TLS as president signed “Benj Harrison,” two pages, 8 x 10.25, Executive Mansion letterhead, October 19, 1889. Letter to W. H. Smith, marked at the top, “Personal.” In full: “Your letter of the 15th inst has been received and I thank you for the frank, manly and kindly manner in which you express yourself. I told you at Deer Park how the Peru post office matter presented itself to me upon the official papers and upon such outside information as came to me. That it seemed to you different I did not wonder, because it is a common experience here that persons are not always frank in speaking to an applicant or his near friends. I opened the Peru case with the feeling that if upon the papers I could do so your brother’s appointment was one that I would be glad to make. I was fully aware of the feeling that you speak of as to appointments at Peru, and took into account in weighing the case. I tried to get absolutely impartial information from several friends outside of the immediate contention.
Now as to your suggestion that something else may be found for your brother I can only say I hope so; that I am thinking of it and have already made a suggestion or two that may lead to something. Every day that I am here and every appointment I dispose of only adds to the load of distress that I carry resulting from the fact that so many friends are being disappointed. I do not blame them, even for the unkind and severe things that some of them say. It is quite natural. Probably I should have said those things if our places had been reversed; but I can only beg them to remember that in most cases at least if I had done the thing that they desired it would simply have transferred the grievance to another.” In very good condition, with intersecting folds, one through a single letter of signature, uniform moderate toning to first page, as well as some mild dampstaining. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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