page_0002

Mr. Creswell^{2John Andrew Johnson Creswell (1828–91) was born in Creswell’s Ferry (Port Deposit), Maryland. He graduated from Dickinson College in 1848. Creswell’s oratorical skills were considerable. An accomplished politician, he was elected to both the Maryland House of Representatives (1863– 65) and the U.S. Senate (1865–67) before President Grant appointed him the U.S. postmaster general (1869–74). His leading role in supporting congressional passage of the Thirteenth Amendment gained him national attention. Creswell became well known for reforming and greatly improving the U.S. postal service; in doing so, he appointed many African Americans to work for the postal system in every state. John M. Osborne and Christine Bombaro, Forgotten Abolitionist: John A. J. Creswell of Maryland (Carlisle, Pa. 2015); BDUSC (online).} regrets very much that the pressure of his public duties
prevented a reply to yours in relation to the Rochester P. Office and feels
certain that you will appreciate the motive and understand his reasons for
not considering your claims for the position

He requests me to say that he “considers “that <you> hold a first place
among the great men” of the country and that you have worn your “fame
by an admirable source of independence that commands his respect and
admiration,” “and that he could not think of your name in connection with
a local position, which “at best <is> a bone of contention among small
politicians.” He fully appreciate your motives in desiring to make the sacrifice and trusts you will consider him a sincere friend

He authorizes me to invite you to call on him at your earliest
convenience

I take the liberty to suggest that you open a correspondence with him.
He is a man of broad [learn]ing and the coming man as a “Representative
man” of the south

I volunteer the remark that your friends could not afford to allow you
to accept a position that would invite a contest which could not result favorably to you, and must to some effect injure your [illegible] fame. I trust
you will take the interference kindly

Very Respectfully

WM SAUNDERS

ALS: General Correspondence File, reel 2, frames 499–500, FD Papers. DLC.