Volume II Part 15 (1/2)

Now I hereby declare that said amount and deposits, present and future, are official and belong to the Government of the United States, and not to me personally that the moneys so deposited are the proceeds of the sale of five per cent bonds of the ”Funded Loan”; that whatever money I may at any time have in said Bank under said account, will be the property of the United States Government, held by me officially as a.s.sistant Secretary of the Treasury, acting under orders from the Secretary; that the same is, and will continue to be subject to the draft, order, and control of the Secretary of the Treasury, independently of, and superior to my authority, whenever he so elects, and that upon his a.s.suming control thereof, my power over the same will wholly cease. In case of my decease before said account is closed, the money on deposit will not belong to my estate, but to the Government of the United States.

Witness my hand and seal, (Signed) WILLIAM A. RICHARDSON, _a.s.sistant Secretary of the Treasury, U. S. A._ LONDON, ENGLAND, _December_ 28, 1871.

_Witnesses:_ JNO. P. BIGELOW, E. W. BOWEN, GEO. L. WARREN.

_(b)_ JUDGE RICHARDSON TO JOHN P. BIGELOW

41 LOMBARD ST., LONDON, ENGLAND, _December_ 28, 1871.

_To_ JOHN P. BIGELOW, _Chief of the Loan Division, Secretary's Office, Treasury Department, U. S. A._

I have this day deposited in the Bank of England, in my name as a.s.sistant Secretary of the Treasury, two million five hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterling money, belonging to the United States, received in payment of five per cent bonds of the Funded Loan delivered here in London.

All money hereafter received for future delivery of bonds will be deposited to the same account.

Herewith I hand you a declaration of trust signed by me declaring that said account and moneys belong to the United States, and not to me personally, also the Deposit Book and a book of blank checks numbered from 35,101 to 35,150, both inclusive, received from said Bank, all of which you will take into your custody and carefully keep in one of the iron safes sent here from the department in the same manner as the books are kept.

This money, and all the money deposited in said bank on the account aforesaid, will be drawn and used only in accordance with the orders of the Secretary of the Treasury to redeem or purchase five-twenty bonds and matured coupons, or such other and further orders as he may make in relation thereto.

When money is to be drawn to pay for bonds or coupons, it must be drawn only by filling up a check from the book of checks above referred to, and you will open an account in which you will enter the amount of all deposits, the number and amount of each check drawn, specifying also to whom the same is made payable and on what account it is drawn.

The checks will be filled up by Mr. Prentiss of the Register's Office, who will place his check mark on the upper left corner, and will enter the same in the book. You will then carefully examine the check, see that it is correctly drawn for the amount actually payable for bonds or coupons received and properly recorded, and you will, when found correct, place your check mark on the right hand upper corner before the same is signed by me. All checks will be signed by me with my full name as a.s.sistant Secretary of the Treasury, as this is signed.

(Signed) WILLIAM A. RICHARDSON, _a.s.sistant Secretary of the Treasury, U. S. A._

_(c)_ MR. FORBES TO JUDGE RICHARDSON

BANK OF ENGLAND, E. C., _January_ 4, 1872.

HON. W. A. RICHARDSON, _a.s.sistant Secretary of the Treasury of the United States_, 41, _Lombard Street_.

_Sir:_ To preclude any possible misunderstanding hereafter as to the character of the drawing account opened in your name, I am instructed by the Governors to communicate to you in writing that, in conformity with the rule of the Bank, the account is considered a personal one; that the Governors have admitted the words appended to your name merely as an honorary designation; and the bank take no cognizance of, or responsibility with reference to the real owners.h.i.+p, or intended application of the sums deposited to the credit of the account.

I am, sir, Your obedient servant, (Signed) GEORGE FORBES, _Chief Cas.h.i.+er_.

_(d)_ JUDGE RICHARDSON TO MR. LYALL

41 LOMBARD STREET, LONDON, ENGLAND, _January_ 15, 1872.

GEORGE LYALL, ESQ., _Governor of the Bank of England._

_Dear Sir:_ Referring to the several conversations which I have had with you, and with your princ.i.p.al cas.h.i.+er, Mr. Forbes, relative to the manner and form of keeping the account which I desire to have in the bank, I beg leave to renew in writing my request heretofore made orally, that the account of money deposited by me may stand in the name of Hon. George S. Boutwell, Secretary of the Treasury, U. S. A., and myself, a.s.sistant Secretary, jointly and severally, so as to be subject to a several draft of either, and of the survivor, in the case of death of either one.

I suppose I must regard the letter of Mr. Forbes to me, dated January 4, 1872, and written under instructions from the Governors of the Bank as expressing your final conclusion that the account in whatever form it may be kept, must be considered a personal one.

You know my anxiety to have by deposits received by the Bank, and entered in such way that in case of my death the balance may be drawn at once by the Secretary of the Treasury or some other officer of the Government, and although you are unwilling to regard the account as an official one, I hope that on further consideration you will allow it to be opened in the name of Mr. Boutwell and myself jointly and severally as above stated. I am, sir, Your obedient servant, (Signed) WILLIAM A. RICHARDSON, _a.s.sistant Secretary of the United States Treasury Department._

_(e)_ MR. FORBES TO JUDGE RICHARDSON