabouts and actions during January-March 4, 1861. The letter also discusses a controversy regarding the back-dating of a document pertaining to an attack on a Pensacola, Florida, Navy yard on January 12, 1861. Howard concludes that “history will vindicate every word you said of Stanton before the Supreme Court, and will not permit the taint of disloyalty or treason to so much as touch his fame whatever may become of those associated with him in Mr. Buchanan’s Cabinet.” The file also includes a typed transcription of the original letter.

Dates

1870 February 7

Language of Materials

From the Collection: Materials are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Due to the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access to certain materials may require additional advance notice.