Letter from Charles Carroll to Josiah Meigs refuting charges made against his son Henry Carroll in the Petition of Sep. 1819 from Howard Land District. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free Information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Files may be printed or copied for Personal use only. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Submitted by: Jerry Morrison Email: LWM@genesisnetwork.net ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From the books "Territorial Papers - Louisiana-Missouri Territory" 1815-1821, Volume XV pages 591-593 CHARLES CARROLL TO JOSEPH MEIGS Franklin Land Office, HOWARD CTY, M.T. Feby, 24th 1820 DEAR SIR-I enclose you by this Mail the Duplicate return for August agreeably to your request as also the January return. The Register's Accounts & Vouchers also accompany it amended as directed by your letter of the 18th July under the endorsement of the Secretary of the Treasury. I did myself the pleasure of writing to you when the December return was sent on & took the liberty of enclosing to you the refudation of some malicious Charges made against my son Henry in the faithful discharge of the duties of the office in my absence, fearing from the irregularity of the mail that my letter & enclosure may have been miscarried' (Note: No enclosure respecting charges against his son is present) I deem it due to him as well as to myself to send you in his defence, you will there see a full investigation & refutation of every charge, in fact they are futile & absurd in themselves, Except one, the certificate of Richard Gentry & by his Apology now enclosed in a hand Bill you will at a Glance see how it originated & is it possible, had it been true, for a man to proclaim his own Guilt? I believe no office has been more faithfully managed & none more free from Error under all the circumstances, connecting the mass of business done & the rapid succession of the public Sales, it is rather cause of surprise that many errors had not occurred. The Persecution against my son grew out of a report that I had resigned, & some one behind the Curtain set it in motion with a hope of benefitting himself or a friend. So far from his having done an act in the office which can bear the semblance of Impropriety, I invite the most rigid Scrutiny to unfold any act which has the least shade of incorrect Management-I think it falls within the Scope of my duty to inform you that many Persons are now working the Public salt Springs & using public timber for carrying them on, the consumption of fuel is necessarily very great & in a country bare of wood, the reservation of Salt Springs would be of no benefit to the U.S. if this practice is permitted. Under existing Laws I see no power vested in the Register to prevent such waste & depredation on the Public Lands- Daily enquiries are made when the other Lands attached to this District will be brought into market; I feel persuaded that considerable Sales might be Effected were they offered in the course of this Season. With high Esteem I am very Respectfully Dear Sir your most Obedient Servant. CHARLES CARROLL of Belle Vue [Addressed] Josiah Meigs Esquire Commissioner of the General Land Office Washington City. [Endorsed] Franklin 24 Feby 1820 Charles Carroll de Working of Salt Springs & waste of Timber-Enquiries when next Sales will take place Answered 4 April. Sent a copy of the above to the Secretary of the Treasury 4th April 1820.