making appropriations for certain civil expenses of the Government, appropriated $20,000 for refurnishing the President's House, and it contained the usual provision in such appropriations-that the proceeds of the sale of the old furniture should be applicable to the same object. The old furniture was sold at public auction, and the net proceeds of the sale amounted to $1,005.94. This sum, with the appropriation, making $21,005.94, was all that was expended during the administration of Mr. Buchanan for refurnishing the President's House. As I disbursed and accounted for the money, I hope you will do me the justice to publish in the Globe this correction of the error into which the honorable Chairman was led by the incorrect information he had received. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOHN C. RIVES, Esq., Editor of the Daily Globe. JOHN B. BLAKE. Whether you may think proper to correct the error I leave entirely to your own discretion. It is a curious fact, which as an antiquary you may like to know, that there never was to my knowledge a Gold Spoon in the President's House. They were silver spoons plated with gold which were brought there by Mr. Monroe. I well recollect that in General Jackson's time the plating had been partially worn off and they appeared like mosaic work. They were replated afterwards, but under what President I do not know. Yours very respectfully HON: THADDEUS STEVENS. JAMES BUCHANAN. MY DEAR SIR,— TO MR. KING.' WHEATLAND, 23 June, 1866. I am pleased to learn that you arrived safely at home the day you left us. You left very kind remembrances of you behind. Indeed, the Sabbath when all the company were together was passed charmingly, but I fear not much to Christian edification. 'Turning on the Light, by Horatio King, pp. 205-206. I have read your poem [" Employment Necessary to Happiness"]. There is much good sense in it and it is better than the common run of American poetry. Still, I think you were more distinguished as Assistant Postmaster-General and as the chief of the department than you will ever become as a poet. Notwithstanding, I read your poem with great pleasure and interest. I have not yet obtained a copy of the letter I promised to send you. It shall be forthcoming in good time. We have no news worth mentioning. The four ladies desire to be kindly and cordially remembered to you, and we all desire to see you again whenever this may meet your convenience. From your friend, very respectfully, HON: HORATIO KING. JAMES BUCHANAN. TO MR. KING.1 WHEATLAND July 14th 1866. MY DEAR SIR, I have received yours of the 9th Instant, and now send you a copy of my Hayesville letter which I received this morning from the Daily Express (Republican) of Lancaster, in which it was published on the 2nd of Oct., 1861. "Old Blair," in his letter to the Public of August 15, 1856, against my election, makes a point of my recommendation of General Cameron's Bank at Middletown as a safe depository of a. portion of the public money. This he asserts was made a short time before Mr. Polk's election in 1844 and during Mr. Tyler's administration, when the Deposit Bank System was, unfortunately, in full operation. I have not the least recollection of any such recommendation; but if it exists, as I suppose it does, then General Cameron, my neighbor and at that time my political friend, must have called upon me for it and I gave it as a matter of course. 'Buchanan Papers, Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Should you be at the Treasury Department I should like to have a copy of this letter which Blair says was written in November, 1844; but I say in sincerity I care little for it, and do not give yourself much trouble about it. From your friend very respectfully HON: HORATIO KING. JAMES BUCHANAN. MY DEAR NIECE/ TO MRS. JOHNSTON.' WHEATLAND, 18 July, 1866. I have received yours of the 12th and desire to express my sympathy for your sufferings from the extreme heat of the weather. I have received a letter from Annie giving me an agreeable account of her visit to you, & stating what a good housekeeper you are & how happy you are in your domestic relations. God grant this may ever continue! She says Mr. Johnston and yourself are looking forward to your paying me a visit in August, & that he is very anxious you should go to the country for a while. You know that my house is ever open to you & you shall always receive a cordial welcome. The same I am certain will be extended to you whether I am at home or not. I feared from your former life that you might be inclined to leave home too often, & therefore I guarded you against such an inclination; but whenever you can come here, you know how much pleasure your society would afford me, & this would be increased by that of Mr. Johnston. I enclose you the last letter of Mrs. Ellis and I confess I am disappointed that your name is not mentioned in it. Please to return it to me. I had only thought of going to Saratoga to meet her; & when informed she would not be there I determined to go to Bedford because I really require the use of the waters. I intend to take Thomas with me, who has behaved 'Buchanan Papers, private collection; Curtis's Buchanan, II. 648. very well since his last escapade. I do not anticipate a pleasant visit. The place will swarm with Republican intriguers. James Reynolds & Henry Magraw have gone there in advance of the main column. The latter, though professing democracy, will take part in all their intrigues on the Senator & other questions. Your affectionately, MRS. JOHNSTON. JAMES BUCHANAN. MY DEAR NIECE/ TO MRS. JOHNSTON.2 BEDFORD SPRINGS, 30 July, 1866. I have received your favor of the 25th, & would answer it at greater length; but this will be delivered to you by Miss Goffy [Goughey] Carroll who can tell you all the news. My time passes pleasantly enough & everybody is kind. I shall leave here with Mr. North on Monday the 6th August unless some friend should arrive in the meantime with whom I can travel home at a later period. Thomas is useless & worse than useless. I shall send him home to-day or to-morrow. You inquire, Is there any chance of Clymer's election? If I am to believe the shrewdest calculators in the State-I don't pretend to give my own opinion-he will certainly be elected. Such is Governor Porter's opinion though he thinks that on joint ballot there will be a majority in the Legislature against us. If so a Republican will be elected Senator, & among the list of Candidates, such candidates, there is very little choice. Cameron's chance is, I think, the best. You have doubtless observed that Thaddeus Stevens has made the amende honorable for having charged us with spending more than the $20,000 appropriated.3 3 'Three paragraphs, relating to personal matters, are here omitted. Buchanan Papers, private collection; Curtis's Buchanan, II. 649. See Mr. Buchanan to Mr. Stevens, April 21, 1866, supra. I think from all I can learn here that the Rev: John Chambers of Philadelphia is most probably engaged to Miss Howard; but Miss Carroll will tell you all about it. I have found the Howards quite agreeable, & the old General much more so than I had anticipated. With my kind regards to Mr. Johnston, I remain Yours affectionately, MRS. HENRY E. JOHNSTON. JAMES BUCHANAN. P. S. If you so desire you might come to Wheatland by the 8th August whether I am at home or not. MY DEAR SIR : - TO MR. CAPEN.1 WHEATLAND, August 10, 1866. I returned the day before yesterday from a visit to the Bedford Springs, from which I derived much benefit. Indeed my health is now quite as good as I can reasonably expect, considering my age. You ask my opinion as to the course which the approaching convention ought to pursue. Whilst I do not feel myself competent to state in detail what ought to be their proceedings, yet one thing is certain; they ought, neither directly nor indirectly, to break up the organization of the old Democratic party by forming anything like a new party. Leaving this as it is, and must ever remain, they ought to confine themselves pretty much to the question of reconstruction, and to the admission of Senators and Representatives from the Southern States. Our most prudent and far-seeing politicians, as they inform me, believe that Mr. Clymer will be elected governor, and this would be the beginning of the end. But drop the principles and the name of Democracy, and our case would be hopeless. In re |