1
(Copy of a letter to)
P. S. LouthboroughTreasurerP. O. DepartmentJuly 12th 1835Dear SirIn reply to your letter of the 27th June, enquiring why I should not be charged with William D. Stone[’]s Dft[Draft] of $4.500 (accepted by Me Conditionally) I reply, in frist place I objected to accepting the Draft at all—unless I was allowed to explain as
I did at the time of accepting, # that I should not pay the draft unless I had funds
in my hands of William D. Stone[’]s when the Dft become due—that soon after the acceptance of the Draft not more than 30 days, I cald at the P. O. Department & notified the then acting Trasurre & also said to Mr Hand, that I should not pay the Draft of Mr W. D. Stone[’]s, as he was attempting to defraud me out of all my property & in my
# To O. Brown then Treasurer of the P. O. Department & to J. S. Whitnull & Jos W. Hand clerks in the P. O. D.
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hearing the Treasurer gave Mr Hand directions that a suit be brot on W. D. Stone[’]s Bond as the Postmaster of Mobile, for the amount due the P. O. D.epartment for which this Draft was drawn William D Stone was also informed by the P. O. D. when his Draft was accepted that his account would not be credited till the draft
was paid—from that day to the present I have neaver heard a syllable from the Draft a space of nearly 3 years—till the recept of your letter. I had a right to suppose it was all settled long since & I releas’d[released] from all obligation, William D. Stone was notified also of my refusing to pay the Dft by the P.O. Department & by our Agent Doct[Doctor] P. Brodlay then at mobile months before it was due (as his letter to me will show) nor has W. D. Stone given me credit for the amount of this Dft in any of our transactions.
Mr Stone is now indebted to us from 30 to $40,000 dollars & If the P. O. Department call on me to pay this Dft, it will be a further loss of 4,500 dollars, on the otherhand the P. O. Department have the power to collect it from Mr Stone on his P. O.[Post Office]Bond, which I trust they will do & not do me
very respectfully Your obt Srvt[obedient Servant]Edwin Porter<Page 3>
the injustice at this day, to charge this amount to my ofc[office].
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1This document was included in the papers of the Committee on Post Offices and Postal
Roads in the 30th Congress, of which Abraham Lincoln was a member.
Handwritten Transcription, 4 page(s), RG 233, Entry 367: Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, Thirtieth Congress, 1847-1849, Records of Legislative Proceedings, Petitions and Memorials, Resolutions of State Legislatures, and Related Documents Which Were Referred to Committees, 1847-1849, NAB